What Is Pregnancy Control?
Looking for a more pregnancy control methods naturally? You need to know the drawbacks you should consider, what the options are, what’s involved, and you need to know that these may not be as effective as preventing pregnancy by hormonal and surgical types of pregnancy control.
For this method to work, both two partners must be committed and be board.
In this article we will discuss the 7 method of pregnancy prevention:
• Rhythm method
• Standard-days method
• Cervical mucus method
• Basal body temperature method
• Withdrawal Method
• Breastfeeding Method
• Herbal Birth Control
Tracking your period and understanding your menstrual cycle can help you naturally plan or prevent pregnancy.
Fertility Awareness
These methods use your body's natural signs to prevent pregnancy, without any gadgets or pills. They're free, safe, and work well when done right, but can be tricky to get the hang of.
Can You Still Get Pregnant If You’re on the Pill?
While taking birth control pills, it’s still possible to get pregnant. Fertility awareness methods (FAMs) work by helping you identify the specific days of your menstrual cycle when you’re most likely to conceive. By avoiding sex on those fertile days, you can significantly reduce the risk of pregnancy. However, this approach requires careful tracking and precise timing. If you have a regular menstrual cycle and use FAMs perfectly, your chances of getting pregnant can be as low as less than 5%. But, if you don’t use these methods correctly or have irregular periods, the risk of pregnancy increases substantially, up to 24%. This is because irregular cycles can make it harder to accurately predict fertile days, and small mistakes in tracking or timing can lead to unintended pregnancy. So, while FAMs can be a reliable form of birth control, it’s crucial to use them consistently and correctly to achieve their full effectiveness.
How effective are different birth control methods? Here’s a comparison:
- Male condoms: 18% chance of getting pregnant (if used normally, not perfectly)
- Diaphragm: 12% chance of getting pregnant
- Birth control pills, patch, or ring: 9% chance of getting pregnant
- Implant or IUD: less than 1% chance of getting pregnant (very effective!)
Note: These numbers show the chances of getting pregnant with typical use, meaning not perfect use. Perfect use means following the instructions exactly, which can make the methods even more effective.
Fertility awareness is about understanding your body’s signs to know when you can get pregnant. Some ways to do this are:
- Rhythm method: tracking your period cycle (full details below)
- Standard-days method: assuming you ovulate on certain days(full details below)
- Cervical mucus method: checking your body’s natural fluids(full details below)
- Basal body temperature method: tracking your temperature changes(full details below)
- Using more than one method together can make them more effective. Here’s what you need to know:
- You’re most fertile around ovulation (when an egg is released)
- An egg can be fertilized for about 24 hours after release
- Sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days
By tracking your cycle and using these methods, you can better understand when you’re most likely to get pregnant.
When you understand which days you are fertile, you can avoid having sex during that time and reduce your chances of getting pregnant. By using tools like basal body temperature, cervical mucus, and a calendar to identify your fertile days, However, it can be difficult to get it right because everyone's cycle is unique and it takes time to understand your own cycle."
Rhythm Method
The Rhythm Method requires careful tracking of your period for 6-12 months before starting. Then, you’ll use the data to calculate your fertile days using a formula:
- First fertile day: subtract 18 from your shortest cycle and count that many days from the start of your period
- Last fertile day: subtract 11 from your longest cycle and count that many days from the start of your period
Avoid sex between these two days. While apps can help, accurate tracking is crucial, which can be challenging due to natural cycle variations.”
Standard Days Method (SDM)
This approach is similar to the rhythm method but more straightforward. It designates days 8-19 as the fertile period for all women, making it easier to implement. You can utilize an app, calendar, or color-coded beads to monitor your cycle progress. The method is most effective if your cycle length is between 26 and 32 days. However, it’s essential to note that date-tracking methods like SDM and the rhythm method will be significantly less effective if you have an irregular menstrual cycle. Certain medical conditions, such as thyroid disease, eating disorders, extreme weight fluctuations, intense exercise, and illicit drug use, can cause irregular cycles, impacting the method’s reliability.
