Reproductive
Reproductive
In a post-Roe America, reproductive health privacy is more important than ever.
The Law
In 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case which granted Americans the constitutional right to abortion, through their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. You can read the full text of the decision here. In short, Dobbs voided the federal constitutionality of abortion and allowed individual states to passed bans or restrictions on abortion. State-by-state legal trackers are maintained by The New York Times, Planned Parenthood, KFF, and other sources.
The New York Times’ abortion law tracker, last updated May 16, 2024.
Today, seemingly harmless data stored in period-tracking apps can be used to infer whether a user has had an abortion in a court of law. In other words, period-tracking apps can be used to criminally prosecute an individual for receiving reproductive healthcare. With a large volume of data about menstrual cycles, sexual activity, and other personal reproductive healthcare data, they could be powerful modes of criminal evidence. It 2022, an organization called ORCHA found that 84% of period-tracking apps share data with third parties, reflecting the alarming reality that these apps containing highly sensitive information are not always secure.
The Tech
Nearly one-third of people who menstruate use period tracking apps. They offer features include predictive menstrual cycle tracking, symptom monitoring, and reproductive health resources. In 2019, the Wall Street Journal found that the most popular period tracking app, Flo, shared data---namely, when a user was menstruating---to third-party platforms including Meta.
Furthermore, in recent years a number of AI-based technologies related to pregnancy, fertility, and postpartum maternal health have entered the growing femtech market. For example, Velmio offers an AI-based pregnancy care symptom tracker and Soula is an AI assistant. Given the limited restrictions around the use of AI in healthcare and specific sensitivities related to pregnancy and reproductive health, it is especially important to understand your rights and be cognizant about how these technologies may collect, store, and potentially share your personal data.
Our Recommendations
Euki
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Euki, the "period tracker that doesn't track you," is an app designed with privacy in mind which provides reliable, comprehensive information about your menstrual cycle. It's also free in both English and Spanish and led by a team of multiracial women of color.
You can learn more about Euki at https://eukiapp.org/ or download it today at
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- PIN Protection: set up an optional pin to protect your information.
- Data deletion: delete data on the spot or schedule sweeps to remove information from your phone.
- No third-party tracking: the app does not share any data with third parties.
- Local storage: there is no "back-end" system in Euki. All information is stored in the app and nowhere else.
Lady Cycle
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Lady Cycle is a fertility-focused reproductive healthcare-tracking app with features including fertility state indications, cycle sheets, menstrual tracking, and personalized statistics. You can learn more about Lady Cycle at https://www.ladycycle.com/.
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- No automatic third-party sharing: Lady Cycle only shares your data if you provide explicit permission.
- Local storage The health information that you provide the app stays in the app, not through automatic cloud synching.
- Anonymized information: When users send their data to the personal data controller, an anonymized version of these data can be stored, making it impossible to reveal the identity of the user.
drip.
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drip. is a period tracker which aims to provide more secure, transparent menstrual cycle and fertility technology solutions. You can read more about Drip from their site at https://bloodyhealth.gitlab.io/.
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- Local storage: Everything that you enter stays on your phone, as opposed to a cloud system.
- No collection of usage data or personal information.
- Transparency: You can even read through the source code of drip to ensure that your privacy is secure.
What We Looked For:
Local storage: Your menstrual and personal health information stays on your phone and is not automatically connected to cloud storage.
No third-party sharing: Your data is not shared outside of the app except without your explicit permission.
Transparency reports: The app is straightforward about how they collect, process, use, and (do not) share your data.
Data deletion rights: The service offers either automatic or scheduled data deletion, or makes it seamless to request data deletion via email or in-app.
Inclusivity: In addition to security, these apps also offer gender-inclusive features and overall app designs.
Reproductive Healthtech Database