Cigarettes, Alcohol, Fertility and Conception

"As soon as a precious little baby is growing inside my womb, I promise I will stop all my bad habits: no more alcohol, no more smoking." Many women have this talk with themselves, vowing they will stop smoking or drinking after they become pregnant, but the reality is these habits are hard to break. Why put yourself in the position where you might be tempted to harm your unborn child. Stamp out any self-destructive habits before you become pregnant; you'll increase your chances of both conceiving and carrying a healthy, full-term baby.

 Smoking and Fertility Issues

By now everyone knows that by smoking can cause serious health problems, but a report by the British Medical Association (BMA) in 2004 added to the ever growing list stating that "smoking can massively impair both the female and male reproductive systems." Numerous studies verify that women who don't smoke are twice as likely to get pregnant then women who smoke.


Smoking affects your hormonal balance by significantly increasing the concentration of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone). Any lack of hormonal balance will affect your ability to conceive. Smoking can also lead to the premature onset of menopause by reducing the estrogen levels in pre-menopausal women to an amount which is more typical of women in the menopausal age bracket. This is particularly worrying for women trying to conceive who are over the age of 35 and are reaching the end of their child bearing years.


Smoking has also been shown to reduce the amount of Vitamin C in the blood; insufficient levels Vitamin C are linked to poor egg quality. Zinc also has an important affect on the reproductive organs, and women who smoke often have very high levels of the harmful mineral cadmium in their blood, hindering the body’s absorption of zinc.


The risk of miscarriage is also drastically higher for smokers. Estimates show that smoking is the cause of over 5000 miscarriages per year and that women who smoke even one cigarette a day increase their probability of miscarrying.

Dads Should Also Quit Smoking

It is also important that your partner quite smoking, as smoking directly affects the sperm in a number of ways. It alters their number, mobility, and structure, making impregnation less probable.


Smoking alters the sperm head in a way that reduces its ability to penetrate the egg cell. Researchers at the University of Buffalo compared the sperm of men who smoked more than four cigarettes a day to those of non-smokers. They bombarded one half of an egg cell wall with sperm of smokers and the other half with sperm of non-smokers and observed how many sperm had permanently attached themselves to the egg cell after a few hours. Their findings showed that an the sperm of smokers was a frightening 75% less fertile than those of non-smokers


Smoking can also damage the DNA of sperm, resulting birth deformities and cancer, and an increase in miscarriage rates. A study published in the British Journal of Cancer shows that male smokers have an increased risk of fathering children who develop cancers such as leukemia and brain tumors, even if their female partners does not smoke.


Smoking also frequently impairs a man's ability to get an erection, and with out that, well, a baby is just not going to happen!

Smoking Harms Your Baby

Tobacco smoke contains more than 4000 harmful substances that pass directly into the blood of your unborn baby and affect its development in different ways.


-Over 45 scientific studies show that smoking is one of the main causes of low birth weight.

-Pregnant women who smoke 30 cigarettes per day run a 33% risk of giving birth prematurely while non-smokers only have a 6% risk

-If a baby develops inside the womb of a smoking mother, he or she experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms at birth.

-Scientific studies have shown the probability of giving birth to a baby with forms of congenital deformities such as a cleft palate, harelip, squint, and deafness increases when either parent smokes.

- Smoking also causes oxygen deficiency (fetal hypoxia) that increases the risk of premature birth and congenital deformities.

Ready to Quit Smoking?

Free NHS support materials are available to help you quit smoking.

Order your free materials and begin your journey towards becoming a non-smoker by clicking here.

Alcohol and Fertility

Research shows that women who have a high alcohol intake are prone to experience irregular cycles and can often miss ovulation.


In a Danish study, more than 7000 women who had been trying to get pregnant without success for almost five years were questioned about their alcohol and nicotine consumption as well as any previous gynecological problems. The results showed that alcohol consumption was a significant factor in infertility in women over the age of thirty. Women in this age group who drank more then seven alcoholic drinks a week are half as likely to achieve a pregnancy. It seems that alcohol prevents the corpus luteum (yellow body) from producing a sufficient amount of progesterone, one of the most important hormones needed to maintain a pregnancy.

Alcohol and Fertility In Men

Your partner should also limit his alcohol intake if you are trying to conceive. Alcohol can lead to deformities of the sperm head leaving it incapable of fertilizing an egg. Alcohol also reduces the concentration of hormones needed to create sperm. Astonishingly, after an alcohol binge, the number of sperm is drastically reduced for several months.

Consequences of Alcohol During Pregnancy

Current research shows even small quantities of alcohol consumed by a pregnant women can affect the development of the fetus. Consuming alcohol during pregnancy can cause behavioral disorders and learning difficulties in the unborn child later in life.


Fully developed fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) results in brain damage, development disorders, reduced social skills, restricted growth, low birth weight, and heart and kidney deformities. There is also a milder form of FAS, known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) can cause coordination disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or diminished IQ scores.

Just a Reminder...

It goes without saying that any other forms of recreational drugs should be strictly avoided by both partners.

Get Healthy Now

It is not as if the current research detailing the negative effects of smoking and alcohol on pregnancy come as a surprise. Common scene tells us that any substances that alter our natural equilibrium are going to have an affect on the delicate little life that is just beginning to form, and at that early stage, minor imbalances can cause major problems. If you are reading this page it is probably because you are taking steps to becoming a parent, so even if you don't have any major addictions, it can't hurt to do a self check and get all harmful substances out of your system while there is still plenty of time.

Check out our website and read the original article here http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/cigarettes-alcohol-fertility-and-conception

Downloadable Fertility Chart

Hooray! Your ready to take the plunge and start charting your fertility. You want to make this work. The idea of natural and sustainable birth control is invigorating. So go ahead, download the PDF, and begin to see what remarkable messages your body has been sending you all along.


DOWNLOAD A BLANK FERTILITY CHART HERE

Just make sure you completely understand fertility charting before you begin using it for contraception. No amount of information you read online should substitute a visit to your Doctor or Gynecologist.  We recommend seeking medical assistance when making any contraception based decision.



While manually charting your fertility is a great way to get in sync with your body, it can still be tiresome and complex. Rather than maintaining complicated graphs and charts why not switch to Cyclotest.  A simple fertility display like this will be displayed for you as the result of your daily temp reading — it can't get any simpler. Letting Cyclotest do the work also reduces the risks of errors that could compromise the reliability of your charting. Click around the site and learn more!

Check out our website and learn even more here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/download-fertility-charts

The Cervix Position as a Fertility Indicator

 

Another powerful tool to add to your toolbox of fertility indicators is the feeling and position of the cervix. The tip of the cervix, which can be felt deep within your vagina, feels acutely different at various stages of your fertility.

When it is hard and low within you vagina, you are infertile; when it is soft and high, you are fertile.  Learn to interpret these changes, and your even more likely to accurately pinpoint your ovulation date.

The German Sympto-Thermal method is so reliant on cervical position it substitutes examination of cervical discharge with examination of the cervix. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), the examination of the cervix is just as important as the examination of mucus discharge as well as the Basal Body Temperature (BBT).

The observation of the changing position of the cervix is an amazingly reliable Fertility indicator The cervix noticeably changes during the menstrual cycle: After menstruation it will be closed, hard and positioned low inside the vagina. As ovulation nears it becomes softer, opens up,  and rises inside the vagina. After ovulation it will close again, become hard and lower its position.

Basic Assessment Parameters for Cervical Position Observations

• If the cervix is very open, soft, and is positioned high up in the vagina, this indicates the most fertile point of the cycle. 

• The infertile period starts on the night of the third day the cervix has appeared closed and hard, whenever your body temperature doesn't indicate anything else. 

Cervical observations should be incorporated into the fertility charts that are used for Natural Family Planning and Fertility Awareness. This combination of  many different fertility indicators link together to give you a remarkably accurate picture of when you are ovulation.

For example, the Sympto-Thermal method, which uses a number of different position fertility indicators, including, according to some, the position of the cervix, has a 99% pearl index rating.

That's right, it is 99% reliable for preventing an undesired pregnancy. And with fertility monitors like Cyclotest, implementing the Sympto-Thermal system is simple. A few straightforward clicks of a button and the monitor will automatically produce a clear visual chart detailing your level of fertility. Check out our pages on the Sympto-Thermal method and Cyclotest for more information. 

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/cervix-observation

How to Observe Cervical Mucus

 Have you ever been going about your daily routine, shopping, working, or making dinner, when all of a sudden you get an uncomfortable feeling of wetness down under. You know your not menstruating now — but what was that? You run to the bathroom and find its just that sticky white mucus that randomly seems to appear.


Stop! Pay attention! That mucus is not just a random fluke. It is a very accurate message your body is sending you to tell you when you are fertile.


And if you learn to interpret the different types and textures of mucus, you can be on your way to a birth control method that allows you to be one hundred precent in-sync with the natural rhythms of your body. No synthetic hormones. No plastic or rubber barriers. Just you, your partner, and your body.

How To Observe Cervical Mucus 

You can collect a sample of cervical mucus to observe  from the opening around your vagina with a piece of toilet paper or with you finger. Everyone will develop their own method with which they feel most comfortable.  Once you have some mucus on your fingers, press your thumb and index finger together and stretch the mucus.  Pay special attention to what the mucus does when it is stretched.

Infertile

You may find that you don’t have any mucus immediately after your period. No mucus means your are not fertile.  If you do have mucus during the days following you period, it will probably be sticky or come out as a blob. This mucus is usually thick, dense, sticky, flaky, and tacky.  It may be yellow, white, or opaque.  It will not stretch or move when pulled apart by your thumb and index finger. After ovulation, you will once again see a marked lessening of mucus, and if there is any mucus  at all, it will be again sticky and not stretchy.

Fertile

When you are fertile, your mucus will change to a more watery state and feel more slippery. You may also find that your fertile mucus is more abundant than infertile mucus.  This mucus is often described as wet, slippery, watery, thin, and fluid. It’s likely to be clear or have a cloudy or white color to it. Fertile mucus will even smell sweeter than less fertile mucus which may have a more vinegar scent.  The most important observation to make is the wetness/slippery observation in comparison to the infertile mucus.

Highly Fertile

When you are highly fertile, you are most likely to find what is commonly known as EWCM (egg-white cervical mucus) or spinn (short for spinnbarkeit which is german for spiderweb). EWCM is ‘stringy,' like a spiderweb. It may appear as a glob, or in smaller amounts in more watery mucus. It’s important to note that not all women experience this form of mucus, so don’t be alarmed if you don’t notice any EWCM.  If you were to stretch EWCM between your thumb and index finger, you may notice it stretches, unlike the infertile mucus which keeps its shape. This kind of mucus is ideal for sperm to swim through and creates an ideal environment for them to reach the egg.

Putting Cervical Mucus Observations Into Practice 

Interpreting the different textures of mucus might sound confusing, but when you put this knowledge into practice, it will quickly clarify itself. Keeping track of your observations on a chart will allow you to reference your finding to let you know when it is necessary to use a secondary method of contraception.


Observing your cervical mucus one way of monitoring your cycle and a component of the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) of contraception.  If you want to aid or avoid conception, cervical mucus observations are shown to be around 98.5% accurate in indicating the fertile and infertile times of your monthly cycle. Remember that your cervical mucus may be affected by external factors such as stress, medications, illness, dieting and travel.


It is advisable to consult a family planning specialist or a doctor if you have any more questions or concerns about cervical mucus observation.

Cervical Mucus In Different Fertility Awareness Methods 

The Billings Ovulation Method (BOM) is  based upon cervical mucus observations. John Billings who was recognized with a Papal knighthood and for whom the Pope sent condolences on his death, developed the method as a form of Natural Family Planning (NFP) in accordance with his religious faith as a practicing Catholic. However, Billings strove to raise awareness of the significance of cervical mucus to fertility to all people, regardless of their religion. Thomas Hilgers later created the Creighton Model Fertility Care System as a variation of the Billings method.



Cervical mucus observations are also one of the factors considered with the Sympto-Thermal method of fertility charting. Coupled with other observations such as LH hormone levels, cervix position and Basal Body Temperature (BBT) this method enables you to create cycle by cycle charts which clearly identify your unique date of ovulation and your fertility window.


If you would like to start observing and charting your cervical mucus, we suggest you implement  the Sympto-Thermal method of charting cervical mucus as well as other indecators . This method will give you 99% contraceptive reliability, and with contraceptive monitors like Cyclotest, achieving these outstandingly accurate results is simple. A few clicks of a button and the monitor will automatically produce a clear visual chart detailing your level of fertility. Check out our pages on the Sympto-Thermal method and Cyclotest for more information.

Stop by our website and read the original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/chart-fertility-cervical-mucus

The LH Hormone and Ovulation Predictor Kits

Strolling down the aisles of your local pharmacy, you've probably noticed a box on the shelf that reads "ovulation predictor kit" or "ovulation test strips." You already know that the time when you ovulate is the time when you are the most fertile, but what do these test indicate, and what exactly are they testing for?


In short, its all about the LH hormone. The presence of the LH hormone is a clear indicator of impending ovulation, and one of the central pieces of fertility awareness.

