Women Turn to Smart Rings As Birth Control

The Trend: More women are looking for non-hormonal birth control options to avoid the side effects of traditional birth control pills/implants, and wearables are in. Oura Ring partnered with Natural Cycles, the first FDA-cleared birth control app, so the ring’s overnight finger temperature tracking feeds the app’s cycle-phase predictions automatically. Other similarly functioning wearables are also hitting the market, including more smart rings, the Natural Cycles armband, fertility-tracking apps, and even brands like Whoop expanding into hormonal health for men.

What People Are Saying: The ring temperature-tracks for you, providing an alternative to the daily pill routine, so it’s convenient in that regard. Natural Cycles has a 93% effective rate with typical use (98% with perfect use), which is right in line with the pill. Skeptics, including those in Scientific American, note hormonal IUDs and implants are still significantly more effective (less than 1% pregnancy rate), and cycle tracking via wearables requires consistent wear and regular cycles.

What to Know: Your doctor can help you find what’s right for you. Though smart-ring cycle tracking can work for some, people with irregular cycles, shift workers, women on certain medications, or those who just can’t risk it should consider other options.