Natural birth control methods

Natural birth control methods teach women to determine the fertile phase (typically 7 to 10 days long) of their menstrual cycle. To avoid pregnancy, women avoid intercourse on fertile days.

A woman who has a regular menstrual cycle will usually experience the following sequence of events:

• 3 to 7 days of menstruation
• several days where she does not feel or see mucus in her vagina or on her vulva
• several days of a ‘wet’ or ‘slippery’ sensation at her vulva or in the vagina where she sees and/or feels mucus, which becomes progressively more slippery, stretchy, and clear as ovulation approaches
• after ovulation her waking temperature rises, mucus disappears from the vulva, and the vulva and vagina feel “drier

Fertile days begin with the first sensation of mucus at the vulva and continue until both the mucus has dried up and the waking temperature has been high for 3 days in a row.  With days of higher fertility and lower fertility determined, a woman can time intercourse to avoid or achieve pregnancy.

If a woman’s cycle does not follow a typical pattern, using natural birth control will be more difficult.  However, she can still use natural birth control but she is advised to seek consultation with a trained FAM/NFP instructor in order to use the method most effectively.  In general, FAM/NFP are not recommended for women with the following difficulties:  irregular cycles, inability to interpret the fertility signs correctly, or persistent infections that affect the signs of fertility.

Cervical changes are a third fertility sign that a woman may find useful in determining her fertility. She checks for variations in the position, firmness and openness of the cervix that relate to fertile and infertile days.

Effectiveness
The effectiveness of FAM/NFP(Strauss and Barbieri 2004, Hatcher 2004.)varies depending on the method:

1. 95-98% effective with perfect use (user strictly follows rules to avoid pregnancy)
2. 75-88% for typical use (user may not always follow rules)
   

Benefits of FAM/NFP

1. Effective method of birth control
2. Has no negative health side effects
3. An alternative for women who cannot or do not want to use hormonal methods
4. Promotes positive body awareness
5. Consistent with many religious beliefs and lifestyles
6. Alerts women to reproductive health and fertility concerns
7. Fosters communication between partners
8. Encourages partners to enjoy a variety of romantic or sexual activities as alternatives to vaginal intercourse during fertile periods
9. Encourages male involvement

Disadvantages OF FAM/NFP

1. Provides no protection from sexually transmitted infections
2. Often difficult to find trained FAM/NFP instructors
3. Requires time to learn (usually 3 to 6 cycles)
4. Requires discipline and commitment to chart fertility signs and follow the rules to avoid pregnancy
5. Times of abstinence from intercourse may be a challenge for some couples