HEALTH: Do We Have to Stop Using Period Tracking Apps?

Headlines for a healthier you

By Anisa Arsenault, Associate Editorial Director

Is Your Data Safe in Period Tracking Apps?

Flo, Period Tracker, Clue, Natural Cycles—these are just a handful of the apps available to track menstruation and fertility cycles on your phone. Because these apps are typically unrestricted by HIPAA, any data you log isn't necessarily kept private.

Here's why that matters right now: If abortion is criminalized, these apps may be forced to disclose users' reproductive health data to law enforcement when faced with a legal request or subpoena. Or hackers could hold data for ransom, threatening to expose it to law enforcement. Depending on the state you live in and its restrictions, logging a pregnancy loss could become a big problem—especially if your phone's location tracking data is linked to an abortion clinic.

Know More

When it comes to privacy concerns, experts say free apps tend to be riskier than subscription-based apps. That's because free apps can earn revenue by selling your data instead of charging you.

Feel Better

While it's impossible to be certain you've opted out of app tracking entirely, there are ways to enhance your safety if you're set on using an app. For example, if app settings allow you to store data on a device rather than a cloud, you'll be better protected against a cyberattack.

Crunching the Numbers

What Else You Should Know

Poop-Tracking App Proves as Accurate as Doctors

Meanwhile, we have some good news for poop tracking apps. A small study of patients with diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) shows a specialized app is just as effective as gastroenterologists at characterizing poop. Researchers are looking for a way to monitor poop to see how well medication works for patients with IBS-D. If a healthcare provider is unavailable to screen stool samples, it seems like a poop app is the second best option. Option number two, if you will.

How to Share Health App Data With Doctors

Imagine you actually want to share your health app data. You guessed it—there's an app feature just for that. Last fall, Apple added Health App features that allow users to share health information (like heart rate, sleep data, and blood oxygen levels) with friends, family, and doctors. The goal is to give doctors better insight into patients' individual health trends.

Health Tip of the Day

Bethany Corbin, ESQ, LLM
Femtech and privacy attorney at Nixon Gwilt Law

I always caution women not to input any data into an app that you wouldn't be comfortable publicizing on the Internet. The odds are that the data will get out at some point—whether through a cyberattack, downstream disclosure, or sale.