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On this period tracker you will find the months listed across the top, and the dates on the left-hand side. There is a list of symptoms – you can give unique markings to the ones that you experience and want to track. For example, if you find you are starving a few days before getting your period, you can put an X in the circle, or a — across the middle. Then whenever you feel that way, put that symbol in the circle for the date. You can mark your flow with a circle 1/3 full, 2/3 full, or all the way filled in. Get as detailed as you want! This is for your benefit, so make it work for you.

While 5th grade health classes may tell you that women get their period like clockwork every 28 days, nothing could be farther from the truth. It’s one of the first harsh realities girls learn about their own health. Your period could be one that follows this formula, lasts 3-8 days, and has a normal flow pattern. But you could be one of the 14%-25% of women who have “irregular periods”. 

This vague statistic covers everything from periods that occur more often than every 21 days, or less often than every 35 days. It could mean you discharge more than the standard 3-4 tablespoons of menstrual blood each month. It could mean intense pain during your menstrual cycle. These irregular periods can be caused by health issues such as uterine fibroids, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), or endometriosis, and many do not even realize that their period is outside of the norm. When you grow up with your period being a certain way, you believe it is “normal” unless educated otherwise. 

Tracking your period is one of the best tools to be able to show credible proof to a medical professional (or an AI medical chatbot) that you are experiencing a period outside of the norm. As the world becomes more interconnected and people use online resources and apps to manage their schedules, shopping lists, and activities it makes sense that period tracking apps are popular. But that very information could also be used against you if you live in a state that has enacted laws regarding women’s rights to make choices about their bodies with their doctor. 

In 2022, Roe v. Wade was repealed by the Supreme Court, allowing states to determine how they define an abortion and also create their own legislation and regulations. While data from period tracking apps has not yet been used in a court case, it does not require much imagination to see how it could be. 

In June 2025, Representative Sara Jacobs from California and Senators Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Ron Wyden of Oregon introduced the bicamaral My Body, My Data bill to the House of Representatives for consideration. This bill gives people agency over their own health data, holds companies responsible for public promises made about published protections, and restricts the companies’ collection and use of reproductive health information in ways not necessary to providing requested services. 

In plain language, they can’t take your information and sell it, share it, or use it in ways you haven’t given permission for. It also gives you ownership of your own data, including the ability to download it off the connected web or delete it altogether.

This bill, “My Body, My Data Act of 2025” (H.R. 3916/S. 2029) is currently waiting to be reviewed by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and a Senate committee. If it were to pass both of these committees, it would come to a vote in the House and Senate, requiring a majority vote. It would then be sent to the President to be signed into law. 

At this time, the Bill was on the calendar for House committee debate on September 18th. It is on the back burner with all other new legislation as the House remains out of session and the Senate continues to debate the budget’s Continuing Resolution. 

In the meantime, it is essential to both continue to track your period and symptoms in order to inform your conversations with your doctor, as well as your healthcare decisions.

There are options that allow you to store your data locally on your drive instead of in the cloud, but if you want to go really old-school, guaranteeing privacy, I Support the Girls (ISTG) provides a paper period tracker you can download and print today. One sheet lasts you an entire year and helps you see visually what symptoms you are experiencing in addition to the timing of your periods.

To support our education work, please consider donating here: VGNA: Take out the AI