There’s an App for That: Exploring the Market for Contraceptive Fertility Tracking Apps in the Philippines

For generations, women have relied on fertility awareness methods (FAM) to plan and prevent pregnancy; for over a decade, many have been aided by digital tools to do so. New Contraceptive Fertility Tracking Apps (CFTAs)--that are backed by clinical efficacy trials to support their effectiveness as contraception--have the potential to enhance method choice and offer users a unique contraceptive option, but there is little evidence to inform the decisions around expanding access, particularly in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). We conducted a mixed methods study with quantitative online surveys (n=1600) and qualitative components (n=36) to explore the potential appeal of and demand for a hypothetical CFTA in one such market, the Philippines. Interest in using a CFTA was high among our internet-engaged, urban study population, with 83.9% “definitely” or “probably” interested in using. Across demographic profiles, respondents perceived the appeal of the method as “natural” and “convenient.” A majority were willing to pay for the method, though notably at a price (5.20 USD) below that of currently available CFTAs. We explore various factors to be considered before bringing a method like this to new markets, including equity constraints and the prevalence of other period-tracking apps not intended as contraception.