What is natural family planning?

Natural family planning, also known as fertility awareness-based methods, is a way to find out which days of the month you are most likely to get pregnant. To prevent pregnancy, you use another type of birth control (such as condoms), or you do not have vaginal sex on those days. If you want to get pregnant, you have sex during those days.

This method may not work well for you if your periods are not regular. It also may not work well if you have problems keeping track of your periods or taking your temperature at the same time each day.

How well does it work as birth control?

Family planning takes a lot of effort. You must be very aware of your body. And you must track many things closely. It can be very hard to do "exactly as directed." This type of family planning does not work better than other birth control methods.

How do you find out when you are likely to get pregnant?

If you have regular periods, you have about 5 to 9 fertile days each month. These are the days when you can get pregnant. To find out when you are fertile, you must know when you release an egg (ovulate).

There are several ways to find out when you are fertile. You have the best chance of predicting your fertile days when you use more than 1 way correctly and consistently.

You should check your body changes using these methods for several months before you use them to avoid pregnancy.

• In the calendar, or rhythm method, you write down when you start your period. This tells you how long your cycle is. It also tells you how regular it is. With this information, you can guess which days of the month you are most likely to be fertile. This is between 9 and 17 days before your next period. This method works best if you have regular cycles.
• In the basal body temperature (BBT) method, you take your temperature first thing in the morning every day. This gives you your BBT. This is your lowest temperature during the day. Your BBT goes down 1 to 2 days before ovulation. Then it goes back up 1 to 2 days after you ovulate. If you use care to track your BBT, you may be able to guess when you are fertile.
• In the cervical mucus (Billings) method, you check the mucus in your vagina every day. You write down the amount, stickiness, and colour of the mucus. The mucus changes during your menstrual cycle. If you track it, you may be able to guess when you are fertile.
• In hormonal monitoring, you buy a kit that lets you check the amount of a hormone in your urine. The amount of the hormone tells you if you may be ovulating.
• In the combined (symptothermal) method, you use your basal body temperature, changes in your cervical mucus, and a hormone test to guess when you ovulate. You also watch for signs of ovulation. These include tender breasts, belly pain, and mood changes.

Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about any health problems you have or medicines you take. They can help you choose the birth control method that is right for you.

What are the advantages of natural family planning?

• It may fit well with your religious or personal beliefs about birth control.
• You are able to use a "natural" method of birth control. It doesn't use medicines, surgery, or other devices.
• You are aware of your cycle and the changes it causes in your body.

What are the disadvantages of natural family planning?

• It does not always work very well.
• It may not work well when you have a lot of stress, have just had a baby, are breastfeeding, or have recently stopped taking birth control pills.
• It may not work well if you are just starting to have periods or are close to menopause.
• It is not recommended if you have periods that aren’t regular or have symptoms that make it hard to track your temperature or cervical mucous, such as fever or vaginal infections.
• You must pay attention to body changes and record all details.
• You can't use the method until you've tracked body changes for a few months.
• It doesn’t protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as chlamydia or syphilis. Use condoms to lower the risk of STIs.