Today's guest is Elina Berglund, a particle physicist and app entrepreneur.
She was part of the Nobel Prize-winning team that discovered Higgs Boson particle, an amazing achievement. After that, she left her job to co-found and develop the NaturalCycles algorithm and app - a prototype she had already been using herself.
I've been quite intrigued by Natural Cycles "the first ever contraceptive app" and wanted to interview Elina for the podcast all inventing an algorithm and also being a scientist. I haven't used the app myself, but the link between contraception and tech got me very intrigued.
Natural Cycles is the only certified contraceptive app personalised with data from your unique cycle. It has has been certified in the EU to be marketed as a contraceptive device like the pill or the coil.
You measure your temperature first thing in the morning before you get out of bed. This reading is an indirect measure of your hormone levels and the information the app needs to effectively analyse your cycle and calculate your red or green day.
Natural Cycles is backed by a unique algorithm that takes your temperature and many other factors like sperm survival, temperature fluctuations and cycle irregularities into account. It not only detects ovulation, fertility and the different stages of your cycle, it also calculates accurate predictions for upcoming cycles. It has been clinically tested to be highly accurate in detecting and predicting ovulation.
Just worth keeping in mind that Natural Cycles does not protect against Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in any way.
Hope you enjoy the episode! As Elina is based in Sweden, this episode is over the phone.
*This bonus episode is in collaboration with Natural Cycles*