I'm Switching To Natural Birth Control — Here's What That Means For My Body

I first started taking birth control when I was in college. As an ambitious student-athlete pursuing a journalism degree, I played on the university’s club field hockey team, was on staff at the student-run newspaper, and had dreams of studying abroad. Starting a family was literally the last thing on my mind.

I turned 30 earlier this year, and I’ll be honest — I’m still not ready to have kids. Though I’m in a loving relationship, I have certain things I want to accomplish before entering that chapter in my life. I understand that as I get older, the window of opportunity to get pregnant naturally gets smaller, so I’ve recently started taking some proactive measures to take control of my body and reproductive health. For example, I got my blood tested for levels of the Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH), which can measure ovarian reserve. I also decided it's time to switch up my method of birth control.

My first experience with birth control was a prescription for a daily pill that the on-campus doctor promised was a low dosage of hormones. Yet the medication still really affected my body: I had cramps for weeks, and felt sore and bloated as my body adjusted to its new normal. Now that I’m older (and wiser, I like to think!), I promised myself I would look for an alternative to hormonal birth control that was both natural and effective. And then I heard about Natural Cycles.

As the only FDA-cleared birth control app, Natural Cycles allows women to take control of their reproductive health without a prescription or a trip to the pharmacy. Instead of utilizing hormones or invasive procedures, Natural Cycles relies on women's personal data to provide them with customized information about their fertility. The app clearly identifies which days you're fertile and should avoid sex or use protection, and which days you're in the clear (or not fertile, and therefore least likely to conceive).

And if you think this sounds like any old period tracker out there, then think again. Other apps aren't unique to each individual woman, and therefore aren't as effective.

So I did some research into how Natural Cycles works. Here's what I found out: There are only certain days of the month women are fertile and can get pregnant. Right after ovulation, there’s a noticeable rise in basal body temperature (or your body’s lowest resting temperature). Natural Cycles is powered by an algorithm that uses this information along with your cycle history to identify your daily fertility status. By identifying your fertile window, Natural Cycles can tell you if it’s a ‘red’ or ‘green’ day. A ‘red’ day means that you’re fertile, and a ‘green’ day means you're not.

An annual subscription provides you with a thermometer, which measures basal body temperature, plus access to the Natural Cycles app. Natural Cycles recommends taking your temperature first thing in the morning, so I'm planning on storing my thermometer on my bedside stand, making it a seamless part of my routine. After logging the data in the app, you know immediately whether it’s a red or green day, and can plan accordingly.

Compared to my experiences with other birth control methods, Natural Cycles comes off as straightforward, simple, and pain-free. No hormones that could mess with my mood or stomach, and no worries about missing a pill, taking it at the wrong time of day, or forgetting if I’ve even taken it to begin with. Through the app, I'll be able to access a wealth of information regarding my body no matter where I am, like when I should next expect my period, and when my body is more likely to conceive. And on the rare occasion I do forget to take my temperature, the app’s algorithm knows and it will not impact the app’s effectiveness

Not only is this a great opportunity to learn more about my own fertility, ovulation, and cycle than ever before, but the app is also able to provide extra info about period symptoms, mood changes, and sex data so I can learn more about my unique cycle. For example, I'll know my personal patterns, like when I’ll start to experience PMS symptoms (and more importantly, when I should stock up on chocolate and tampons, and avoid sensitive topics that are more likely to make me emotional).

One of the other things that drew me to Natural Cycles is that while it’s 98 percent effective as a birth control when used perfectly (93 percent effective when accounting for user error), it can also be used to plan pregnancy when, and if, I’m ready. All I'll have to do is switch from the ‘Prevent’ to ‘Plan’ mode in the app.

Now, I’m still not ready to have kids, but I love the idea that when I am, there's a birth control that will be able to help me with the transition. Until then, I feel confident knowing that I'm exploring new options that do right by my body and myself.

If you’re interested in taking control of your reproductive health, take this quiz and if Natural Cycles is right for you, sign up now to get 20% percent off an annual subscription, plus free shipping and a free thermometer delivered right to your door

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This post is sponsored by Natural Cycles. Natural Cycles does not protect against STIs and users must be 18 or older.