Why Is The LH Hormone Important? 

Lets start with a bit of a biology class to get a basic understanding of why the LH hormone is an important indicator of fertility.


At the beginning of a woman’s menstrual cycle, her body begins to produce the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH aides in the formation of a follicle on one ovary. This follicle contains and nurtures the ovum. When this follicle has fully matured, an acute rise of the Luteinizing Hormone (LH), called the "LH surge," triggers ovulation and development of the corpus luteum which causes the egg to separate from the ovarian surface. Detection of this surge in a simple urine sample signals ovulation will occur within 24-48 hours.

What Are Ovulation Predictor Kits? 

Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs), such as Cyclotest, function by detecting this LH Surge in urine and alerting the woman that ovulation is about to take place. It is a common misconception that a positive result shows ovulation taking place.  Realize that ovulation occurs 24-48 hours AFTER a detected LH surge, and plan your love life accordingly.

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/chart-fertility-luteinizing-hormones

The Creighton Model

Although Natural Family Planning was spearheaded by the Church, more and more couples like yourselves are attracted to the benefits of being in-sync with the natural rhythms of the body for contraception. The Creighton method, research by and named after Creighton University, helps women to track and record their individual cycles empowering them to make smart, individual fertility decisions.

Biomarkers - Clues To Your Fertility 

This model of natural family planning relies on  what are called biomarkers, external indicators that give you clues as to what is happening internally with your unique cycle.  The two  most prevalent indicators used in the Creighton model are cervical mucus and the menstrual bleed.  Once these biomarkers are observed, they are then recorded to allow each women to clearly track her own fertility.


After tracking and recording biomarkers, a pattern will emerge. Once you begin to take note of this pattern, it is easier to establish other biomarkers such as specific bleeding patterns, level of mucus production, and length of time between different stages within the cycle.  Once the patterns become routine, you will probably even be able to observe how diet, exercise, stress and other outside influences affect your fertility.  This enhances a woman’s ability to control  her own gynecological health and well-being.


Its founder, Hilgers, describes the Creighton Model as being based on "a standardized modification of the Billings ovulation method," which was developed by John and Evelyn Billings in the 1960s. The Billings issued a paper refuting the claim that the CrMS represents a standardization of the BOM and claims that the two methods are different and are not interchangeable.  The main difference between the two methods is that unlike the Billings method, the Creighton model does not use indicators observed from the vulva to determine ovulation/fertility.

Benefits Of The Creighton Model

The Creighton model has been known for its positive effect it has on a couple’s relationship.  Couples who manage their fertility naturally have reduced divorce rate of as low as 1 in 150 couples.  After managing fertility together, couples are said to communicate better, appreciate each other more and become more in tune with one another.


Studies have shown that the reliability of this method is 99.5%.  An additional benefit of employing the Creighton model for natural family planning is that it does not depend on cycles being regular. It can be practiced while breastfeeding, during times of stress while in  peri-menopause , etc.

Other Methods of Natural Family Planning 

The Creighton model is one of many highly reliable methods of practicing Natural Family Planning and is based mainly on cervical mucus and cervical position . Other Natural Family Planning methods include the Symto-Thermal method which incorporates cervical observations similar to the Creighton method, but also uses temperature charts to increase reliability. Click around our website to learn more.

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-creighton-model

The Billings Method

Cervical  mucus is an amazingly accurate secret memo that your body sends you each and every day telling you the story of your fertility.


The Billings method, developed by John Billings in accordance with his Catholic faith, relies on cervical mucus and a general sensation of wetness or dryness around the vagina to allow women to determine the fertile and infertile phases of their cycles.  Although John Billings was Catholic, and was even granted Papal knighthood, his intention was to raise awareness of natural family planning to all people regardless of religion.


Your secretions of cervical mucus are talking to you. Well, not really, but they are giving you a lot of information about what is going on inside your body. Different consistencies of mucus serve different purposes. One protects and nourishes the sperm so they can retain their fertilizing capacity, another acts as a filter which destroys damaged sperm cells, while another forms a kind of path that directs the sperm to reach and fertilize the ovum.  If there is no viable egg, the body will simply not produce mucus at all.


It is also beneficial to be aware of the general feeling around your vulva as you go about your daily routine. A feeling of wetness, similar to the sensation you would recognize as menstruation, means you are secreting a thicker and more abundant mucus. It is not necessary to touch the mucus on your vulva or make any internal investigations.

The Four Basic Rules of the Billings Method:

1.  There should be abstinence from intercourse and all intimate genital contact during the days of heavy menstrual bleeding.

2.  Once the Basic Infertile Pattern has been recognized — days of dryness or unchanging discharge — intercourse is available on alternate evenings only.

3.  Once there is any change from the Basic Infertile Pattern, whether it be bleeding or mucus — a change in sensation or in the appearance of the discharge — the couple should wait without intercourse before resuming sexual activity. Waiting without intercourse allows the woman to observe the development of the mucus pattern without interference from seminal fluid.  Waiting for 3 days after the return of the Basic Infertile Pattern ensures that the hormones have settled back to a basic low level and the cervix is tightly closed.

4.  The Peak Rule is applied once the Peak has been recognized.  The Peak is the last day that mucus was sticky and slippery. It is recognized in retrospect when there is a distinct change and the mucus is no longer slippery. On the fourth morning past the peak, intercourse can be resumed for the remainder of the cycle. Waiting four days past the peek allows the egg to sufficiently deteriorate and become infertile.

Benefits Of The Billings Method 

The Billings Ovulation Method™ has been independently trialled by the World Health Organization and other reputable bodies and been found to be as successful for avoiding pregnancy as any method of family planning available today.


From the earliest trials, method-related pregnancy rates were as low as 0 to 4 per cent.  As teaching methods were refined and updated, these rates fell close to zero.  Continuation rates were consistently high.


It is generally accepted that acquisition of accurate knowledge of the Billings Ovulation Method™ by the couple, combined with motivation and co-operation ensure success.The benefits of employing the Billings Method include improving the relationship, low cost, easy to learn, reliable, all natural, can be used for life, does not depend on regular cycles, and is morally acceptable to all cultures.

Other Methods of Natural Family Planning 

The Billings method is one of many highly reliable methods of practicing Natural Family Planning and is based mainly on cervical mucus and cervical position . Other Natural Family Planning methods include the Symto-Thermal method which incorporates cervical observations similar to the Billings method, but also uses temperature charts to increase reliability. Feel free to click around our website to learn more!

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-billings-method

The Two Day Method

Simple self-checks are all you need to put the Two-Day method of fertility awareness  into practice.  This method was thoroughly researched at Georgetown University using a diverse sample of women from three different countries.


