Does Natural Family Planning Really Work?
In the quest to become pregnant or to avoid getting pregnant, you may have heard the term natural family planning. While everyone who uses this form of birth control has their own reasons for choosing this method, you may be left wondering if it is effective.
What is Natural Family Planning?
Natural family planning is all about knowing your body. You will learn the rhythms of your body's system and take extensive notes. By using your body's cues, you can track when you are the most fertile and the least fertile. Natural family planning will mean keeping tabs on when your menstrual period starts and ends. You will also need to test your cervical mucus for thickness and temperature to determine whether or not your body is currently ovulating.
Does Natural Family Planning Prevent Pregnancy?
In theory, if performed correctly every single month, natural family planning is a fairly effective way to prevent pregnancy. It's about 90 percent effective, as long as the couple is committed to the practice and proceeds correctly. Couples that choose to use natural family planning in addition to other types of birth control such as condoms are more likely to not have an unplanned pregnancy.
How Can Natural Family Planning Help Achieve Pregnancy?
When a couple is ready to have children, they may decide to use natural family planning as a way to make sure they get pregnant. By tracking the woman's periods, mucus levels and the temperature of the body, it is possible to determine when the female is fertile. Once the most fertile periods have been found in the woman's body rhythm, the couple can increase their odds of getting pregnant.
Is It Easy To Do?
Natural family planning may seem simple, but in order for it to be effective, a lot of time and effort are required. It is absolutely essential that the menstrual cycle be tracked from beginning to end. You will need to take notes on your period for several months to make sure you have accurate data. A chart will be needed to record temperature changes and mucus type. This type of birth control is time consuming and must be done correctly each month or risk pregnancy at an inconvenient time.
Natural family planning can be effective at preventing or planning pregnancy. While this type of birth control can mean a lot of time spent on recording periods, temperatures and more, some women prefer it to chemical means of birth control. Natural family planning is fairly effective when the rules are followed precisely as recommended by a medical professional. If you have any questions, consider contacting local OBGYNs, such as Women's Care Inc., to discuss your concerns.