This female nuclear physicist just created a fertility app

Last updated on: February 16, 2017 at 1:02 pm by CNA Daily News

This female nuclear physicist just created a fertility app 2017-02-16T13:02:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Zurich, Switzerland, Feb 16, 2017 / 06:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Meet Elina Berglund: a nuclear physicist who will be known as the woman who developed the first natural cycle fertility app that is internationally certified to be as effective as contraception.

“It feels incredibly exciting that there is now an approved alternative to conventional pregnancy prevention methods, and that it’s possible to replace medication with technology,” Berglund told Business Insider.

The app, called Natural Cycles, was founded in Switzerland by Elina Berglund and her husband Raoul Scherwizl. They created the app as a way to go “beyond contraception,” and to “get to know your body and unique cycles,” according to their website.

“At Natural Cycles, we are all about combining scientific research and mobile tech to empower every woman worldwide with knowledge about her body, menstrual cycle and fertility.”

The app works on a sympto-thermal based system. Using mathematics and advanced technology, the app tracks a woman’s recorded daily temperature through a specific algorithm, which determines fertility, making it a competitive alternative to hormonal birth control and contraception.

This information allows women to know exactly where they are in their cycle, and even considers factors such as temperature fluctuations and cycle irregularities in order to make accurate predictions about ovulation.

The Business Insider also pointed to a recent clinical study, which concluded that the Natural Cycles prevention method is just as effective as the pill – without all of the side effects.

However, getting to this point was not easy for Berglund and her husband. Not long after its founding, the Natural Cycles app began to receive some severe investigatory restrictions from the Swedish Medicinal Products Agency.

The organization told the couple that the word “contraception” could not be included in their app. Throughout the ordeal, they also experienced a slash in overall revenue and bad publicity which made the app out to be a source of trickery and scandal.

“At that point, it felt tough. Really tough,” Berglund told Veckans Affärer in 2016, saying “after all, the app had been developed for birth control.”

Despite the hard road, the app just recently received official recognition and approval from Tüv Süd, a German inspection and certification agency. This step not only gives Natural Cycles a step up in legitimacy, but it also proves the effectiveness of natural methods over hormonal medications or contraceptive implants.

In the future, Natural Cycles has big plans to make up for lost time: they are targeting the U.K. with a big marketing sweep, and have their eyes on the United States – if the app gets approved by the FDA.

Right now, the app has over 150,000 users in over 160 countries around the world.

While the Catholic Church teaches that the use of contraception is immoral, because it separates procreation from the sexual act, it does approve of fertility mapping methods, such as Natural Family Planning.

NFP methods, such as the Billings Method or Creighton Model, help women and families achieve pregnancy – or prevent pregnancy, if there is a reason to avoid it – by tracking natural cycles, which is similar to the concept behind the Natural Cycles app.

Europe

Previous Post

February 16, 2017

Meet the priest who has helped rescue thousands on the Mediterranean Sea

Next Post

February 16, 2017 How should the US react to human rights abuses in Ethiopia?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to Isaiah 53, how would the Messiah be treated by people?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Despised and rejected Worshiped and adored Ignored and forgotten Feared and honored