Researchers used data from the World Health Organization to determine the probability of pregnancy based on the presence or absence of vaginal secretions and found by simply tracking the presence of secretions for two consecutive days a women can accurately interpret her level of fertility.

Effectiveness of the Two-Day Method for Contraception

In research studies, the first-year pregnancy rate was 3.5% with perfect use. For couples who had intercourse during fertile days but used an additional method of contraception such as a condom, the method had a failure rate of 6.3%. The typical use failure rate of 13.7% includes all participants in the research study, whether or not the method was used properly

How to Use the Two-Day Method

To use the Two-Day Method, women monitor themselves each day to determine whether or not they experience any vaginal secretions that day. Unlike other methods that use this indicator of fertility, such as the ovulation mucus method or the Sympto-Thermal method, the two-day method does not involve analyzing the characteristics of the secretions (e.g., amount, color, consistency, slipperiness, stretchability, or viscosity).


The rules of this method are very straight forward.  A woman asks herself two questions: "Did I notice any secretions today?" and "Did I notice any secretions yesterday?" If she noticed any secretions yesterday and today, she is potentially fertile. If she did not notice any secretions either yesterday or today (two consecutive days with no secretions), the probability of pregnancy is very low and it is safe to have intercourse that day. Couples using the Two-Day Method should avoid unprotected intercourse on days when the woman is potentially fertile.


To simplify the method, women should note the presence or absence of cervical secretions at the same times each day to create a habit. It is also helpful because secretions may appear different at different times of day. Be aware of the potential for confusing semen and cervical secretions when using this method. 

Benefits And Limitations of the Two-Day Method

The Two-Day Method of fertility awareness is user-friendly, easy to teach and effective. Unlike calendar-based methods or the Standard Days Method, the Two-Day Method is practical for women who may have unusually long cycles (over 32 days), unusually short cycles (under 26 days), or irregular cycles. Observation of secretions may begin at any time during the cycle.


Like all fertility awareness methods, women should first have a training session with a health care provider before using the Two-Day Method. The Two-Day Method requires extra training for postpartum women, women who have recently used hormonal contraceptives, and perimenopausal women.


While this method is relatively effective, we suggest looking into other methods as well that are even more effective and take minimal addition effort. Check out our page on the Symto-Thermal method, then take a look at a handy little device called Cyclotest that makes putting this method into practice extremely straightforward.

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-two-day-method

Men Find Fertile Women More Attractive

Its offical, you can identify a woman's fertility by how she dances. Yup, thats what reserchers at the University of Gottingen in Germany are saying after a study showed women who were videoed dancing while fertile were significantly more alluring to men then those same women who were taped dancing while not fertile.

What exactly causes men to get wide eyed and excited when he sees a fertile women. Researches are not quite sure what about fertility makes a women more attractive, but it could be increased fertility effects the way a women moves: an extra alluring shake of the hips, a bit more curvy strut.

The fertility awareness method emphasizes the importance of a couple identifying their fertility window. Perhaps this is the start of a new method of awareness – "The Fertile Dance Method."... well, actually that might not be the most practical method out there!

But don't worry, there are many highly effective and practical (if a tad less fun) ways to identify the highly fertile point of your cycle. Why don't you check out Cyclotest. Much easier then having your partner rate your dancing skills, simply take your waking temperture each morning, and with a few clicks of a button on the monitor, your fertlitle window will be clearly and almost effortlessly identified.

Read more about fertility monitors here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/chart-fertility-contraceptive-monitors

Read the complete Daily Mail article here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2171194/Little-secret-s-given-away-woman-s-walk-Men-tell-fertile-wiggle-hips.html#axzz2KkvsQOXH

The Standard Days Method

So you want to implement natural family planing and you want the most basic, yet still effective method possible. Welcome to the standard days method. SDM was developed at Georgetown University and is the first method of Fertility Awareness to be clinically tested and introduced on an international scale in over twenty years.


To develop the method, researchers used data from the World Health Organization to determine the probability of pregnancy based on the average menstrual cycle. Counting the first day of menstruation as day 1, they determined that days 8 to 19 were the most likely fertile window. So in order to practice SDM, couples will simply avoid having sex, or use another method of contraception during those eleven days.

Who Can Use the Standard Days Method?

The standard days method is most effective for women whose cycles last between 26 and 32 days.  The standard days method is very simple to learn but still should be taught by a trained counselor, who will make sure you understand it  sufficiently before relying on it for contraception.

How to Use the Standard Days Method

To use the SDM you will need to count the days of your menstrual cycle, starting with the first day your period begins.

1. Count the first day of your period as day 1.
2. On days 1 to 7 you are not fertile and can have unprotected intercourse (provided neither partner has a STD, it is medically safe to have sex even while menstruating).
3. On days 8 to 19 you must avoid sex or use a barrier contraceptive if you do not want to get pregnant.
4. From day 20 until your period starts you can have unprotected sex.

Most women who use this method use CycleBeads to help keep track of where they are in their cycle. This visual tool helps keep track of your cycle by moving a rubber band one day at a time on a ring of color coded beads. The band on the white beads signifies the highly fertile time of your cycle, while the red beads mean that you can have unprotected sex without the risk of pregnancy.

Efficiency of the Standard Days Method

Although the perfect use failure rate is only 5%,  unfortunately, the typical failure rate of this method is 12% per year. This rate will be even higher for women who have sex during the fertile time, even if using another method of birth control during that interval.

Benefits and Limitations of the Standard Days Method

Because this method is completely natural, it addresses the needs of diverse populations with varied religious and ethical beliefs. It also provides an effective alternative for women who want to use natural methods for medical or personal reasons. Other advantages of standard days method include the ease of use, low cost, and complete lack of side-effects and health risks.


However, the level of protection is not extraordinarily high, and many women may feel insecure relying it. In addition, because it does not take your specific pattern of ovulation into account, the fertility window must be assumed to be longer then it would be if you knew your unique ovulation date. And of course, the standard days method does not offer any protection against sexually transmitted disease.


So what would we recommend? Why don't you head over to our page on the Sympto-Thermal method. It allows you to track your exact ovulation date, and provides an outstanding reliability rate of 99%. And with Cyclotest, there is no need do any charting or calculations. It is virtually as easy as the standard days method. Just click a button, take  your waking temperature each more right from the Cyclotest device, and all the information you need about your fertility will be displayed for you. It really can't get any better then that!

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-standard-days-method

The Calender Method

Back in high school biology class, you were probably taught that ovulation occurs 14 days before your next menstrual bleeding. This fact,  when it was discovered in the 1920s, gave rise to the Calendar or Rhythm method of fertility awareness. It is the oldest recorded and most widely practiced method of natural family planning and in the early in the twentieth century, the Catholic Church proclaimed the rhythm method as the only morally acceptable form of family planning.


