Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/switch75/
If you’ve ever been on birth control pills, you‘ll remember that the pill needs to be taken at the same time each day in order for it to be effective in preventing pregnancy. While women have been setting alarms on their cell phones as reminders to take their birth control pill, the technology has gotten smarter and there are now several apps that can be downloaded to serve this purpose and more!
myPill (Apple, Free)
- Reminds you to take your birth control pill daily at your desired time. You can customize the alert message.
- It stops automatically for seven days during your period and reschedules automatically when the next pack starts. It also allows you to predict future packs so that you can plan accordingly.
- You can keep notes to record what happens during your period or write down questions for future appointments.
PillReminder (Android, $1)
- Reminds you to take your contraception daily at your desired time. You can customize the alert message.
- Works for pills, patches and rings.
- Stops automatically during the pause period (dependent on the type of contraception) and reschedules automatically.
Pillboxie (Apple, $1)
- Can be helpful if you take multiple medications per day, especially if they have to be taken at different times.
- A visual way to remember your medications. There are different shapes and colors that you can choose for each medication and the graphic resembles a pill box.
In addition to apps that remind women to take their birth control pills, there are apps that can help track a woman’s menstrual cycle as well as her fertility, which can be helpful if she and her partner are trying to conceive.
Woman Calendar (Apple, $10)
- Can be used to track dates of ovulation, your menstrual cycle, basal body temperatures, weight, symptoms and sexual activity.
- It provides charts and graphs of all your data which can be printed for your next doctor’s appointment.
WomanLog Calendar (Apple/Android, free)
- Can be used to track your menstrual cycle, basal body temperatures, most fertile days and symptoms (i.e. cramping or migraines during menstrual cycles).
Period Tracker (Apple/Android, free)
- Can keep track of dates of ovulation, your menstrual cycle, basal body temperatures, weight, moods, symptoms and sexual activity.
Please note that the apps discussed above are only a few of the many available. While we do not endorse these nor guarantee their accuracy, we hope you’ll find these resources helpful in tracking and participating in your health. Have you had success with other apps? We’d love to hear which ones are working for you.
Virginia Women’s Center is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
