Data from a Menstrual Cycle Tracking App Informs our Knowledge of the Menstrual Cycle in Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

surgical management. 3 The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the introduction of an evidence based multidisciplinary algorithm during the study period on the surgical management of adnexal masses. Methods: A retrospective review of females 1-18 years with adnexal masses of all sizes was conducted from 04/2011-03/2016. Patients with adnexal torsion were excluded. Only the dominant mass was analyzed in patients with bilateral masses at presentation. Asynchronous presenting masses were each analyzed separately. A database containing patient demographic data, presenting symptoms, and pelvic ultrasound characteristics was created. The algorithm was revised and reintroduced in 2015. Use of algorithm components was documented: multidisciplinary consultation (gynecology, oncology, surgery), tumor markers (LDH, AFP, BHCG, CA125), and MRI of pelvis/abdomen. The type of surgical procedure performed was recorded to evaluate if use of the algorithm led to appropriate surgical management of complex masses >8 cm and solid masses of any size. For the purpose of this study, appropriate surgical management was defined as ovarian conservation for benign masses and oophorectomy/salpingo-ophorectomy for malignancies. Results: The study group included 281 patients with 289 masses: 153

Period Hacks: Menstruating in the Big Data Paradigm

“…Popular and scholarly criticism of these apps has largely remained focused on the inaccuracy of prediction algorithms as well as the affinity for pink interfaces and gendered address (Adams-Hillard and Wheeler 2017; Epstein et al 2017; Gambier-Ross et al 2018; Ruff 2019; Starling et al 2018). While most remain focused on how pink and other stereotypically “feminine” icons and word choice targets straight women, this article extends the discussion of gender to consider how the self-tracking and data analytic features reinforce discourses of menstrual concealment and biomedical bodily alienation.…”

Influence of Menstrual Cycle on Internal and External Load in Professional Women Basketball Players

“…In addition, to improve the reliability of the results, this research could be complemented with the use of biological markers of estrogens, progesterone and the LH hormone. In this study they were not used to show coaching staffs that with scarce resources they can obtain very valid information on how the MC affects their players [ 59 ]. For this reason, the results need to be interpreted with care.…”

Predicting pregnancy using large-scale data from a women's health tracking mobile application

“…We use data from the Clue women’s health tracking app [17]. The app has been rated the most accurate menstrual cycle tracking app by gynecologists [29] and previously used in studies which show that it reliably replicates known women’s health findings [2, 21, 35]. All data is de-identified and analysis was determined to be exempt from review by the Stanford Institutional Review Board.…”

“…Health tracking apps have been recognized as delivering a “data bounty” [19] for healthcare [32, 49]. Within women’s health specifically, health tracking apps are used by millions of women worldwide [7, 15, 37], and have already been used to study sexually transmitted infections [2], menstrual cycle fluctuations [35, 47], and menstrual cycle lengths [21]. These apps allow users to create profiles which include age and birth control information and keep daily logs of symptoms relevant to pregnancy, including basal body temperature, period starts, and ovulation tests.…”