Fertility app touts its use as a contraceptive, drawing debate

A fertility tracking app called Dot may be up to 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancies, according to a new efficacy study, putting it on par with many other birth control methods. The app, from Cycle Technologies, gives users a window of about 11 to 13 days during which they should use a condom or other contraceptive to prevent pregnancy. But the results are reigniting debate over how to measure the effectiveness of fertility and contraception apps — and whether they should be available at all. Even though Dot touts itself as a form of contraception, the app has not yet been authorized by the FDA to make such claims.