mHealth and its application in menstrual related issues: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this research was to evaluate how menstrual tracking applications can promote gynaecological health. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a systematic review in Medline and Scopus, for papers evaluating menstrual tracking mobile applications. We excluded review articles and those not written in English. RESULTS We identified 14 articles measuring the outcome resulting from the use of a single Fertility Tracking Application (FTA). Eight studies evaluated 2 different applications used as a contraception method. One study assessed a fecundity enhancing application. Five studies referred to applications, used to treat or monitor various gynaecologic issues. All studies reported efficacy for their intended use or a high satisfaction rate. DISCUSSION There is a plethora of FTAs, however a minority of them are appraised by medical experts. Several safety and privacy concerns have been expressed regarding their use and these issues should be addressed in the future. All studies identified in our search demonstrated that FTAs can facilitate users in terms of contraception, fertility, and menstrual awareness. CONCLUSION Menstrual tracking applications can serve as a valuable health tool, nevertheless, their content should be more vigorously evaluated.