Natural Family Planning With The Fertility Awareness Method
The Fertility Awareness Method entails an assortment of techniques which are basically used to predict when an egg is released by the uterus with the manipulation of the women’s reproductive functions. While its main purpose is to have a safe sex, some experts refer to these methods as Natural Family Planning or NFP.
Fertility Awareness Methods do not necessarily involve invasive processes and any medical interventions as contraception. It simply combines the natural way of knowing the most fertile days or the ovulation day of women such as the calendar or rhythm method, basal body temperature charting, and cervical mucus surveillance.
Fertility Cycle Chart
To make this work, couples firstly need to understand the women’s menstrual cycle. A Fertility Cycle Chart can be used to help with this. The normal menstrual cycle of women usually lasts within 28 to 32 days. The first day of the cycle begins on the first day of the menstrual period. When day seven comes, the egg is already prepared to be fertilized by the sperm. Around the 11th to the 21st day, the egg is shed from the ovaries and passes through the uterus towards the fallopian tube. When there n sperm to fertilize the egg, it breaks apart falling into another menstrual flow on the 28th day. The Fertility Awareness Method actually focuses on knowing the ovulation day to prevent pregnancy by charting the menstrual cycle in an ovulation calendar while its accuracy can also be reinforced with the basal body temperature monitoring.
This method involves keeping track of the basal body temperature through a special kind of thermometer known as Basal Body Thermometer. In this case, women take note of their temperature first thing every morning. High temperature for three to four consecutive days indicates that ovulation is occurring. Women may also take note of their cervical mucus. Cervical mucus when ovulation is approaching increases in level and tends to be stickier. With these signs of ovulation, couples can actually restrain from sex on these days to avoid getting pregnant.
Fertility Awareness Success Rates
When done consistently and correctly, fertility awareness success rate is said to be around 90 percent. However, for most teens such method is not so reliable. According to study, of the 100 couples who practice fertility awareness, 25 of them get accidentally pregnant in a year. In this case, the effectiveness of fertility awareness depends on the thoroughness of implementing the fertility pattern as well as the pursuance of abstinence through the fertile days. The irregularity of women’s menstrual cycle can also affect its result. Irregular cycle can actually affect the occurrence of ovulation that sometimes it does not necessarily fall on its calculated due date. In cases like this, couples can resort to other contraception or birth control methods.
Fertility Awareness Method Charts
The least expensive method available today are Fertility Awareness Method Charts . In some communities, seminars and workshops are also given out by health centers for free to train families and youth for family planning. The basal body temperature only cost more or less 15$ and are simply available in the nearest drugstore while women can make their own ovulation calendar.
Furthermore, fertility awareness is reversible in nature. While it entails charting the women’s most fertile days, it can also be used as a pro-pregnancy technique. Hence, when trying to achieve conception, couples can do sex on the most fertile days charted on the ovulation calendar.
Hi – I’m Anna Bell. Some years ago I was told that I would probably never have children. I overcame that and had 2 healthy boys.