At one time the Calendar-Rhythm Method was synonymous with natural family planning. Today however, we know that the much vaunted 14th day of the cycle is not actually a hard fact. Each women's ovulation date is different, and therefore this method is not very accurate. There are many other natural contraceptive methods which are also now accepted by the Catholic Church.

The Three Keys to the Calendar Method

 The Calendar Method is based on three assumptions:

1.  That ovulation occurs fourteen days before the beginning of menstruation, (plus or minus two days)

2.  That sperm remain alive for three days, and

3.  That the ovum (egg) survives for twenty-four hours.

To practice this method, a woman with regular cycle needs to count backwards from the first day of her period in order to identify the day of ovulation, which is usually the fourteenth day from the first day of her period.  With this information, a woman was able to predict when ovulation will occur the following month and then abstain from intercourse during that time to avoid pregnancy.

Efficiency of the Calendar Method

Uh Oh - most women do not ovulate at the same time every month, and no woman's cycles are identical each time. Because of this, the calendar method is not very effective. For women with very regular cycles, the failure rate is probably close to 13% and that is for the few who actually ovulate on the 14th day. This method is completely ineffective if used improperly. So for most women, there is very little to no insurance when using this method.


This method is rarely even taught as new methods have been proven to be more effective. If you are interested in using this type of method, consider the standard days method instead, which is easier and more effective. Or check out the Sympto-Thermal method. This method allows you to pinpoint your exact date of fertility and offers 99% precent contraceptive reliability and with the use of a contraceptive monitor like Cyclotest, it is surprisingly uncomplicated . 

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-calendar-method

Fertility Awareness FAQs

Cluing into the natural rhythms God set in a women's body in order to monitor fertility might seem like an anomaly, but the truth is, the benefits of these methods are so outstanding their popularity has shoot up in recent year. But of course, starting on this liberating path is going to generate a lot of questions! Here at Ethical Family Planning we get questions from lots of different people; some of the most common we have answered here. If you have any other topics you think we should cover here, we'd be happy to hear from you. Just pop us a line on our contact page!

How Does A Woman’s Cycle Influence Fertility?

You probably already know that at different parts of your cycle you are either fertile or not fertile. During menstruation, you obviously cannot conceive. However you probably don't realize that on average, most women are only fertile for one day per cycle. Thats right — one day!


This means that the egg that was released during ovulation is 'alive'  and capable of becoming a baby for 24 hours. Sperm on the other hand, have a much longer lifespan.  They can live inside of a woman for up to five days after intercourse. So although the egg is only alive for one day, sperm can hang out inside your body for up to five days waiting for the egg to  be released, making your 'fertility window' last longer then the one day the egg's life span.

How Can I use The Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) In Order To Help Me Conceive?

Essentially, fertility awareness comes down to using knowledge about your unique cycle in order to make fertility-based decisions.  When you are looking to get pregnant, knowing exactly when you ovulate and are therefore highly fertile allows you to plan your intimacy and can greatly increase your chances of conception.


When using FAM you will be charting your basal body temperature (BBT) each morning. A subtle change in your BBT signifies ovulation.  Charting the length of your cycle and the day of ovulation, you are able to create a pattern that displays when you’re likely to become fertile in the coming months, and plan some date nights with you husband accordingly.



This graphic displays a typical BBT profile over a cycle.

How Can FAM Be Used As A Form of Contraception?

To avoid pregnancy, you use the same knowledge of when your highly fertile days to mark your highly fertile ‘risk days  and your non-fertile ‘safe days.’ The 'risk days' signify when intercourse has the highest chance of resulting in pregnancy.  On your ‘risk days’, you and your partner decide whether to use an alternative form of contraception or abstain from sex altogether.

What Can Cervical Mucus Observations Tell Me About My Fertility?

The cervical mucus  you excrete is  directly related to your level of fertility. It is like a secret code that your body is sending you throughout the month, you just have to learn to decipher it.  To learn to monitor your fertility this way, check out our page on cervical mucus to get the basics, and then seek instruction from a family planning consultant, as it can be a bit confusing at first.

How Can Fertility Be Detected With LH Hormone Testing?

A rise in LH hormone always occurs just before ovulation, so noticing this  rise in LH is a sure sign that ovulation is about to occur. Simple urine test sticks, which can be purchased from any pharmacy, will alert you to this rise. Additionally, contraceptive monitors such as Persona are specifically designed to observe your hormone levels.

This graphic displays the relationship between LH detection and the BBT profile during a typical cycle

What Is The Sympto-Thermal Method?

The Sympto-Thermal Method of fertility awareness combines observations of basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucus, and sometimes cervical positioning. You are tuning into the symptoms your body is relaying and tracking your temperature, hence the name "Sympto-Thermal". A rise in BBT, stretchy cervical mucus, and a soft, open, high cervix signify fertility.


In order to use this method of tracking your ovulation, all you need is a thermometer, some downloadable charts, and simple training from an experienced practitioner. Or, for an even easier experience, check out Cyclotest, the only fertility monitor currently available in Europe that allows you to use this method virtually effortlessly.

How Do I Use Contraceptive Monitors for Fertility Awareness?

The corner stone of fertility awareness is knowing exactly when you ovulate. Each women is unique, and it takes some effort to understand your particular cycle.


Contraceptive monitors, also known as fertility monitors, remove the burden of charting and interpreting results to give you simple, easy to understand information — hassle free. Different monitors work differently, but they will all display the information you need to make your fertility decisions clearly and in an easy to understand manner. All with just the click of a few buttons.


When using the monitors as a form of contraception, you will clearly see your highly fertile 'risk days'  and you and your partner can decide to either use reversible contraception or abstain from sex during that time.  On the other hand, if you’re ready to conceive, your fertile days would become your ‘optimum days’ when intercourse would have the highest chance of resulting in pregnancy.

Why Aren’t Contraceptive Monitors Recommended More By Doctors?

We know that using contraceptive monitors are an extremely reliable and low cost method of birth control. So why aren't they recommended by more doctors?


The NHS policy is to promote the use of The Pill.  In a socialist country that pays a large bill for every unwanted pregnancy, the easiest and cheapest method to promote to the public is use of The Pill. Because contraceptive monitors take some amount of commitment and user discipline, marketing these to the unwilling masses could create a high failure rate.


For yourself and your partner, in a steady relationship, it is not difficult to remember to take your temperature every morning and be aware of the 'risk days'. However, a more casual user cannot be relied upon to keep up the regiment. The Pill allows doctors to say to their patients "take it every single day, and never miss a day." And because the hormones become a habit, the scope of failure is limited.


For the NHS, it is all about the budget. They  want the least risk of failures, and when numbers are crunched including the cost to the NHS of the pill and the reduced social cost of unwanted pregnancies, the figures point towards The Pill. As always, it is important that you educate yourself, along with your doctor, on what you are putting into your body, and not just go off the information put out by the NHS geared towards the general public.


And that's not to say that all doctors don’t understand or promote fertility awareness methods. Their basic medical training confirms that these methods are extremely reliable and more heathy for a woman's body. We feel that with better awareness and training more doctors would proactively recommend fertility awareness methods.  We are in the process of building partnerships with organizations who train doctors on a wider range of contraception methods .

What Is The Best Contraceptive Monitor To Help Me With Fertility Awareness?

Each monitor has diffrent components that will ease the process of NFP or FAM. We suggest takeing a look at Cyclostest 2 Plus. It enables you to input multiple indicators to easily use the Sympto-Thermal method and achieve 99% contraceptive reliability.

Check out our website and read the original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-fertility-awareness-faq

Watching TV Can Kill Your Sperm Count

Your mother was right when she insisted that you stop watching TV and go outside to play. Only she probably didn't realize she was protecting your sexual health! Researchers at Harvard University analyzed the sperm of college students who spent an excessive number of hours watching TV compared to their contemporaries who exercised at least 15 hours a week and found a noticeable difference in sperm quality. Just another reason to get off the couch.

Read the original article as reported by the BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21326810

Understanding Fertility Charting

Hop into the drivers seat and take control of your fertility. Natural family planing, allows you to finally understand exactly what is going on with your menstrual cycle and ovulation, and then use this knowledge to power your hormone free, completely natural and effective method of birth control. Best of all, fertility charting will easily morph into an irreplaceable ally when you are ready to become pregnant.

Some Basic Science

Once a a month, your fallopian tubes release an egg that is capable of being fertilized and becoming a pregnancy. However, that egg is only capable of being fertilized for about one day. After that, the egg is no longer viable. Sperm, however, can live inside a women for up to five days.


What is commonly referred to as the fertility window is this combined amount of time. It is the about 24 hours that an egg can live, plus the five days sperm can live already released inside your body.


The length of the monthly cycle varies upon each woman individually.   By charting the length of your cycle and the day of ovulation, you are able to create a pattern that displays when you’re likely to become fertile in the coming months.

Planning Around Your Fertility Window 

Essentially, fertility awareness comes down to knowing your unique body and making fertility-based decisions about when to plan for or avoid intimacy, depending on your goal.  To avoid pregnancy, you have to understand the difference between your non-fertile ‘safe days’ and your highly fertile ‘risk days’. On your safe days, you can have sex with out protection, and you will not become pregnant because you do not have an egg ready and waiting to be fertilized. On your risk days, when you are fertile, you decide wether to abstain from sex all together or use an alternative form of contraception.


Use the same knowledge when planning a pregnancy to time your intimacy around your fertile days. Chances are you will be much more successful in achieving a desired pregnancy!

Methods and Indicators

Very few women ovulate regularly on the much-vaunted 14th day of the cycle. The female cycle ,and therefore the moment of ovulation, are subject to numerous influencing factors, making ovulation fundamentally unpredictable by simply counting the days of the month.


Sexual intercourse shortly before ovulation is the most promising time to bring about pregnancy.


There are a number of different methods which enable you to determine when you are ovulating.  These methods include:

• observing your Basal Body Temperature (BBT) as well as changes in cervical mucus or cervix.  This combined method is known as the Sympto-Thermal method and is known to be the most reliable out of all the other methods of natural family planning. 
• observing subtle changes in Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
• observing changes in hormone levels with the aid of ovulation tests
• observing cervical mucus
• observing cervical position




Bringing It All Together 

A combination of some or all of these observations can be used to chart your cycle and calculate ovulation. Once you know your ovulation date, all you have to do is identify your fertility window to plan or avoid a pregnancy. Check out Cyclotest, a simple, highly accurate device,  which combines a number of the different methods to establish your unique fertility window.

Read the original article, and get even more information here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/understanding-fertility-charting

The Importance Of The Fertility Window

Egg meets sperm, sperm meets egg. It's a monthly date, a match made in Heaven, and it can result in the creation of a beautiful little baby. But did you know that the amount of time that your egg is actually fertile — ready and waiting to meet the sperm, is actually quite short. Usually only one day of your entire cycle? Sperm on the other hand, have a much longer life span. They can live inside a women's body for up to five days. That means after intercourse, the sperm will just hang out, dressed to the nines, waiting for the egg to be released, where they will join together in the uterus and conception has occurred.


So what is the 'Fertility Window'? It is a window of time which includes every day in your cycle that intercourse could possibly lead to fertilization.  Because sperm have much longer life spans than egg cells, the fertility window is extended past the one day of the egg's fertility, and usually encompasses about  a week total.


Knowing your fertility window is very helpful if you are trying to conceive, and even more important if you and your partner have decided that now is not the time to get pregnant. As long as the sperm does not have a fertile egg for it to attach to, there is no chance at conception.


Your fertility window is so short — why would you risk putting unnatural and potentially harmful methods of birth control into your body. You probably did not realize that all the hormones you are ingesting, or the constant use of barrier contraceptives is really only necessary for the short period of time that your egg is fertile. But without information about your precise date of ovulation, you feel you have no choice but to protect yourself for your entire cycle.

Natural Family Planning (NFP) & the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) of Birth Control

Thats where NFP and FAM come in to the picture. They give you vital information, open your eyes, and allow you and your partner to make fertility based decision about your chosen method of birth control. To be classed as NFP, you will abstain from sexual relations during their fertility window, to be classified as FAM, you will not necessarily abstain from intercourse, but instead use some type of reversible contraception like a condom, diaphragm or cervical cap.
There are a number of ways to identify your fertility window. Lets take a look at three of the most common methods.

Tracking your Basel Body Temperature

One of the most popular methods of natural contraception involves recording fluctuations in Basal Body Temperature (BBT) in order to pinpoint the fertile and non fertile days of your cycle.  A subtle but recognizable change in your BBT pattern signifies ovulation.


Contraceptive monitors such as Cyclotest, Bioself, Pearly and Lady-Comp use your BBT in order to recognize your personal fertility cycle. By charting the length of your cycle and the day of ovulation, contraceptive monitors are able to create a pattern that displays when you’re likely to become fertile in the coming days. This can also be achieved with an accurate thermometer, a fertility chart, some training, and a lot of discipline.


This graphic  below displays a typical BBT profile over a cycle.

 

LH Hormone Testing 

An increase in the hormone LH, which can be detected in urine samples signifies ovulation is about to occur.  To test your LH levels, you can purchase a urine test from any pharmacy or buy a Persona or Clearblue Contraceptive monitor. Be aware that you'll probably end up using about half a dozen of test sticks each cycle, and depending on disposable tests means both money out of your pocket and a larger carbon footprint.

Cervical Mucus Observations

The cervical mucus  you excrete is  directly related to your likelihood of conception. It is like a secret code that your body is sending you throughout the month, you just have to learn to decipher it. To learn to monitor your fertility this way, check out our page on cervical mucus to get the basics, and then seek instruction from a family planning consultant, as it can be a bit confusing at first.

The Symto-Thermal Method of Fertility Awareness

By recording, monitoring and charting BBT readings and cervical mucus we arrive at what is known as the Sympto-Thermal method of Fertility Awareness. LH levels can also be used as an indicator or the Sympto-Thermal method.  Because it gathers information from a variety of sources, the Sympto-Thermal method is able to deliver the most accurate and reliable results regarding your ovulation period and fertile days.


Take a look at the graphic below displaying the relationship between LH detection and the BBT profile during a 'typical' cycle.

 And be sure to check out Cyclotest, the only contraceptive monitor currently available in Europe that tests using this highly reliable method.
 

Using Contraceptive Monitors for Fertility Awareness

Contraceptive monitors make practicing fertility awareness, for contraception or conception, a breeze. They out all the hard work and charting, and you are left with the information you need to make fertility based decisions. If you are trying for a baby, your optimal days for intercourse are clearly displayed  on a handy little screen. If your decide to use the monitor for contraception purposes, avoid sex or use a reversible method of contraception for that window of time. Either way, you are avoiding the potential health risk of unnatural hormones to both yourself and your unborn baby.

Cyclotest - Fertility Awareness Made Easy

Cyclotest is a small handheld device with an integrated digital thermometer that automatically charts your fertility for the easiest experience possible. The Cyclotest is available in the classic blue version or the pink Cyclotest Baby.  Both options are basically the same device, however, the Cyclotest Baby comes with additional software to download fertility charts that will be particularly useful for those who are trying to conceive.

Both Cyclotest and Cyclotest Baby are designed to give you control over and understanding of your fertility without changing the natural harmony of your body.  They offer 97% contraceptive reliability just by taking a simple waking temperature in the morning.

Cyclotest 2 Plus - The Absolute Best Contraceptive Monitor for Fertility Awareness

How can the Cyclotest get even better? Welcome to  Cyclotest 2 Plus. With this version of Cyclotest you have the option of increasing the contraceptive reliability from 97% to an astonishing 99%.


You are now able to monitor a secondary fertility indicator of either the LH hormone or the appearance of cervical mucus. When one of these two natural indicators is noticed you just press a button and Cyclotest has learned a bit more. That information is added to your automatic charting, and your Cyclotest and it's accuracy are that much greater.


Remember that unlike other contraceptive monitors, Cyclotest is a one-and-done purchase with no need to buy any environmentally unfriendly test sticks every month.  Cyclotest, with its amazing functionality and level of accuracy, is sure to be one of the best purchases you ever make!

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-fertility-window

What Is Natural Family Planning

Natural Family Planning. There is a way to go about family planning naturally?  No synthetic hormones need to enter my body for us to regulate our changes of conceiving? It sounds too good to be true, but lucky for you, it's not!

Natural Family Planning (NFP) 

Around the world, million of  couples practice Natural Family Planning (NFP) as part of their Roman Catholic beliefs. Strict NFP excludes all other methods of birth control including condoms and hormones. Periodic abstinence during a women's highly fertile times is the only method of contraception deemed moral by the church.

Although abstinence during fertile times might sound constrictive, in fact, a very large percentage of time a women is naturally infertile. These times include:

-infertile portions of the menstrual cycle

-during pregnancy

-while in a certain phase of breastfeeding

-after menopause

In order to avoid pregnancy, a couple practicing NFP will only have sex during a women's naturally infertile periods. This same information about her highly fertile window can be carried over when the couple decides to try conceiving.

A couple using NFP will choose from various methods of fertility awareness to  find one that best suits there needs. The Illings Method, the Standard Days Method, the Creighton Method and the Sympto-thermal Method all have slight variations with the same goal of identifying the fertility window in each women's' cycle.

Within the past few years, as society becomes more health conscious, variations of NFP are becoming more popular and widespread.  Women are taking charge of their fertility once again, especially as they become educated on the health risks associated with hormonal forms of contraception. And although the Catholic organizations are still larger than the secular fertility awareness movement, independent secular teachers have become increasingly common throughout the 1990s and 2000s.Couples who want a healthier, more natural sex life within their marriages have embraced NFP as the perfect solution to their contraceptive needs. It creates a hormone free way to  avoid or delaying pregnancy without the imbalances bought about by the obtrusive hormonal contraceptive solutions. And lets face it,  making love without a barrier form of birth control is so much more intimate.

Lets take a look at a few of the methods that have branched off of NFP.

The Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)

Natural Family Planning calls for abstinence during a woman's fertile phase, however many non-Catholic couples choose to use barrier contraception during the short fertile window instead of refraining from intercourse completely. This cannot be described as complying to NFP rules so is therefore referred to as the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) instead.

Natural Fertility Management (NFM)

Natural Fertility Management uses the same method of fertility awareness as NFP and FAM, with an added emphasis on overall physical, sexual and emotional well-being. It is more commonly employed by couples trying to achieve a pregnancy then for couples looking for a birth control method.

Both husband and wife's health and well-being have a direct impact on their sex lives and their chances at conception. Treatment to increase fertility through diet, exercise, better chemical balance are all part of NFM. Psychological problems can also have an impact in the bedroom, and these issues would also be addressed under NFM.

Beyond the health and fertility of the parents, conceiving naturally has an effect on the health of the newly conceived child. Just as mothers wouldn't drink or smoke during pregnancy, in the run up to conception why women be pumped full of artificial drugs and toxins? NFP consultants wish to avoid all drugs if possible, and will cover topics that are often overlooked in the general medical world.

Making Life Simple 

Whichever type of Natural Family Planning you decide is best suited for your needs, the bottom line is you must be accurately identifying your fertility window. An accurate identification of ovulation is the cornerstone every system rests. We suggest you check out Cyclotest, simple all-in-one device that can help you effortlessly and most important accurately identify your fertility window. 

