counting days as birth control tool

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I just don't get it. How exactly do you count days to determine "safe days" and "unsafe days"? Please make it as easy as possible to understand:imbar

Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

Getting back to the OP- I also reccomend "Taking Charge of your Fertility" as a great resource. The Catholic Church does not teach the rhythem method as a reliable source of birth control. I would reccomend these websites. The latter is designed by an M.D. and can be used to diagnose Infertility, PCOS,endometriosis, low progesterone- you name it. Good luck!

http://www.ccli.org

http://www.fertilitycare.org/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
You're still taught to avoid pregnancy within the first six months of getting off them. Your hormone levels stay whacked for a bit.

Thanks for that update. I really had no idea. I'm glad though that the BC pills of today are much safer.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

Another testimonial for the calendar method here. I was actually successful with this method for 5 years but then I got pregnant twice in 6 months. (I had a miscarriage the first time.) I decided it was time to let that go.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
You know what they call people who use rhythm?

Parents.

I love it Suesquatch! Thanks ILMAO !

I stand by my opinion that a barrier method is far safer if you absolutely don't want to be pregnant. I was extremely regular and very educated about temp and cervical mucous changes. After 3 years I became pregnant because I ovulated 8 days after my previous period started. The mucous didn't change enough that it was obvious and by the time I noticed my temp had dropped it was too late. I'm not complaining because I have a wonderful 25 y/o daughter and 3 mo old grandson. Had we been using condoms I don't believe I would have gotten pregnant. For almost 20 years following her birth we used condoms and did not get pregnant other than the 3 times we chose not to use condoms which resulted in 2 miscarriages and finally our son who is now 16. After he was born we continued to use condoms until dh got fixed. I didn't believe in putting hormones in my body.

Natural Family Planning has a 25% failure rate or 25 pregnancies per year for every 100 women using the method.

The failure rate for condoms if used consistantly is 3%, if used inconsistantly the failure rate of condoms is 12%.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
But if you work in Women's Health you come across as really ignorant if you aren't up to speed on the facts.

Really ignorant is a bold statement. In the year 2006 the vast majority of women of child bearing age are not interested in natural family planning. I'd like to know what the actual percentage is. I educated my self regarding natural family planning 30 years ago because it was something I was interested in. During 30 years of nursing, 12 years working in Women's Health I've never had a woman ask me about natural family planning. Plenty of women want to know how to get pregnant and I used the info to teach them the signs of ovulation for the purpose of getting pregnant but never to avoid pregnancy. Please don't be a name caller. Play nice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Really ignorant is a bold statement. In the year 2006 the vast majority of women of child bearing age are not interested in natural family planning. I'd like to know what the actual percentage is. I educated my self regarding natural family planning 30 years ago because it was something I was interested in. During 30 years of nursing, 12 years working in Women's Health I've never had a woman ask me about natural family planning. Plenty of women want to know how to get pregnant and I used the info to teach them the signs of ovulation for the purpose of getting pregnant but never to avoid pregnancy. Please don't be a name caller. Play nice.

25 years ago when I was in college and practicing NFP, it was mostly what my husband calls "organic girls" who were interested in this natural system. We didn't want to put hormones into our system and didn't want to use condoms, diaphragms, were scared of IUD's, etc.

I'll bet that the same group still is interested. People who buy organic, maybe are vegetarians, have solar power in their homes, buy electric cars. :clown:

I've met alot of women who are interested in NFP.

BTW, I checked my temp first thing in the morning, lady partslly - the book said to take your temp before you got OOB or moved much. I was young, in my 1st marriage and we had alot of sex . . unlike when I remarried and had two toddlers to care for and was EXHAUSTED. I actually warned my dh-to-be in pre-marital counseling that marrying me would NOT be like marrying a women without kids . .. . :nono:

As I said, I never got preggers with the NRP method.

But then everyone has their own story.

I still say it is an effective way to go for those who don't want to go the "unnatural" way.

steph

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Really ignorant is a bold statement. In the year 2006 the vast majority of women of child bearing age are not interested in natural family planning. I'd like to know what the actual percentage is. I educated my self regarding natural family planning 30 years ago because it was something I was interested in. During 30 years of nursing, 12 years working in Women's Health I've never had a woman ask me about natural family planning. Plenty of women want to know how to get pregnant and I used the info to teach them the signs of ovulation for the purpose of getting pregnant but never to avoid pregnancy. Please don't be a name caller. Play nice.

I certainly wasn't calling anyone here any names. You've been able to help a lot of women get pregnant with this knowledge that you have, and you would be a poor health care provider, imho, if you didn't have it. That's all I'm saying.

I think "really ignorant" is a fair description of a women's health care provider who doesn't know about cervical mucous changes, temperature changes, luteal phases, etc. They're out there, believe it or not. When I got my diaphragm I was specifically told by my NP that I should take my temp every morning and when I saw it go up, then we should use a condom for a few days after that, just to be safe. That is VERY WRONG information, because once you've seen the temperature spike, you've already ovulated. Maybe "misinformed" sounds nicer than "ignorant", but they're really the same thing. I don't think she was a stupid woman.

Anyway, I'm passionate about women knowing about their bodies and their health, so I'm sorry if I came off too strong.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
Maybe "misinformed" sounds nicer than "ignorant", but they're really the same thing. I don't think she was a stupid woman.

Anyway, I'm passionate about women knowing about their bodies and their health, so I'm sorry if I came off too strong.

Cool. I don't agree with ignorant being the same as misinformed but I won't argue that point, it's not important. I agree with women knowing about their bodies. It's shameful how little some women know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
There's a HUGE difference between the rhythm method (abstaining during certain calender days) and charting your temperature and cervical mucous changes ("Fertility Awareness Method" or "Natural Family Planning"). One is highly unreliable and the other can give a very accurate picture of your body's fertility in a given day. I second SmilingBluEyes' book recommendation.

Charting your fertility is accepted by the Catholic church, and is relatively easy to learn and intuitive once you get the hang of it. If used correctly, it can be as effective as the BCP. HOWEVER, I don't think it can be taught in a short conversation. It requires some careful explanation, practice, and plenty of time for questions. Good luck to you!

I agree with this. I am a practicing Catholic and I use Natural Family Planning. (NFP) The rhythm method is outdated and very unreliable. I take my temperature the same time every day and check cervical mucus. My cycles aren't super regular, either. It is working quite well for me. no suprises yet. :p I used it in reverse in order to get pregnant. Worked like a charm! It is simple to do, and only takes a few minutes a day for simple assessments. Do a search on NFP, not rhythm method and it should help you. It is actually more effective than using condoms with spermacide if used consistently. If anyone would like an explanation of why Catholics do not use birth control and only use NFP, I would be happy to explain it by private message. There are several reasons why. I don't want to start a religious debate.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

We practiced NFP for about 4 years and I enjoyed it, got pregnant the time we tried and stayed non-pregnant (lol) the rest of the time. I think it is a great method and I wish more women and health care providers were educated about it. I actually had a OB/GYN ask me why I had so much cervical fluid when I was getting my pap done a couple years ago. I told her I was fertile at the time and she looked at me funny and asked me how I knew that :( She really had no clue!

I started using the NuvaRing close to a year ago because I just didn't have the commitment to follow NFP anymore and was honest with myself about that. I just KNEW I was going to get pregnant because I wasn't taking the time to check cervical fluid, etc. I just kept forgetting to check it...lol.

Anyways, it's a good method to use for those who can not use hormonal birth control and dont like barrier methods (yuck, I can't stand those personally) or who want to know the best time to get pregnant!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment