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Types of Natural Family Planning

Natural family planning, also known as fertility awareness, can be used when a couple decides that they want to achieve or avoid pregnancy. There are various methods that can be applied to figure out when a woman is at her most fertile. According to the Net Doctor website, solely using natural family planning should not be considered a reliable form of contraception.

  1. The Temperature Method

    • During ovulation you are at your most fertile. To find out when this is you can take your Basal Body Temperature (BBT). A normal body temperature is around 98 degrees Fahrenheit. When you ovulate this temperature goes up by approximately 1 degree. You have to take your temperature every morning at the same time, using the same thermometer. As soon as you notice three consecutive days with a higher-than-normal temperature, it means that you have ovulated. When trying to get pregnant you should have sexual intercourse as soon as you notice the temperature spike. The down-side of this method is that when you get sick with a fever, your readings will not be accurate and you will have to start over again the next month

    The Calendar Method

    • The calendar method requires that you keep track of the start day of your period for six consecutive months. Count how many days there are from the first day of your period to the following month's start day of your period. Do this for every month. Subtract 18 days from the shortest amount of interval days and 11 days from the longest. Between this time is when you are at your most fertile. If you have irregular periods this method will not work.

    The Mucus Test

    • Female hormones influence how much mucus a woman's vagina produces. Monitoring the texture of your mucus is another way to find out when you are at your most fertile. Place a sample between your index finger and thumb. Thin, clear mucus that resembles egg whites signals that you are right around your ovulation time and sperm will be able to swim more freely. This is when to have intercourse if you are desiring to get pregnant. Thick, little or no discharge means that you are not ovulating.

    Fertility Computers

    • There are fertility computers you can purchase over-the-counter that don't require you to keep track of anything. They do all the work for you. Some of these monitors use only your temperature while others use only urine. The more sophisticated monitors use both temperature and urine. According to Epigee, fertility monitors can cost anywhere from $100 to $700 as of early 2011, and they should be used only if you have a regular menstrual cycle.

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