Live Life Team
Natural family planning, also called as the fertility awareness. This contraception method uses natural indicators to indicate when a women is least or most fertile. This is a better way to easily avoid pregnancies. This is not applicable if the menstrual cycle is irregular. Most of them feel it involves calculations which can be complicated to follow and not regarded as a safe way for contraception.
What is it used for
Natural family planning is extensively used to increase or avoid pregnancies. This does not provide any protection against sexually transmitted diseases.
How it works
This is based on a man’s sperm and women’s eggs. 10-16 days prior to her periods ovulation takes place in women. She is fertile for the next 24 hrs. after ovulation. If a man’s sperm comes in contact with the eggs released, fertilization takes place. But in such cases a women should be able to predict her periods accurately. At least 3-6 menstrual cycles are required to judge this. You also need to maintain a daily record for natural indicators like; The length of menstruation, cervical secretions and body temperatures.
The women, once fertile, must not get into sexual intercourse in case she doesn’t want to get pregnant. Contraception is not required for women who have delivered babies recently. Fertility monitoring device, combined with these techniques are also followed by few people. This device calculates the temperature & changes in urine or saliva to know o the fertile period.
Alternative methods
There are numerous other methods of natural family planning. These are not as effective as contraceptives. Some alternative methods of family planning include;
The standard day method
In this method you need to track the menstrual cycle to judge which days are safe or unsafe for pregnancy to occur. Since it is very difficult to keep track of the cycles as every women has different vaginal secretions. This method is not yet approved for use in UK.
The two day method
In this method the women needs to keep track of vaginal discharge in the last two days (yesterday or today). If there is a discharge, she is most probably fertile. If there is no discharge that means she is not fertile. She can get into a sexual intercourse without the risk of pregnancy. This is the most unreliable method as compared to other contraception.
The Billings Ovulation Model
If there are any changes to vaginal discharge, around vulva or any sensation, this Billings Ovulation Model method lets the women know about it. These changes usually signals the month, when the women is least or most fertile. After a period when the mucus is secreted from the vagina, this is the most fertile period. Intercourse is not advisable during this course if you want to prevent pregnancy.
To identify points of fertility and infertility within a cycle, women are advised to keep a track of their vaginal sensation and discharge for a full cycle. Intercourse is not advisable during this period. Also avoid sexual intercourse during heavy menstrual bleeding to prevent pregnancies.
The Creighton Model
Creighton model is similar to Billings Ovulation method wherein key stages are identified in menstrual cycle, as to when can a women be most & least fertile. Both of these methods are not followed in UK.
Who can use
Everyone is entitled to use it. Provided you have understood it completely. Some apply natural family planning by choosing female or male condoms. This is also called as fertility awareness method and its effects depend upon the usage.
In case you have experienced a termination or miscarriage in the recent past, stopped taking hormonal contraception’s, irregular periods are few cases where it can take longer to identify fertility indicators. This is also applicable to people who regularly travel in different time zones, recently delivered a baby or are a breastfeeding mother
Cervical secretions and temperatures are some factors which affects the body’s natural sign. This includes when and how you take your temperature, medication, illness or drinking alcohol.
Advantages
Few advantages of Natural family planning are given below:
1] Helpful in planning & avoid pregnancies
2] By maintaining precise records and having the right information on fertility awareness, most of the women can use it.
3]There can be no physical side effects
4] It can be used in coordination with commonly used contraception’s like condoms. It can be very effective.
Disadvantages
Few disadvantages of natural family planning are given below:
1] The chance of failure is very high. It is unable to precisely know the fertile period each month as the indicators are not able to calculate correctly.
2] You need to keep yourself well organized, as it might take a minimum 6 months time to know your fertile period. During this period the diary of indicators must be up to date.
3] If the woman is ill, stressed or tired, these factors can go unnoticed to the indicators.
4] It doesn’t provide any protection against Sexually transmitted diseases also known as STI.
