counting days as birth control tool

Nurses General Nursing

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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 OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
Very interesting. Did you ever hear of anyone else miscarrying once getting off the pill?

My OB/GYN told me, 30 years ago, that it's not uncommon to miscarry if you get pregnant within 6 months of going off BC pills. I'm sure that info is very now obsolete. BC now have much lower doses of hormone. The ones I took way back then were "strong". Maybe, just maybe, back then it was true but I doubt that it is true anymore.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
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!

30 years ago the rhythm method included watching for cervical mucous changes, taking your temp daily and abstaining on certain days according to your temperature and cervical changes. I don't know about now but back then that's the way it was. I'm not advocating natural birth control unless you'd be okay with getting pregnant. There are safe alternatives in 2006 that were not there for us in 1976.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
hi,,thanks for the replies. as for fowarding all questions to my pcp, I guess I should explain... I am volunteering at a catholic charities site and trying to teach "acceptable" birth control to immigrant families (women). Knowing the rationale behind the system helps a bit, but I need a completely simplified way to explain it to the women. thanks

Whoa, it's hard enough to explain to English speaking women and it is far from infallable. You need to get very specific information in writting translated into their language and they need to understand that it is very possible that they will get pregnant. There is no simplified way to explain it. I would not take on that kind of responsibility. Good Luck.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
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 am by no means knocking any religion but I don't understand the difference between charting your fertility and using a condom. Both are forms of BC. One just makes more sense if you can't afford to have a child or add another child to your family. Now-a-days we have so many safe options. I know many Catholics who practice BC religiously because they realize the church won't be raising nor paying for their children.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
You know what they call people who use rhythm?

Parents.

yup... my parents got 5 of us out of that deal (but liked us so much they decided to adopt one more for good measure :p )

I have heard though, that nowadays they have more reliable ways of this kind of method (if that makes sense?) I'm not for sure though. Definitely no expert.

Edit: sorry, should have read the thread through first and realized that more expert people have already given some more specific and useful information! good luck... is there any way you can have interpreters available when you do this teaching?

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My OB/GYN told me, 30 years ago, that it's not uncommon to miscarry if you get pregnant within 6 months of going off BC pills. I'm sure that info is very now obsolete. BC now have much lower doses of hormone. The ones I took way back then were "strong". Maybe, just maybe, back then it was true but I doubt that it is true anymore.

You're still taught to avoid pregnancy within the first six months of getting off them. Your hormone levels stay whacked for a bit.

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I very carefully used the rhythm method and the outcome is 15 years old and learning to drive right now.:rolleyes:

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I am by no means knocking any religion but I don't understand the difference between charting your fertility and using a condom. Both are forms of BC. One just makes more sense if you can't afford to have a child or add another child to your family. Now-a-days we have so many safe options. I know many Catholics who practice BC religiously because they realize the church won't be raising nor paying for their children.

Heck, I don't see the difference either. I'm not Catholic, so it's not a huge source of concern for me. But I think you're missing the fact that, if practiced correctly (not too difficult), charting temp and cervical mucous can be very effective -- no less so than a condom.

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I very carefully used the rhythm method and the outcome is 15 years old and learning to drive right now.:rolleyes:

Heh. Gotta love it.

In my tradition of pointing out the obvious though, there are many stories like this involving the pill and many more involving condoms. I can't believe I'm turning into the advocate for Natural Family Planning here, but I just can't believe more nurses don't know about it. It's based on biological principles, it works, and many people use it because of their religion or because they like natural ways of living. Sure, if you work in geriatrics, it's reasonable that you wouldn't know all about it. But if you work in Women's Health you come across as really ignorant if you aren't up to speed on the facts.

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I used Natural Family Planning for 3 years and didn't get pregnant. It taught me alot about my body and reproductive processes.

It was when I started using a diaphragm that I got preggers . . . . you have to actually get oob and walk into the bathroom and put the darn thing in first. :rolleyes:

Natural Family Planning is a very good method for those who don't want to put hormones in their bodies or foreign objects in their bodies.

steph

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Specializes in geriatric/LTC, Urgent Care.

Tried this method, I'm due July 1st. Wouldn't recomend it!:chuckle

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

I've been using Chuck E. Cheese. :D It got me through wanting to get pregnant during nursing school. :roll

Steph- I ran into your diaphragm problem with condoms and had a few close calls myself. So did one of my good friends. She had three kids in three and a half years.

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