Check out the original article on our website. Click here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/nfp-what-is-natural-family-planning

Basel Body Temperature Charting to Identify Ovulation

Changes in your Basel Body Temperature are an unbelievably accurate message your body sends you to tell you when you are ovulating. Chances are, you were just never tuned in to receiving this message — until now.

Tracking your BBT can be used as a stand alone method in Natural Family Planning, or as one indicator in the Sympto-Thermal Method. Lets get some more details about what goes into the process of taking your Basal Body Temperature (BBT).

Basal Body Temperature Basics 

So what does Basel body temperature mean? Basically, it is your body temperature after sleeping before moving or eating anything. You can take your temperature orally (the most common method), vaginally, or rectally. Your goal is to identify fluctuations in BBT in order to pinpoint the fertile and non fertile days of your cycle.  A subtle but recognizable change in your BBT pattern signifies ovulation. By recording and charting the BBT on a daily basis the changes become distinguishable and ovulation can be pinpointed.

Charting fertility manually using BBT readings requires a fertility chart, some training and a lot of discipline. Before embarking on any program of Fertility Awareness or making changes in your chosen contraceptive method, a full consultation with a trained practitioner is highly recommended. Make sure to include your partner and your doctor or gynecologist in your decision making process.

Measuring your Basel Body Temperature

One of the first things to understand is how to measure your accurate BBT. Because BBT is the lowest temperature attained by the body during rest (usually during sleep), it is generally measured immediately after awakening and before any physical activity. Once awake your body springs to life, blood will start pumping, your heart rate will rise, and as a result , your body temperature will rise above what was the basal temperature. Therefore the measurement should be taken the moment you awake. 

A common question is how long does one have to sleep before you can  take a temperature reading. There is no fixed answer. Five hours is often quoted, but there are factors which impact that figure. Imagine you finish work, go for a hard session at the gym, go home, eat a huge dinner, and then go to sleep. Your body will be digesting that dinner for a long time and your metabolism will remain very active for many hours before it returns to it's basal state. Now imagine you have a quiet night in with a book, eat a light supper and then retire to bed. The time needed to get your body to a totally relaxed state will be a lot shorter than the first scenario. Other variables include the person's own metabolic rate, alcohol consumption, or anxiety and raised blood pressure. All of these factors impact the amount of sleep which someone needs before their body returns to a totally relaxed state.

Ovulation causes an increase of one-half to one degree Fahrenheit (one-quarter to one-half degree Celsius) in basal body temperature (BBT). The tendency of a woman to have lower temperatures before ovulation, and higher temperatures after ovulation, is known as a biphasic pattern. Charting of this pattern as an indicator for ovulation is used as highly reliable a component of fertility awareness. 

You can choose to monitor your fertility manually, through the good old paper and pencil method, or through a fertility monitor. Fertility monitors are a great one time investment that will take all the hassle and confusion out of the process.To learn how to chart fertility with monitors, click here .  If you chose to monitor fertility manually,  continue reading the steps below. 

Step-By-Step Instructions: 

1. Take your temperature immediately upon waking, before physically getting up.  You should leave your thermometer at your bedside within easy reach so you don't have to move much to get it.

2. Take your temperature at as close to the same time each day as possible.  Set an alarm clock so that you will get up at the same time each day. A variation is up to point two degrees per hour is normal if you take your temperature at inconstant times. .2 degrees lower if you take your temperature early, and .2 degrees higher if you take it late.

3.  You should sleep at least five before taking your BBT with three hours of consecutive sleep.

4.  You can take your temperature orally, vaginally, or rectally but you must use the same  method for the entire cycle.

5. You should try to place the thermometer in the same position each day (same location of your mouth, or same depth vaginally or rectally)

6. Record your temperature on your chart each day.

7.  Some women experience a slight temperature drop just before they ovulate. This is a useful indicator for those using this method for conception as it would mark the start of the most fertile period of your cycle.

8. Look for a temperature shift of at least .4 degrees F over a 48-hour period to indicate ovulation. This shift should be above the highest temperatures in the previous six days, allowing one temperature to be thrown out as inaccurate (fluke, illness). 

9. After you see a temperature shift for at least three days, or at the end of your cycle, you can draw a cover-line between your follicular phase and luteal phase temperatures. It should be easy to see a clear shift and draw your line between the highest follicular phase BBT and the lowest luteal phase BBT as in the sample above. The main reason for drawing this line is just to clearly delineate that your chart is biphasic. Take a look at the image above which clearly illustrates this shift. 

10. Analyze the chart at the end of the month.

11. Continue to chart for a few months and look for patterns.

12.  If your temperature remains high for 8 days or more after ovulation, you may be pregnant and should take a pregnancy test.

Charting your BBT to learn about your own cycle and fertility can be very enlightening and fulfilling, but for some, the process can seem daunting. It's normal! The process can be made a lot easier by using a contraceptive monitor such as Cyclotest. Cyclotest makes taking the daily reading simple and then automatically does the calculations to show your fertility window on a screen.  No need to interpret body temperatures or do any charting.

How Contraceptive Monitors Can Help - The Simple Solution 

Contraceptive monitors are an easy way to practice the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) of birth control. No need to interpret body temperatures or do any charting. All you have to do it click a button at the start of your cycle and take your temperature each morning. The data is entered and charted automatically, hassle free. 

Cyclotest To The Rescue 

Cyclotest is a small handheld device with an integrated digital thermometer that automatically charts your fertility for the easiest experience possible. The Cyclotest is available in the classic blue version or the pink Cyclotest Baby.  Both options are  basically identical, however, the Cyclotest Baby comes with additional software to download fertility charts that will be particularly useful for those who are trying to conceive.

Both Cyclotest and Cyclotest Baby are designed to give you control over and understanding of your fertility without changing the natural harmony of your body.  They offer 97% contraceptive reliability just by taking a simple waking temperature in the morning. 

Cyclotest 2 Plus - The Absolute Best Contraceptive Monitor for Fertility Awareness

How can the Cyclotest get even better? Welcome to  Cyclotest 2 Plus. With this version of Cyclotest you have the option of increasing the contraceptive reliability from 97% to an astonishing 99%. 

You are now able to monitor a secondary fertility indicator of either the LH hormone or the appearance of cervical mucus. When one of these two natural indicators is noticed you just press a button and Cyclotest has learned a bit more. That information is added to your automatic charting, and your Cyclotest and it's accuracy are that much greater.  

Remember that unlike other contraceptive monitors, Cyclotest is a one-and-done purchase with no need to buy any environmentally unfriendly test sticks every month.  Cyclotest, with its amazing functionality and level of accuracy, is sure to be one of the best purchases you ever make! 

Read original article here: http://ethicalfamilyplanning.com/chart-fertility-basal-body-temperature