The Apple Watch Series 8 and Apple Watch Ultra have skin temperature sensors, which will also be available on upcoming, new versions of the watch. These sensors detect the temperature of your skin every five seconds during the overnight hours, and Apple states this can be used to track fertility. Because ovulation typically correlates with some specific changes, including a rise in body temperature, tracking skin temperature can provide valuable information on the days when you may be most fertile.

Because the Apple Watch also has a built-in tracking app for your menstrual cycle, using that data plus the skin temperature information makes it easier for some women who are trying to plan their families. Naturally, Apple also made it clear that it’s not an exact science, and that it shouldn’t be used as a form of birth control or as a substitute for more detailed or doctor-advised family planning.

Now, Apple has gone a step further, and the Apple Watch can be integrated with the Natural Cycles app, which is specifically designed to track fertility. Natural Cycles will be able to use the skin temperature readings from the watch to get a clearer picture of your information. This can help when predicting both fertile and infertile days, which is valuable whether you’re trying to get pregnant or trying to avoid it.

Every morning, the app will read data from the watch and give you information on whether you’re expected to be fertile that day, or not. The FDA has cleared the app to be used for birth control due to the accuracy of the information it provides. Using it with the Apple Watch will help increase its effectiveness and offer additional family planning data.

The app is subscription-based, and if you want to use it with your Apple Watch you’ll need to pay for a subscription to the app first. Then you can sync it to your watch. Make sure to put your Apple Watch into sleep mode every night when you go to bed, since it won’t take your temperature if it’s not in that mode.

If you’d like to learn more about the legal aspects of starting or growing your family through assisted reproduction, contact us today!