Summary:
The FDA has approved the use of the Apple Watch with the Natural Cycles digital birth control app. This allows Apple Watch Series 8, 9, Ultra, or Ultra 2 owners to import their temperature data directly from the watch instead of manually measuring their basal body temperature each morning. This is the second FDA-cleared wearable integration for Natural Cycles, with the first being the Oura Ring.
The Apple Watch integration is significant, as it held a significant share of the global smartwatch market in 2022 and incorporated two temperature sensors for advanced cycle tracking. Natural Cycles is currently the only FDA-cleared digital birth control app, designated as a Class II medical device.
Users input daily temperature data into the Natural Cycles app, which then uses an algorithm to inform them of their fertility status. The use of wearable temperature data for reproductive health tracking is a growing trend, and Natural Cycles has been actively pursuing such integrations with wearables.
Article written by Victoria Song
19/09/2023
Source:
The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/19/23874112/natural-cycles-apple-watch-fda-digital-birth-control?_se=c3ZpZ2FyYUBjZWluLmVz