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Elina Berglund, the co-founder and co-CEO of Natural Cycles, was user zero for the first-ever FDA-cleared birth control app. Now she’s building for the next phase of her life—and the lives of millions of other women. On Tuesday, Natural Cycles launched its long-awaited product for women who are navigating what she calls the “black box” of perimenopause.
“We want to be the trusted partners of women as they go through these different stages throughout their reproductive life. If they are in need of natural birth control, we are there for them—when they plan a pregnancy, as they go through pregnancy, postpartum,” Berglund says. “What’s really been missing is the perimenopause mode.”
Perimenopause refers to the period of time when a woman’s body transitions from having menstrual cycles to menopause. It typically occurs in a woman’s 40s, but can begin as early as her mid-30s or as late as her 50s. Women spend on average about four years in perimenopause but it can last as long as eight, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It is characterized by irregular periods, mood changes, and sleep disruptions, among other things.
“It’s such an important part of a woman’s reproductive journey that really affects her body, her health, her mind,” Berglund says.
Natural Cycles’ latest offering, called NC Perimenopause, uses a proprietary algorithm to analyze users’ cycle patterns, symptoms and biometrics such as temperature and heart rate to read hormonal shifts. The algorithm can help determine whether a user may be in perimenopause and her likely stage. The window Natural Cycles provides women into perimenopause can help them understand the nature and severity of their symptoms and determine whether lifestyle or medical interventions—like hormone replacement therapy—may be in order.
“It’s a field where there’s so much uncertainty. Many women [are] feeling they’re going crazy, and it’s hard when they go to their doctor,” Berglund says. “Since the hormones change so much, whatever you measure that day is not really giving the full picture, but we can follow women over time.”
The release of the perimenopause product brings the number of Natural Cycles’ offerings available in the app to five. Alongside the flagship Birth Control mode, there is Plan Pregnancy, Follow Pregnancy, Postpartum, and now Perimenopause. As the company grows its offerings, its user base is growing, too. Berglund says Natural Cycles recently reached over 5 million registered users. The company is based in Stockholm, Sweden, but has offices in New York City and Geneva; it has 150 employees total. In 2018, it became the first mobile medical app to achieve clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for marketing as a contraception method.
The company, which is profitable, achieved 70 percent growth in its annual recurring revenue (ARR) in 2024 and has a goal of hitting $100 million in sales by the end of this year.
Alongside the Perimenopause mode in the Natural Cycles app, the company also released its first wearable, the NC Band, which is meant to be worn at night and measure heart rate and temperature as a proxy for hormones. Berglund says the band is available to existing Natural Cycles users and for new perimenopause users for now. It costs $99.99 for existing users, or $49.99 with purchase of a Natural Cycles annual plan. Natural Cycles is eligible for reimbursement by a variety of health insurance providers.
Berglund says she was inspired and motivated by her users to create a perimenopause offering. As millennials approach and enter into perimenopause, she says, they are demanding more and tend to be bolder than past generations in discussing their experiences.
“We have quite a few women that have been with us for a decade, and many of them are now in their 40s,” she says. “They’re seeing what’s going on, but they’re asking for something more, and that’s what we want to do.”
Despite the fact that women spend a significant portion of their lives in perimenopause, there is comparatively little support or education around it. A 2023 survey found that more than 80 percent of women had received no menopause education in school whatsoever. Plus, a separate 2023 survey of OBGYN residency program directors noted that more than 90 percent agreed that residents should have access to standardized menopause curriculum, but only about a third actually did. It comes as little surprise then that there is expected to be a surge in the market for menopause-related products, including dietary supplements and other over-the-counter support products. Research and Markets noted in July that the global menopause market could reach $24.35 billion by 2030.
Berglund is also working to destigmatize perimenopause and menopause through education. As with the other modes, Natural Cycles offers educational resources, science-backed guides and AI-generated insights for women, and can support women through medical or natural interventions.
“Until now, [perimenopause has] been very taboo,” Berglund says. “But we’re trying to put a more empowering spin on the whole thing, because life doesn’t end at 40 for us. There’s so many amazing decades left.”
It’s a realization that Berglund, 41, has come to herself, as well. During the process of testing out the perimenopause algorithm, Berglund discovered she was in early perimenopause.
“I feel good about it. My symptoms make sense,” she says. “I’m curious for what will come next as I go through this lifetime. I kind of look forward to also not needing birth control one day. I’m happy with the children I have.”
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Chloe Aiello
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