Natural Family Planning

What is natural family planning?

Natural family planning means preventing pregnancy without using pills or devices. It is based on being able to predict your fertile time. This is the time you are likely to conceive. Pregnancy is avoided if you don't have sex during this fertile time (or use other methods of contraception such as condoms). It can be a very effective form of contraception. However, it needs a high level of commitment from both you and your partner.

When is the fertile time?

The fertile time lasts for 8-9 days each cycle. It is from seven days before ovulation until 1-2 days after ovulation. Ovulation is when a woman releases an egg from an ovary - usually once a month. An egg survives about 24 hours. However, sperm can survive up to seven days after sex. This is why the fertile time starts from seven days before ovulation.

So, if you know exactly when you will ovulate, then you can predict when your fertile days are.

How do I know when I will ovulate?

Knowing when you ovulate is the key to success. Once you are confident that you can predict this then this method of family planning can be very effective. It takes good instruction and 3-6 menstrual cycles to learn how to do natural family planning. This is much more difficult to do if you have irregular periods.

Very briefly, you need to make a record each day of one or more 'indicators'. These include the following:

• Body temperature typically rises slightly when you ovulate and remains higher till your next period. There are many factors that can upset this such as illness, taking medicines (like paracetamol which can lower your temperature). However, if you take your temperature before getting out of bed each morning a pattern usually emerges to show when ovulation occurs. Computerised thermometers are also available which work by combining information about the length of your menstrual cycle and temperature.
  
  
• Secretions from the cervix change throughout the menstrual cycle. Just after a period there is not much secretion and the vagina is dry for a few days. After this, about eight days before ovulation, the secretions become more moist, sticky, and cloudy. For about four days before ovulation the secretions become wet, clear, slippery and stretchy (like egg white). A day or so after ovulation the secretions dry up again until after the next period. So, if you get to know the changes in your secretions then you can predict the 7-8 days before ovulation.
  
  
• Cycle length. Ovulation usually occurs 12-16 days before a period. If your cycle is very regular then this may help to predict ovulation.
  
  
• Ovulation prediction kits. These are devices that you can buy from a pharmacy. There are two types of ovulation prediction kits - one that measures hormone levels in your urine and the other in your saliva.
  
  The urine-based kit detects the increase, or surge, of a hormone called luteinising hormone (LH) that occurs approximately one to two days before ovulation. The main device available in the UK is called Persona®. Although a small amount of LH is always present in your blood and urine, in the days before ovulation, the amount increases by about two to five times.
  
  Saliva-based kits test for rising oestrogen levels as you near ovulation. As oestrogen levels rise, the salt content of your saliva increases too and when the salt dries it crystallises into a fern-like pattern. With these kits, you see if "salivary ferning" has occurred as your saliva has dried. The saliva-based kits are slightly less accurate than the urine-based kits.

Is breastfeeding a natural family planning method?

Yes, although it is not as effective as other methods of contraception. Suckling by the baby stimulates hormones that suppress ovulation. Ovulation is unlikely for six months after childbirth if you:

• fully breast feed (this means the baby has no other food or drink apart from breast milk) and
• you have had no periods since childbirth.

How do I learn to do natural family planning?

If you want to consider natural family planning then contact the following organisations for further details about where to find your local teacher.

The fpa (formerly the family planning association)

fpa's Helpline: 0845 310 1334 Web: www.fpa.org.uk

Fertility UK - specialists in natural family planning

Website www.fertilityUK.org

Billings Life - provides training on the Billing's Ovulation Method

Website www.woomb.org