Abstract
Background: The global mHealth market is growing at an unprecedented rate and is expected to reach an estimated value of $187.7 billion by 2033, with many apps now addressing women's health and the menstrual cycle. This scoping review (ScR) aimed to comprehensively assess and describe the existing peer-reviewed literature on motivations for use, user experience, and reproductive health app quality. Methods: The protocol and review were conducted according to the JBI methodology and PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. Studies published in English since 2010 were included and searched in MEDLINE, Embase (Ovid platform), Scopus (Elsevier), ACM Digital Library, and IEEE Xplore. Studies were screened independently by two reviewers and the data explored through charting and synthesis. Results: Data were extracted from 58 papers published in English between 2014 and 2023. Several major themes related to motivations for app use, user experience, and app quality were identified and are reported on. Conclusions: Users were motivated to engage in reproductive health apps for education, contraception, and conception. This ScR identified several benefits, such as improving menstrual health literacy. We also identified limitations of current reproductive health apps that adversely affect user experience. Recommendations for future studies include increasing diversity, exploring perspectives of different user groups, and investigating the role healthcare providers may have in app development and patient education.