Natural Family Planning - Sexual Health Peer Resource Center

There are three types of natural family planning methods.

How they work: Using one of the three common methods, basal body temperature, mucus/ovulation, or calendar/rhythm, a woman identifies her fertile days and abstains from intercourse on those days.

Effectiveness (failure rate): 2%-25%. Of 100 women who use natural family planning, 2 will become pregnant during the first year of perfect use. 25 out of 100 will become pregnant with typical use in one year.

Contraindications:

Inability to keep perfect records
Unwillingness to abstain from intercourse during fertile periods
Irregular menstrual cycles, temperature patterns, or vaginal discharge

Possible side effects, risks, and considerations:

Failure rates can be high
Abstinence from intercourse must be practiced during fertile periods
Provides no protection against STDs

Benefits:

Method is accepted by some religions
Methods can make women more in tune with their bodies
Instantly reversible, can actually help a woman conceive when she is ready by aware of fertile times
Necessary supplies are inexpensive

How to use them:

Basal-Body Temperature (BBT)

The woman’s BBT, the lowest body temperature of a person during waking hours, is taken before she gets out of bed in the morning. This temperature should be recorded every morning. The BBT of some women drops slightly immediately preceding ovulation. From 24 to 72 hours after ovulation, the woman’s BBT rises 0.4-0.8 degrees F, and remains elevated until her next period. Because BBT identifies a woman’s fertile period in retrospect, there is a high risk of accidental pregnancy if this method is used incorrectly. To use this method correctly, the couple should abstain from intercourse from the beginning of a woman’s menstrual cycle until her BBT has remained elevated for three consecutive days.

Mucus/Ovulation Method

The woman checks her cervical secretions daily. Every time she goes to the bathroom, she wipes her vagina and examines the mucus. While pre- and post-ovulation discharge is thick and cloudy, mucus at the time of ovulation is clear, thin, slippery, and stretchy. When this type of mucus appears, the couple should abstain from intercourse. It is necessary to be aware that douching, semen, spermicides, some medications, vaginal infections, and even sexual lubrication may interfere with the ability to accurately chart the woman’s mucus pattern.

Calendar/Rhythm Method

Charts are kept of the woman’s menstrual cycles for approximately one year. Her fertile period is then calculated by the following formula, which is based on the lifespans of sperm (about 2 days) and the egg (about one day, but take into account that ovulation may occur a day before or after expected), and the fact that 90% of women begin their periods 13-15 days after they ovulate:

Length of shortest cycle minus 19 = earliest day after the onset of her period that the woman is likely to be fertile

Length of longest cycle minus 10 = latest day after onset of her period that the woman is likely to be fertile Intercourse should be avoided during the fertile times.

How to get them: Information on natural family planning methods can be obtained in All About Birth Control by Jon Knowles and Marcia Ringel. Instruction given by a trained counselor is necessary to use any of the natural methods effectively.

Costs: Costs can vary significantly. While materials necessary for method are inexpensive, training can be pricey.


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	Choosing a Method Non-Methods Barrier Methods Hormonal Methods Chemical Methods Combination Methods Intrauterine Device Natural Family Planning Emergency Contraceptive Pill Fertility Charting Abstinence Sterilization	Natural Family Planning There are three types of natural family planning methods. How they work: Using one of the three common methods, basal body temperature, mucus/ovulation, or calendar/rhythm, a woman identifies her fertile days and abstains from intercourse on those days. Effectiveness (failure rate): 2%-25%. Of 100 women who use natural family planning, 2 will become pregnant during the first year of perfect use. 25 out of 100 will become pregnant with typical use in one year. Contraindications: Inability to keep perfect records Unwillingness to abstain from intercourse during fertile periods Irregular menstrual cycles, temperature patterns, or vaginal discharge Possible side effects, risks, and considerations: Failure rates can be high Abstinence from intercourse must be practiced during fertile periods Provides no protection against STDs Benefits: Method is accepted by some religions Methods can make women more in tune with their bodies Instantly reversible, can actually help a woman conceive when she is ready by aware of fertile times Necessary supplies are inexpensive How to use them: Basal-Body Temperature (BBT) The woman’s BBT, the lowest body temperature of a person during waking hours, is taken before she gets out of bed in the morning. This temperature should be recorded every morning. The BBT of some women drops slightly immediately preceding ovulation. From 24 to 72 hours after ovulation, the woman’s BBT rises 0.4-0.8 degrees F, and remains elevated until her next period. Because BBT identifies a woman’s fertile period in retrospect, there is a high risk of accidental pregnancy if this method is used incorrectly. To use this method correctly, the couple should abstain from intercourse from the beginning of a woman’s menstrual cycle until her BBT has remained elevated for three consecutive days. Mucus/Ovulation Method The woman checks her cervical secretions daily. Every time she goes to the bathroom, she wipes her vagina and examines the mucus. While pre- and post-ovulation discharge is thick and cloudy, mucus at the time of ovulation is clear, thin, slippery, and stretchy. When this type of mucus appears, the couple should abstain from intercourse. It is necessary to be aware that douching, semen, spermicides, some medications, vaginal infections, and even sexual lubrication may interfere with the ability to accurately chart the woman’s mucus pattern. Calendar/Rhythm Method Charts are kept of the woman’s menstrual cycles for approximately one year. Her fertile period is then calculated by the following formula, which is based on the lifespans of sperm (about 2 days) and the egg (about one day, but take into account that ovulation may occur a day before or after expected), and the fact that 90% of women begin their periods 13-15 days after they ovulate: Length of shortest cycle minus 19 = earliest day after the onset of her period that the woman is likely to be fertile Length of longest cycle minus 10 = latest day after onset of her period that the woman is likely to be fertile Intercourse should be avoided during the fertile times. How to get them: Information on natural family planning methods can be obtained in All About Birth Control by Jon Knowles and Marcia Ringel. Instruction given by a trained counselor is necessary to use any of the natural methods effectively. Costs: Costs can vary significantly. While materials necessary for method are inexpensive, training can be pricey.