Irregular cycles are not necessarily a problem with Natural Cycles since the app’s effectiveness as a contraceptive is not affected by irregular cycles, but you will experience an increased number of red days, which can reduce your satisfaction with Natural Cycles.
Natural Cycles captures every woman's unique cycle patterns by taking cycle irregularity, temperature fluctuations, recent usage of hormonal contraception, ovulation day variation, sperm survival, and several other important factors into consideration to provide a tailor-made solution for each individual.
Menstrual cycles are not necessarily regular, small irregularities are quite common. Bigger irregularities can occur due to a number of factors related to health and lifestyle, such as:
- Illness/Medicine
- Recent use of hormonal contraception
- Stress
- Travel
- Extensive use of alcohol/smoking/drugs
- Competitive sport
- Accidents/shock
- Abnormal BMI
- Severe diets
If you have recently been on hormonal contraception, it is likely that your cycle may be out of balance and highly irregular for up to a year. To capture your unique cycle pattern from the start, try and answer the questions upon registration to the best of your knowledge.
Tip: If you are a planning a pregnancy and have irregular cycles, it is good to combine temperature data with LH tests (ovulation tests), so that you won't miss your most fertile days in the cycle.