By PulsHealth. Updated
Research reviewed .
Overview
Contraceptive records in Apple Health describe a logged birth-control method. They provide context for cycle history, with a category for the method and dates for its recorded use. The code does not measure contraceptive effectiveness.
Which methods do the values describe?
| Code | Method | Detail the code leaves out |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unspecified | The method is unknown |
| 2 | Implant | Brand, insertion details and replacement date |
| 3 | Injection | Product, dose and administration schedule |
| 4 | Intrauterine device | Hormonal versus copper device |
| 5 | Intravaginal ring | Product and replacement schedule |
| 6 | Oral contraceptive | Formulation, dose and whether each pill was taken |
| 7 | Patch | Product and application schedule |
These are labels, not a numeric scale. An average of the codes has no useful meaning. Barrier methods and emergency contraception have no distinct value in this enumeration; sexual-activity protection metadata is a separate record and does not identify a contraceptive method.
Is this a daily adherence log?
Apple's Cycle Tracking interface lets users add a contraceptive factor with a start date and later enter an end date. A long interval can therefore describe ongoing method use. It should not be expanded into a claim that every scheduled dose was taken, or counted as many separate administrations.
When reviewing a history, examine changes of method, overlapping intervals and source revisions. A gap could reflect incomplete logging; it does not establish discontinuation or missed doses. Source-specific writing workflows may represent dates differently, so check the source before constructing an adherence chart.
How does it relate to other cycle data?
Place logged contraceptive intervals beside menstrual flow or spotting to make the recorded context easier to see. The IUD code cannot separate two device classes with different cycle effects, and the oral code cannot separate formulations. A change in recorded bleeding alongside a method change is an observation to discuss, not proof of a cause.
Apple says Cycle Tracking should not be used as birth control. This category also cannot calculate pregnancy risk or establish whether intercourse was protected.
What was available for this review?
The selected database window contained no contraceptive records, so method frequencies, interval lengths and relationships could not be measured. This type is absent from the current PulsHealth sync catalog; database absence does not establish whether it is available in Apple Health on the phone. The entry was reviewed against source documentation, with no empirical chart or inferred adherence pattern.
Understanding your records
Recording frequency, source and coverage affect what you can conclude from this data. Read the recording guide.