Natural Methods of Birth Control (cont.)
Calendar rhythm method
The calendar rhythm method relies upon calculating a woman's fertile period
on the calendar. Based upon her 12 previous menstrual cycles, a woman subtracts
l8 days from her shortest menstrual cycle to determine her first fertile day, and
11 days from her longest menstrual cycle to determine her last fertile day. She
can then calculate the total number of days during which she may ovulate. If a
woman's menstrual cycles are quite irregular from month to month, there will
be a greater number of days during which she might become pregnant.
The calendar
method is only about 80% effective in preventing pregnancy and when used alone
is considered outdated.
Basal body temperature (BBT)
The basal body temperature (BBT) method is based upon the fact that a woman's
temperature drops 12 to 24 hours before an egg is released from her ovary and
then increases again once the egg has been released. Unfortunately, this
temperature difference is not very large. It is less than 1 degree F (about a
half degree C) in the body at rest.
The basal body temperature method requires that a woman take her temperature every morning before she gets out of bed. A special thermometer that is more accurate and sensitive than a typical oral thermometer must be used, and the daily temperature variations carefully noted. This must be done every month. Online calculators are available to help a woman chart her
basal body temperature.
To use the basal body temperature as a birth control method, a woman should refrain from having
sexual intercourse from the time her temperature drops until at least 48 to72
hours after her temperature increases again.
Mucus inspection method
The mucus inspection method depends on the presence or absence of a particular type of cervical mucus that a woman produces in response to estrogen. A woman will generate larger amounts of more watery mucus than usual (like raw egg white) just before release of an egg from her ovary. This so-called egg-white cervical mucus (EWCM) stretches for up to an inch when pulled apart. A woman can learn to recognize differences in the quantity and quality of her cervical mucus by examining its appearance on her underwear, pads, and toilet tissue; or she may gently remove a sample of mucus from the vaginal opening using two fingers.
She may choose to have intercourse between the time of her last menstrual period and the time of change in the cervical mucus. During this period, it is recommended that she have sexual intercourse only every other day because the presence of seminal fluid makes it more difficult to determine the nature of her cervical mucus. If the woman does not wish to become pregnant, she should not have sexual intercourse at all for 3 to 4 days after she notices the change in her cervical mucus.
Symptothermal method
The symptothermal method combines certain aspects of the calendar, the basal
body temperature, and the mucus inspection methods. Not only are all these
factors taken into consideration, but so are other symptoms such as slight
cramping and breast tenderness. Some women experience lower abdominal discomfort
(in the area of the ovaries) during release of an egg (ovulation).
Next: Ovulation indicator testing kits »
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