Starting a family is a dream for many couples, but the timing of pregnancy remains something that many people want to control. For couples who are looking for a system of birth control that is different from the traditional barrier methods or the use of hormones, natural family planning can be a successful alternative. Natural family planning is a method that helps couples shape their family size, rather than just preventing pregnancy.
Benefits
Natural family planning works as a method of monitoring fertility in a woman's body. Deciding what system of birth control to use is a personal issue, yet many couples do not wish to use a barrier method for various reasons. Natural family planning provides a way for couples to monitor fertility and to manage their own health.
During typical use of the method, natural family planning is 75 to 88 percent effective as a means of preventing pregnancy. "Typical use" is defined as a time when couples follow the directions of the process, but there may be inconsistencies in charting. The term "perfect use" defines a couple who complies with directions and consistently tracks the process. According to Stanford University, couples who practice perfect use of natural family planning will have a 98 percent success rate of preventing pregnancy.
Perfect use of natural family planning methods provides an effective source of birth control that is comparable with barrier methods. As stated by the University of Arizona, the male condom is 88 to 98 percent effective when used properly, and using a diaphragm with spermicidal cream provides 82 to 94 percent effectiveness. Alternatively, use of hormone-based contraceptives has a greater success rate than natural family planning. The University of Arizona states that the Pill is considered 97 to 99.5 percent effective and the Depo-Provera injection is 99.7 percent effective. These statistics are compared with the success of natural family planning (referred to as fertility awareness) as being 70 to 95 percent effective, depending on the method of charting and accuracy of use.
The Reproductive Cycle
Approximately every 28 days, a woman of childbearing age releases an egg from one of her ovaries in a process called ovulation. The egg travels through the fallopian tube on its way to the uterus, the place where a baby will eventually grow. Fertilization from sperm through sexual intercourse must take place to produce a zygote, or the very earliest cells that will eventually grow into a baby.
The released egg has approximately 12 to 24 hours to be fertilized by sperm. Sexual intercourse during this time period can then result in pregnancy. Natural family planning involves determining this fertile period and avoiding intercourse to prevent pregnancy.
Methods
Couples may use various methods of natural family planning. The use of a barrier method during a fertile period is not considered within the definition of natural family planning and is not listed among these methods. Use of natural family planning can be done through three different processes.
Checking cervical mucous is the most common form of natural family planning. A woman's body produces mucous near her cervix, which is the opening at the base of the uterus. During the period of ovulation, this discharge takes on the appearance of egg white, and becomes stretchy and thin. When a woman checks her cervical mucous each day and determines when the consistency has changed, she can then know that she is ovulating.
The measurement of basal body temperature is a second method of natural family planning. A woman can check her temperature each morning before getting out of bed and record the result. Each month, her temperature will drop slightly immediately before ovulation. It will then rise and stay consistently elevated by approximately 1 degree in the days following ovulation, until her menstrual period. After several months of charting her basal body temperature, a woman should consistently begin to see a pattern of ovulation and understand her fertile time.
Couples may also use a calendar method of charting fertile periods over a course of time. A woman's menstrual period begins approximately 14 days after ovulation. By recording the length of time between menstrual periods, a woman can have an idea of the typical length of her cycles and when she is ovulating. This method works for women who have regular periods, but requires months of charting to determine a pattern.
The Right Circumstances
Methods of natural family planning are appropriate for couples in various situations who want to take control of their fertility. Couples trying to prevent pregnancy or who would like to keep space between pregnancies and wish to use natural methods are optimal candidates for natural family planning. Alternatively, couples wishing to achieve pregnancy who would like to monitor their fertility to increase their chances are also candidates for using natural family planning methods. Women with irregular menstrual cycles may also use natural family planning as a method of charting their ovulation time to help them expect the timing of their next menstrual period.
Disadvantages
Natural family planning is not for everyone, and the methods involved can require time and close monitoring to be successful. There is a period of six to eight months of monitoring before the method can be considered reliable alone, which is a time that requires careful observation of symptoms. Couples must also have enough restraint to abstain from intercourse during fertile periods.
