Using fertility awareness to try to prevent pregnancy is often referred to as Natural Family Planning or NFP. Although Natural Family Planning’s efficacy is lower than most other methods of contraception, many women prefer it because they want a contraception that does not use hormones, medications, devices, or surgery. Let’s take a look at how NFP works and explore if it might be a good option for you.
How can I use fertility awareness to decrease my chances of getting pregnant?
There are several methods you can use:
- Standard days method: This method works best for women with very regular cycles, typically between 26 and 32 days in length. This method says that days 8-19 are your fertile days, and during these days you should not have intercourse. Some women choose to have vaginal intercourse but use a barrier method like a condom, on these days.
- Cervical mucus method: In this case, women may avoid intercourse or use a barrier method of contraception from the first day of any mucus until it becomes thicker, less stretchy, and clear after ovulation.
- Symptothermal method: This method combines multiple signs to find the time to avoid intercourse. It typically uses the basal body temperature monitoring and the cervical mucus methods together.
Why don’t more women use fertility awareness to decrease their chances of getting pregnant?
Fertility awareness is less effective for some women, such as those who:
- Have recently given birth
- Have irregular menstrual cycles
- Are taking certain medications that impact cervical mucus
- Have just stopped taking hormonal birth control
Other reasons women prefer not to use this method of contraception include:
- Daily tracking is required, which some find inconvenient
- Abstaining from intercourse or using barriers during fertile days can be challenging
- Many women do not want the increased risk of conceiving that comes with fertility awareness-based methods. With perfect use, only about 5 women out of 100 become pregnant in the first year; however, with typical use, 12-24 women out of 100 become pregnant. For many women wanting to avoid pregnancy, this is not a risk they are willing to take.
Is Fertility Awareness the Best Method For Me?
Reach out to us at Diana Health. We are experts in helping women who want to get pregnant as well as women who wish to avoid pregnancy. We can help you:
- Decide if fertility awareness is suitable for your lifestyle
- Compare the risks and benefits of different contraceptive options
- Connect you with qualified teachers and resources for learning fertility awareness. We provide education and support without telling you what to do; we partner with you to help you make informed choices.
Understanding your menstrual cycle through fertility awareness methods can be a valuable tool for conception and contraception. By tracking signs such as cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and the duration of menstrual bleeding, you can make informed decisions about your reproductive health. Whether you want to get pregnant now, someday in the future, or want to prevent pregnancy, the women’s health experts at Diana Health are here to support you in your health journey. Reach out and schedule an appointment to see how we can support you.
