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submitted 1 year ago by DevCat@lemmy.world to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml

Police in the United Kingdom are using data from period tracking apps and mass spectrometry tests conducted on blood, placenta, and urine to investigate patients who have had “unexplained” miscarriages.

Though abortion is legal in the UK, there are TRAP laws in place requiring certain conditions to be met first, paramount of which is that two separate doctors need to agree that the patient meets the criteria of the 1967 Abortion Act before any treatment can go ahead. Self-managed abortion is a criminal offense with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment in the UK, as is any abortion performed after the pregnancy has progressed passed 23 weeks and six days, unless the patient is at risk of serious physical harm or death, or the fetus has severe developmental anomalies.

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[-] rosymind@leminal.space 7 points 1 year ago

Why is everyone acting like you NEED to use an app? Paper calendars work just fine

[-] ikidd@lemmy.world 34 points 1 year ago

Simply: you shouldn't have to worry about medical data being shared with anyone without your consent, no matter if you use an app or tell your doctor.

[-] jabjoe@feddit.uk 4 points 1 year ago

You probably "agreed" to it on page 27 of the user license agreement you didn't read. Along with god knows what else.

[-] rosymind@leminal.space 1 points 1 year ago

Oh, I agree. That doesn't change reality, though. We can fight for our rights and still find a work around. In this case, by using paper that can't be tracked by the government

What bothers me is the all-or-nothing mentality people have. If something changes work around it until it can be fixed. I definitely don't mean "just give up" I mean- find alternatives until things are set right

[-] SexualPolytope@lemmy.sdf.org 15 points 1 year ago

Some apps have a degree of machine learning that can predict next periods very well. My ex sometimes had delayed periods due to a health condition. Clue was still able to predict her dates pretty accurately. Idk if there are any open source alternatives that'll work as well.

[-] hedgehogging_the_bed@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

I have ADHD and cannot keep track of one more paper anything. I record it as something boring akin to a bank transaction now that I fear the government snooping but an app with bright blaring notifications kept me sane and only pregnant when I wanted to be for a decade. I'm mad that I don't feel safe using it any longer.

[-] ellabee@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 year ago

paper calendars work ok. apps are better at collating and predicting based on past data, and therefore giving you a better idea when and what to expect and whether it's "normal".

apps can help you provide a condensed report, which helps when seeking help from a doctor. it shouldn't work that way, but at least in my anecdotal experience, the Dr who dismisses handwritten notes for 3 months, was more reasonable when it was "data collected via app".

I stopped using an app a few years ago, because of privacy issues, but there are absolutely good reasons people still use them when a calendar works.

this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2023
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