Buzz
The FEMM Period and Ovulation Tracker may seem like a typical fertility app, prompting you to record your menstrual information and claiming to offer 'cutting-edge science that supports your health.' However, the Guardian discovered that the app is affiliated with an anti-abortion activist group.
FEMM’s website, also accessible through the 'get help' tab in the app, features several articles that portray birth control as harmful in comparison to fertility awareness apps. (This view is contradicted by medical professionals, as the Pill and other forms of hormonal birth control are safe and effective, though individual medical histories matter.) For example, the site contains articles with titles such as 'New Study Links Birth Control Use with Depression,' 'Why Millennial Women are Rejecting the Pill,' and 'Birth Control Pills Still Linked to Breast Cancer, Study Finds.' (In reality, birth control may slightly increase the risk of certain cancers while lowering the risk of others. FEMM appears to selectively highlight only the negative aspects to create fear around birth control.)
The Guardian notes that FEMM 'seems to be the first ideologically driven fertility app,' which is good news since my initial reaction to hearing about FEMM was, 'How many others like this exist?' That being said, numerous fertility apps are profiting from your data, so it's wise to approach the entire app category with caution. If you’re considering a switch, Planned Parenthood’s app appears to be a trustworthy option, or you can simply rely on a calendar.
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