Ch_11

Lecture Notes

Fertility awareness methods are based on a woman's knowledge of her body's reproductive cycle, and she must keep track of her menstrual cycle. During the days of ovulation, the woman abstains from sexual intercourse. This method is often referred to as natural family planning. <br /><br />It should be noted that among typical users of fertility awareness, about 24% of women experience unintended pregnancy during the first year because it is very difficult to predict when ovulation will occur. There are four types of natural family planning.

The calendar, or rhythm method, requires the woman to calculate her safe days. This depends on the range of the woman's longest and shortest menstrual cycle, and it may not be practiced or safe for women with irregular cycles.

The second method is the basal body temperature. The woman records the temperature of her body every morning upon waking for 6 to 12 months to gain an accurate idea of her temperature pattern. The women's temperature tends to be slightly lower—a half a degree to a degree—during menstruation and for about a week after that.

The third method is the cervical mucus method. With this method, the woman determines her ovulation stage and her menstrual cycle by examining the mucus secretions of her cervix. In many women, there is a noticeable change in the appearance and character of cervical mucus prior to ovulation.

There's also the symptothermal method. With this method two or more fertility indicators are used together—for example, mid-cycle pain in the lower abdomen on either slide, slight discharge of blood from the cervix, which we call spotting, and breast tenderness, feelings of heaviness, and abdominal swelling are all symptoms that could be used. Of course these are all symptoms of the menstrual cycle beginning to occur.