Use of Menstruation Tracking Apps Among Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Multi-Country Evidence

Menstruation-tracking applications have become common digital tools for cycle monitoring, symptom tracking, fertility-related decisions, and reproductive self-awareness. Despite their growing use, evidence on their uptake and real-world use across settings has remained fragmented. This study aimed to systematically review and synthesise evidence on the use of menstruation-tracking apps among women, including uptake, reasons for use, benefits, determinants, concerns about accuracy, and privacy.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Eligible studies involved adolescent girls or women and reported use of menstruation or fertility-tracking apps. Data were extracted independently. All included studies were synthesised narratively, while a random-effects meta-analysis of proportions was performed for six studies reporting extractable prevalence data. Heterogeneity was assessed with I². Risk of bias was appraised with design-appropriate tools, and certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE and GRADE-CERQual.

Fourteen studies published between 2017 and 2025, involving 3,547 participants, were included, with six contributing to the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of menstruation-tracking app use was 61% (95% CI: 45%-75%), although substantial heterogeneity (I²= 98.1%) limited the precision of this estimate. Sensitivity analyses showed prevalence estimates of 65% for cross-sectional studies and 43% after excluding high-risk-of-bias studies. Menstruation-tracking apps were primarily used for cycle monitoring, pregnancy planning or avoidance, symptom tracking, and reproductive health information. While users generally perceived these apps as useful, concerns remained about predictive accuracy, privacy, data security, and emotional distress from inaccurate predictions.

Menstruation-tracking app use appears common in the studied populations, but available estimates vary widely, and the certainty of evidence is very low. These apps may support self-monitoring and reproductive awareness, but they should be used as adjunctive self-management tools rather than stand-alone clinical tools.