Irregular cycles are not necessarily a problem with Natural Cycles: 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 your unique cycle patterns by taking cycle irregularity, temperature fluctuations, the recent usage of hormonal contraception, ovulation day variation, sperm survival, and several other essential factors into consideration to provide a tailor-made solution for each individual. You can also read more about this topic in the following blog post.
Menstrual cycles are not necessarily regular, and small irregularities are quite common. Bigger irregularities can occur due to several 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, your cycle may likely 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 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.