What is Fertility Awareness?
Fertility Awareness in a nutshell is:
‘Being aware of your own signs of fertility, so that you know when your fertility starts and ends each cycle’
Your signs of fertility, like cervical mucus, and your basal body temperature (temperature taken at rest) can help you to identify ovulation, the length of the 2nd half of your cycle – and can pinpoint when you’re due for your next period.
Fertility Awareness is not just about making babies, in fact many of those who have learnt from our Fertility Educators, use it to avoid getting pregnant! It is also a vital part of a young woman’s toolkit – once learnt, it can support you from puberty, right up until menopause.
Fertility Awareness is also known as Natural Family Planning, and there are many practices and methods that fall under this umbrella.
At Natural Fertility NZ, we teach the Sympto-thermal Method for those wanting to avoid conception naturally and a variation for those wanting to conceive. The Sympto-thermal Method is over 98% effective for avoiding pregnancy when taught by an Accredited Educator.
We also teach the Lactational Amenorrhea Method & Breastfeeding Charting for those who are about to give birth or breastfeeding.
Both of these methods are evidence based, and endorsed by Health NZ, and the World Health Organisation.
Not all Fertility Awareness Methods are equal
One of the biggest misconceptions about Fertility Awareness based methods, is that when it comes to Avoiding Pregnancy they are all on the same level in terms of evidence and efficacy. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Everyone has a story of a friend or relative that ‘used Natural Family Planning and got pregnant’ which of course is not the best advertising for us as an organisation.
There are many ‘methods’ that come under the umbrella of Natural Family Planning, so let’s dive a little deeper, and find out what makes the Sympto-thermal Method a little different. Later this week we will focus on Fertility while Breastfeeding.
Signs of Fertility vs Calculations and Algorithms
One of the biggest differences between the various practices and methods is whether they rely on your own signs of fertility, or whether a calculation (or algorithm) is used to work out when your fertile window is.
Your body is unique, and unfortunately basing your contraceptive decisions on a calculation is not the safest way to avoid getting pregnant. While it may have worked for someone you know, the fact is that they have just been lucky. We take unplanned pregnancies very seriously at NFNZ, so any method or practice that increases your risk is not something we recommend.
Some examples of methods that rely on calculations and algorithms are:
- The Calendar method
- The Standard Days method
- Cycle Beads
- Any App that uses algorithms based on your cycle length
The calculations are sometimes based on a 28 day cycle, or assume that you ovulate exactly 14 days prior to your period starting. In terms of some apps, like Natural Cycles, the algorithms are not meant to be relied on until they have 12 cycles of your data – so how safe are you in those first 12 months? Not only that, but during times of stress and illness, your fertility changes, and this can not be detected by a calculation or algorithm.
A word on the ‘Withdrawal’ or ‘Pull out Method’
There is also a popular practice called ‘withdrawal’ or the ‘pull out method’ which falls into its own category of risk. It involves the male partner pulling out during intercourse so that they do not ejaculate in the vagina. There are 2 big issues with this practice, firstly, studies have shown live sperm inside pre-ejaculate, and secondly, it relies on the male partner pulling out in time!
What are the Signs of Fertility?
The signs of fertility present differently in each woman, and can vary from cycle to cycle. They include the observation and recording of:
- Cervical Mucus & Sensation
- Basal Body Temperature
Recording this information helps you to interpret what is going on in your body, and along with the solid guidelines of the Sympto-thermal Method, it can enable you to avoid pregnancy naturally.
There are some methods that rely solely on one sign of fertility, like mucus or temperature only. If you have irregular cycles, a hormonal imbalance or condition like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), your mucus patterns will not tell you if you have ovulated. Temperature only methods can only confirm that you have ovulated, but not the end of your fertility, so not so great for avoiding conception or when you are trying to conceive. Although tracking temperature only can be helpful when trying to time some blood tests.
Separating Fact from Fiction
There is an over abundance of information available online and in various books, that can turn learning Fertility Awareness into a difficult to navigate process. At NFNZ we teach using your own cycles, and have a simple easy to follow process that takes the guesswork out for you. You will also be able to have complete confidence in the method, which takes away any stress associated with an unplanned pregnancy.
In the next Article, we will look more into how you can use the Sympto-thermal Method to Avoid Pregnancy….
Are you wanting to learn more? Ask one of our Educators