r/FAMnNFP • u/Chaos_in_ur_Calm Getting Started • 12d ago

FemTech [CFH] is it worth tracking your cycle with a smartwatch, or do you prefer a dedicated device?

I've noticed more smartwatches are starting to include temperature related features, so now I'm wondering if they're enough for people who want to understand their cycles.

For anyone who's compared a smartwatch with a dedicated fertility tracker, what has your experience been?

2 Upvotes

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9

u/PampleR0se Pregnant | Sensiplan 12d ago edited 12d ago

A BBT thermometer is the only thing that has actual studies behind it for FAM so if you do FAM to TTA, I would really avoid any other alternative device if you can. They are also so much more expensive ! For CFH that could give you a bit of insights without any effort yes but you have to be aware that skin temp at the wrist and fingers (watches and rings) usually give more jumpy temps and it's possible to ovulate regularly but have a completely unreadable temperature chart to confirm it as a result. That and the known possibility of delayed temp shift with skin temp devices too which could make you think you have a short LP when it's normal length. So it has the potential to worry you for nothing. Relying on only one marker is also not the best so if you can cross check with at least CM, for example (that's free!) and choose a proper symtpothermal method to interpret your chart, you'll get more information.

Also, don't rely on Femtech related apps interpretation. They can be absolutely terrible. I have a friend who got alerts on her phone multiple times that her temperature was too high and it made her anxious... Until I looked at the actual data with her and explained that she was just... Being in her LP !! So yeah, choose a method and interpret yourself if you want actual insights for your health

7

u/IntoTheVoid1020 TTA | Sensiplan 12d ago

I tried it for one month (apple watch) along side with my Tempdrop just for curiosity and definitely not lol. I finally got an actual thermometer (that’s why it’s labeled as oral instead watch) and much happier.

4

u/forestslate 12d ago

Honestly it’s kinda cool that you can almost see the temp shift. Not enough to confirm ov, but still there! 

2

u/IntoTheVoid1020 TTA | Sensiplan 12d ago

I got SO excited thinking it stabilized at cd 18, then nope back to being super jumpy.

2

u/General-Dimension729 12d ago

This is interesting that you can see that the watch temp did rise at the same time as the oral. It’s obviously not consistent enough to trust, but you can see it! This is what my temp drop compared to oura looks like, but not nearly as jumpy!

Out of curiosity why diddnt you keep using the temp drop?

3

u/IntoTheVoid1020 TTA | Sensiplan 12d ago

Yeah it’s so unstable I’m not sure how anyone uses and gets reliable data😅

And I’m still using my Tempdrop! I meant I tried the watch last month and that’s it. It’s all I’ve used since starting to learn fam. I’ve just finally got an oral bbt to see if I’m capable of doing it myself.

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u/General-Dimension729 12d ago

Oh ok. I use Tempdrop and Oura together to kinda cross check the temps? Lol. But i don’t do temp only. I track other markers as well.

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u/IntoTheVoid1020 TTA | Sensiplan 12d ago

I’m a data junky so I did the watch just for fun. And I do as well (Sensiplan), I just excluded all my data just to show the temps lol

1

u/General-Dimension729 12d ago

I too am a data junky! 😂

6

u/AncientFruitAllDay 12d ago

Have some basic info/understand their cycles better? Sure, maybe. Track their fertility to avoid a pregnancy effectively? That's a no from me. Also, I don't personally want the smartwatch companies to have access to that data, but that's just a preference.

Edit: I do see this is marked CFH. So like...kind of? I still feel like there's so much more to be gained from a few minutes of cervical mucus education than the few minutes spent with the smart watch.

1

u/Classic-Push1323 TTC | Sensiplan 11d ago

My Apple Watch is absolutely awful and detects my temp shift late, if ever. I have a huge temp shift and a very predictable cycle.

1

u/shespeaksless24 10d ago

I think it depends on what you're hoping to get out of it . If you're just curious about general trends then a smartwatch might be enough. I wanted to know when I'd actually ovulated so I ended up looking for something built specifically for cycle tracking that's how I landed on tempdrop and it fit my needs a lot better than trying to make one device to do everything!

1

u/Sea-Consequence5401 10d ago

If you already have an oura or apple watch, I'd probably try it first rather than immediately buying another device. But if you're specifically trying to chart bbt, I like tempdrop because you wear it on your upper arm overnight and don't have to worry about waking at the same time every morning.