To general advantages of Natural Family Planning Methods may be referred:
• These methods are considered to be quite effective ones, in case if they are used correctly;
• There are no side effects and / or health risks to either male or female reproductive functioning, associated with Fertility Awareness Methods;
• All Fertility Awareness Methods are immediately reversible. Pregnancy is possible right after the practice of any of them;
• Fertility Awareness is either free of cost or not expensive. There are free training sessions available around the community a woman resides in, through health centers, pregnancy services, as well as some churches. In case if a woman needs a thermometer in order to measure her basal body temperature, its cost ranges between $ 10 – 15, and they are widely available at any local drugstore, grocery store or supermarket. In addition, a woman may use one of her home calendars to record the information, or she may buy a special fertility awareness chart, which does not cost more than 8$.
• As a rule any Fertility Awareness Method does not require any specific device, any medicines to be used. In addition, there are no prescriptions or doctors visits;
• There is no estrogen contained, the use of which may cause heart problems in some women;
• Any Natural Family Planning Method is quite acceptable for people, who have specific religious concerns as to the contraception application;
• These methods are quite effective for couples, who are preventing, as well as for those, who are trying to get pregnant;
Here are the most general disadvantages of the Fertility Awareness Methods:
• Natural Family Planning Methods do not provide any protection against sexually transmitted diseases;
• These Methods’ application requires diligence from both partners;
• A woman, who has chosen one of these methods, will have to keep consistent and accurate records;
• Fertility Awareness Methods are more difficult to be applied for women, who suffer from irregular menstrual cycles.
Calendar – based methods involve keeping track of days of the woman’s menstrual cycle with the aim of identifying the beginning and the end of her most fertile days. To the calendar – based methods belong:
The Standard Days Method;
Calendar Rhythm Method.
Symptoms – based methods depend on taking some definite signs of fertility into consideration. To these signs belong:
Cervical secretions – as soon as a woman begins to see or feel her cervical secretions discharge, it means that she can become pregnant. It should be kept in mind, that even a little vaginal wetness is already the abovementioned cervical secretions;
Basal body temperature (BBT): the whole thing is the following: right after the egg release process, which is called ovulation and it is just the time when a woman can potentially become pregnant, her resting body temperature goes up a little, and it stays somewhat elevated up until the beginning of the next menstruation.
The following methods of Natural Family Planning may be referred to symptoms – based methods:
The Two Day Method;
Basal Body Temperature Method;
Ovulation Method;
Symptothermal Method
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