About Menstrual Cycle App

[strawberryjam]

Hi!

So I am currently tracking my menstrual cycle with an app, although I don't depend fully on it. I also check my cervical mucus quite regularly just to make sure where I'm at.
The problem is that last year I had some cycles in a row where they were just crazy; by crazy I mean they were extremely short (I usually have a long cycle, around 35 - 40 days) and sporadic. I was indeed abroad that time, so I think it had something to do with the new environment or something? Only when I got back home in September 2017 that everything turned back into normal again.
I notice that those 'crazy cycles' are also calculated into the app's prediction and it somehow made it less accurate. The app has the option to exclude cycles from the calculation, though, and this is where my questions come from: should I exclude those unusally short cycles from the prediction, or should I just leave it there because they were a part ofmy menstrual cylce fluctuation afterall? And how many menstrual cycles back should I look at to call it a steady pattern?

Thank you!

[Heather]

I would not exclude those cycles.

Generally when it comes to charting, you're going to want to look at at least six months in order to try and find established patterns and in order to be able to at all accurately chart fertility. Though truly, an app that doesn't ask for cervical mucus or basal temps isn't a very accurate way to try and chart fertility, period, if that's what you're wanting this for. If you want to accurately chart your fertility, here's some information on what's needed to do that: Get With the Flow: All About FAM.

[strawberryjam]

Thank you so much, Heather!

[Heather]

Sure thing!