Skip to main content

Cycle tracking

Cycle tracking in PregnancyPal is the place where you log each period — the day it starts, how heavy the flow is, and any symptoms — so the app can show your cycle on a calendar, summarize your statistics, and estimate what might come next. The estimates are built only from the data you enter; they are not a medical assessment of your cycle.

Knowing your cycle is useful whether you're simply curious, planning, or trying to conceive. The more consistently you log, the clearer the picture becomes. Cycle tracking gathers your entries in one place and turns them into views you can actually read at a glance — a colored calendar, a few plain-language stats, and a running history. None of it replaces a conversation with your clinician; it just helps you see your own pattern.

What you can do with cycle tracking​

  • Log a period with its start date, a flow-intensity level, optional symptoms, and a note.
  • See your current cycle at a glance in the Cycle Overview widget — current cycle info plus estimated ovulation date and fertile window.
  • Read a month at a time on the Calendar tab, where days are colored for period, fertile, and prediction phases.
  • Record symptoms and flow on the Symptoms tab, choosing a flow intensity and ticking any symptoms.
  • View charts of your stats on the Insights tab.
  • Scroll your past logs on the History tab to revisit earlier cycles.

How to log a period​

  1. Open the Period feature from the app (route /period).
  2. Tap "Log Period" to open the logging dialog.
  3. Pick the date the period started (or the day you're recording).
  4. Choose a flow intensity from the dropdown: light, medium, heavy, very heavy, or spotting.
  5. Tick any symptoms that apply using the symptom checkboxes.
  6. Add a note if there's something you want to remember about that day.
  7. Save. Your entry appears on the Calendar, feeds the Insights charts, and joins your History list.

Examples​

  • A regular logger records each period's first day and flow over several months. The Cycle Overview widget begins estimating an ovulation date and fertile window, and the Calendar colors those phases so the rhythm is easy to see.
  • A heavy-flow week is logged as very heavy with a note. Later, on the History tab, that note is right there alongside the date — handy context to bring to an appointment.
  • A spotting day between periods is logged as spotting rather than a full period, keeping the statistics on the Insights tab closer to reality.

Tips​

  • Log the first day promptly. The start date anchors most of the calculations, so recording it on time keeps everything else more useful.
  • Be honest about flow. Choosing the level that actually matches what you see makes your Insights charts meaningful rather than decorative.
  • Use the note field for context. Pain, mood, travel, illness, or a missed pill are all worth a quick line you'll appreciate later.
  • Don't worry about a perfect streak. Skipped days happen; the app works with whatever you give it, and more data simply sharpens the view.
  • Read the History tab before a visit. A few months of entries can answer a clinician's questions faster than memory.

Frequently asked questions​

What do the flow-intensity options mean?​

The dropdown offers light, medium, heavy, very heavy, and spotting. They're descriptive labels for how much flow you observe — there's no clinical threshold attached. Pick the one that best matches your day; consistency over time matters more than getting any single day "right".

Why are days different colors on the Calendar?​

The Calendar's month view colors days for period, fertile, and prediction phases so you can scan a month and see the shape of your cycle. Period days reflect what you logged; fertile and prediction phases are estimates built from your history.

What does the Insights tab show?​

Insights presents charts of your cycle statistics over time — a visual summary of the data you've entered. It's a reflection of your own logs, not an external benchmark or a clinical reading.

Can I edit or review past entries?​

Yes. The History tab lists your past logs so you can look back at earlier cycles, dates, flow levels, symptoms, and notes.

How many cycles do I need to log before it's useful?​

Even one logged period gives you a calendar entry and a history record. Estimates like the ovulation date and fertile window become steadier as you log more cycles, because they're derived from your accumulated data.

Is my cycle data private?​

Your logs live in your account and power your own views. PregnancyPal does not present cycle tracking as a sharing or broadcasting feature — it's your personal record.

Does logging spotting affect my predictions?​

Logging spotting as spotting rather than a full period helps keep your statistics and estimates closer to your real pattern, since the app distinguishes the two.

What this feature does NOT do​

  • It does not diagnose any condition. Irregular cycles, unusual flow, missed periods, or bleeding between periods can have many causes — cycle tracking records them but does not interpret them clinically.
  • Its predictions are estimates, not certainties. The ovulation date and fertile window are calculated from the data you enter and can be wrong, especially with irregular cycles or sparse logging.
  • It is not a method of contraception. Do not rely on the calendar colors or estimates to prevent pregnancy.
  • It does not detect pregnancy, infection, or hormonal disorders, and it does not alert you to seek care.

PregnancyPal is a tracking and organization companion, not medical advice and not a substitute for professional care. If you notice unusual bleeding, severe pain, suddenly irregular cycles, or anything that worries you, please consult your healthcare provider — only a qualified clinician can evaluate your symptoms.

Updated 2026-06-23 by Ahsan Mahmood — aoneahsan.com — LinkedIn — GitHub