You can use your iPhone, one frequently hears, to accomplish almost anything. Whatever your problem, "there's an app for that." Well, being a long-time, loyal iPhone user, I decided to look at the quality and usefulness of the three applications available for people suffering from infertility (as of June 4, 2010).The "Fertility Affirmations" App ($2.99) is a set of 40 phrases that the publisher describes as "positive, uplifting, and inspiring thoughts." Infertile women are to focus on these thoughts based on the notion that "thoughts create your own reality and can change your life." Based on a past life as a cognitive behavioral psychologist, I have no doubt that our thoughts, particularly our interpretations of the events we experience, can profoundly affect us psychologically and physically. However, there is no evidence that simply "focusing" on rather generic phrases like "My body is designed to conceive" will enhance a woman's chance of becoming pregnant. I cannot recommend this App.
The "Boost Fertility" App ($0.99) consists of information that the publisher describes as "ways that you can help to improve your fertility naturally." These items are groups into three categories: "Diet," "Supplements," and "Herbs." Dietary recommendations include consuming what is essentially a standard well-balanced diet (with the exception of a recommended increased intake of "oily food"), avoidance of any alcohol or caffeine intake for 3 months prior to attempts to conceive, and discontinuation of smoking. Among the "Supplements" recommended for couples are folic acid, vitamin E, and vitamin C. The "Herb" category includes information about a single herb - Agnus Castus - which it states is most helpful for women with a luteal phase defect and those with a high prolactin level. Although there are natural, common sense ways to improve fertility naturally, only a few of them are included in this App. Many of the recommendations for supplement use are highly controversial given conflicting research on the value of a variety of supplements on fertility. Although research suggests that Agnus Castus may be helpful with a subgroup of women who do not ovulate, it is certainly not a treatment of choice for either luteal phase defect or women with a high prolactin levels. This App provides minimal useful information while characterizing opinions as facts. I cannot recommend this App either.
The "Infertility Glossary" App ($0.99) provides short definitions for words related to the diagnosis and treatment of infertility. An internet search revealed that these definitions are the same as those on the InterNational Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID) website's glossary.
INCIID is a well-regarded nonprofit organization that provides information and support for the infertility community. The definitions are a little stale (last updated in 2004) and many are presuppose substantial pre-existing knowledge and so are not patient friendly. For example, "assisted hatching" is defined as "Thinning out the zona pellucida prior to transferring the embryo into the uterus." This definition doesn't explain what the "zona pellucida" is and doesn't explain why anyone would want to thin it out, or whether it's an effective procedure.
We also have a glossary page on this website. Its definition for assisted hatching is "A micromanipulation technique in which the shell around the egg (the zona pellucida) is opened or thinned to facilitate the embryo hatching process and subsequent implantation." It also provides a link that provides substantially more detail about purpose and effectiveness for those that want more information.
Of even greater concern about the definitions are inaccurate or misleading definitions. The definition of Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT) indicates that it involves a "minor surgical procedure," when, in fact it involves an invasive procedure, laparscopy, that requires general anesthesia. The definition of "X Chromosome" includes the comment that "when two X chromosomes combine, the baby will be a girl." In females, the X chromosomes do not combine; instead, they exist as two independent copies of the X chromosome.
I cannot recommend this App which contains definitions of very limited value to patients, ones that are available free on the internet for those with more advanced knowledge of fertility procedures.
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