Cervical Mucus Method
This approach involves observing and recording the changes in your cervical mucus at specific points during your menstrual cycle. Initially, after your period, the mucus is scarce, but as ovulation approaches, the amount increases significantly. Additionally, the texture and color of the mucus may change throughout your cycle, providing valuable clues about your ovulation. During fertile days, the cervical mucus often appears clear, slippery, and stretchy, resembling egg s. To monitor these changes, use a tissue or your fingers to check the mucus multiple times daily. Keeping a chart is essential to track the patterns in your cervical mucus from one cycle to the next, enabling you to identify when to abstain from sex.
Basal Body Temperature Method
Is another approach to determining fertility is to maintain a daily record of your temperature using a basal body temperature thermometer at the same time every day. Ovulation may be indicated by a slight increase in temperature, often around 1 degree F. Additionally, consider monitoring other symptoms such as breast tenderness, backaches, or bloating. However, this method does not provide exact ovulation timing. Various factors can influence basal body temperature, including illness-related fever, stress, alcohol consumption the previous night, traveling across time zones (resulting in altered wake-up times), or sleeping in a room with an unusual temperature. These factors can impact the accuracy of this method and make it more challenging to use.
Withdrawal Method
One approach to preventing pregnancy involves preventing sperm from encountering an egg. This method, also known as “pulling out,” requires your partner to withdraw their penis from your vagina before ejaculation. This demands a high level of self-control, as it’s not always successful. Consequently, the likelihood of pregnancy with this method is 22%. Even when executed correctly, this method is not foolproof. Prior to ejaculation, a pre-ejaculate fluid is released from the penis, which may contain a small amount of sperm, potentially leading to pregnancy despite the withdrawal.
Breastfeeding Method
This method is effective only during the initial six months following childbirth, provided you have not yet menstruated and exclusively breastfeed your infant, without supplementing with formula or bottles. (Note that ovulation occurs before your period, so you may be fertile without realizing it.) To utilize this method, you must breastfeed at least every four hours during the day and every six hours at night; pumping does not suffice. This frequent nursing prevents your body from releasing an egg. Research has demonstrated that adhering precisely to these guidelines can render breastfeeding 98% effective in preventing pregnancy.
Herbal Birth Control
Certain herbs are promoted as natural methods to prevent pregnancy, but there is limited scientific evidence to support these claims, and none have been approved by the FDA. Some examples of these herbs include:
- Neem,
- Castor,
- Bean,
- Gossypol (for men),
- Thunder god vine (for men), Evodia,
- Wild carrot (Queen Anne’s lace),
- Turmeric,
- Ginger and
- Mango seed.
These herbs are purported to work by: Preventing ovulation, Inhibiting sperm from fertilizing the egg, or Blocking the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. However, there is insufficient research to substantiate these claims or determine their effectiveness. Moreover, some herbal methods can be toxic, so it is essential to consult with your doctor before using them to ensure safety.
Are There Home Remedies to Prevent Pregnancy?
You may also come across home remedies that are believed to prevent pregnancy, but unfortunately, none of these methods have been proven effective, and many can be detrimental to your health. Various methods that have been attempted globally include: Douching with substances like vinegar, soap and water, alcoholic beverages, cola, or even disinfectant, which not only fail to prevent pregnancy but can also cause irritation, infections, or chemical burns. Another method involves inserting lemon slices into the vagina after intercourse, which can cause tissue irritation and disrupt the natural balance of vaginal bacteria, and additionally, does not kill sperm.
Engaging in activities like jumping up and down after intercourse will not cause harm, but it will also not have any effect in preventing pregnancy. Inserting a piece of a kitchen sponge into the vagina before sex is also ineffective and can lead to infection, unlike contraceptive sponges which contain spermicide and are designed for this purpose. Additionally, using plastic bags or Popsicle wrappers as makeshift condoms is not only ineffective in preventing pregnancy but can also cause discomfort, abrasions, or rashes due to their unsuitable materials.
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