Fertility Awareness Method

How to Use the Fertility Awareness Methods

There are different ways to find out your most fertile days. Choose a method that works for you, or use more than one for better results. Talk with your provider to find out more if you think one of these methods could be the right choice for you. They can help fill you in on the details you will need to know to use these methods.

Breastfeeding Method – Breastfeeding a baby in the first 6 months after giving birth can serve as birth control. This only works if certain rules are followed.

Standard Days Method (SDM) – Track your periods to find your fertile days. Your cycle must be between 26 and 32 days and always come on time to use this method. There are apps or special beads to help you keep track.

Cervical Mucus – Track the look and feel of your cervical mucus to find your fertile days. It’s best to use this method with the help of your provider so that you learn what to look for.

Two Day Method – This method is based on the presence or absence of cervical secretions. A person checks once a day for secretions in their underwear, on the vulva, or a sensation of vulvar wetness. If there are any secretions “today” or “yesterday”, you are fertile today. If there are no secretions today or yesterday, you are not likely to get pregnant if having sex today.

Basal Body Temperature – Take and record your temperature each morning before you get out of bed.

Symptothermal Method –  Track several of the signs your body gives that let you know when you are fertile. This can mean using more than one of these methods at the same time.

Natural Cycles – Track your cycle with the first FDA-approved app. You measure your basal body temperature in the morning and enter it in the Natural Cycles app. The app’s algorithm uses temperature, period, and cycle data to tell you whether this is a fertile day or not.

Effectiveness

Fertility awareness methods range in their effectiveness.

• About 77-98% effective with typical use. This means that on average, 2 to 23 out of 100 people using these methods will get pregnant in a year. You can improve effectiveness by:
  • Talking to your provider about finding methods that work for you.
  • Following the methods and tracking changes in your body every day.
  • Using abstinence or other birth control, like condoms and spermicide, on your fertile days.

Limitations

• It takes more work than other methods. You need to look for and record your body’s cues. E.g., changes in temperature, cervical mucus, and mood.
• You need to have regular periods to use the Standard Days Method.
• You need to abstain from sex on fertile days to avoid pregnancy. Or, you can use a barrier method like condoms. You should plan for at least a week each month when you don’t have sex or use a backup method.
• It doesn’t work as well if you’ve just stopped using a hormonal method or an IUD. It takes a while for your body’s cycles to return to normal. Talk to your Family PACT provider to learn more.
• You and your partner both must be 100% on board in order to use these methods. It takes more cooperation than most other kinds of birth control.