According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 55% of American women aged 15 to 49 rely on different family planning methods. The common family planning McAllen technique is female sterilization, a surgical procedure that involves blocking and sealing off the fallopian tubes. Blocked and sealed fallopian tubes cannot allow the passage and meeting of eggs and sperm, preventing fertilization.
Apart from the barrier approach, hormonal methods, intrauterine devices, and contraception pills, you can also try using natural methods of contraception. Natural family planning methods do not involve the use of medications or devices that can prevent conception.
Thus, one of the main advantages of natural birth control methods is that they do not come with side effects. You may also find natural family planning methods more appealing if you want to stop or reverse birth control quickly, desire a free way to prevent pregnancy, or your religious beliefs are against medical prevention of pregnancy.
Subsequently, below are some common natural methods of family planning that your doctor may recommend.
- Calendar rhythm method
The calendar or rhythm method is one of the popular periodic abstinence techniques. The birth control technique requires that you track your menstrual cycles. That can help you know when you are fertile and prone to getting pregnant and thus avoid vaginal sex.
Alternatively, when you know you are fertile and at risk of getting pregnant when you have sex, you can use other family planning methods like a condom.
Often, you may have your menstruation 14-16 days after ovulation. Thus avoid vaginal sex a few days before, during, and after ovulation. The rhythm method of birth control can also help you understand when it is the right time to have sex to increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
However, the calendar rhythm method for preventing contraception is only about 80% effective, especially if you do not use it with other family planning techniques.
- Basal body temperature (BBT) method
Your body temperature will drop slightly about 12 to 24 hours before ovulation. And after ovulation, the temperature rises again due to increased progesterone levels.
The basal body temperature (BBT) method demands that you regularly take and record your body temperature immediately after you get out of bed in the morning before eating or drinking anything.
Avoid having vaginal sex when your body temperature drops as you near ovulation, and wait until two or three days after the temperature rises again.
- The cervical mucus method
The cervical mucus method, also called the Billings Ovulation Method, is a natural birth control technique involving careful observation of mucus patterns during your periods.
Before ovulation, the process of releasing mature eggs from your ovary, cervical secretions change, producing an environment that promotes the passage or swimming of sperm up the vagina and into the womb to meet an egg to enable fertilization.
You can distinguish between the quantity and quality of the watery cervical mucus by examining its appearance on your panties or pads.
Abstain from sex for a few days after you notice unusual production of cervical mucus before and after ovulation.
Contact the Women’s Clinic of the Rio Grande Valley today to schedule an appointment with a family planning specialist.
