Natural birth control depends on fertility awareness. There are many couples out there who for one reason or another cannot use hormonal contraceptives, and prefer to combine natural family planning with some non-traditional birth control method. The sympto-thermal method, the ovulation method, the standard days method or the rhythm method are just a few of the natural birth control choices people rely on. Yet, they seem to work in a similar way.
The standard days method
The menstrual cycle is divided into three main periods according to the standard days method. The menstrual bleeding occurs on day !. Between day 1 and day 8, you are unlikely to get pregnant and you can have sex without birth control. Between day 9 and day 18, ovulation takes place and you are fertile. Use another birth control method or abstain. Natural birth control is once again possible between day 20 and day 32.
The ovulation method
The analysis of the changes in the cervical mucus makes the basis for the ovulation method. Ovulation usually occurs place between the 9th and the 18th day of the menstrual cycle, with variations from woman to woman. If you prefer natural birth control, you can use the fertility tests available in drug stores to learn when you are most fertile, and use extra birth control during that period or abstain from sex.
The sympto-thermal method
The sympto-thermal method is both a natural birth control solution as well as an option for couples trying to conceive. It is a bit more difficult to keep track of the subtle changes in the body, which is why women who want to get pregnant are keener on this method than those who seek natural birth control.
There are no guarantees with natural birth control. There is a lot of unpredictable in the way a woman’s body works during the menstrual cycle, and many unplanned pregnancies appear as a result. If the menstrual pattern is regular, then the efficiency of natural birth control methods is very high, just like that of hormonal birth control. Seek medical advice and see what recommendations you can get. Professional advice could simplify your choices a lot, and good information may save you from an unwanted pregnancy!