Natural Cycles, the first 'contraception app' swipes at new rival from Clue

CNI Desk: Natural Cycles, the first app to be cleared by US regulators for use as a contraceptive, has criticised the approval of a new birth control service from period tracker app Clue.

Natural Cycles knocked Clue's product for relying purely on period dates and also said its approval process had not been as thorough.

But Clue said the regulator had determined its digital Birth Control service was "safe and effective".

 

It is due to launch in the US in 2021.

The idea behind both apps is that they offer an alternative to traditional forms of contraception, and they work by highlighting the days when they calculate that pregnancy is most likely to occur. These depend on an individual's menstrual cycle.

Natural Cycles charges a subscription fee and Clue has a subscription model for access to extra features on its existing period tracker app.

Clue said Birth Control was 92% effective at preventing pregnancy with typical everyday use.

By contrast, Natural Cycles has claimed a 93% success rate - the same as the contraceptive pill in normal use.

Tracking monthly periods can enable apps to pinpoint when ovulation is most likely to occur - the most fertile time for the app user - as long as their periods are regular.