Pregnancy, as most women know, is a time of many mixed emotions. It's sometimes very exciting and other times it can bring with it stress and worry that you aren't ready. However, part of planning for pregnancy includes making sure that you don't get pregnant when you don't intend to be.
One option women have for avoiding an unplanned pregnancy is the use of contraceptives like the pill or birth control patch. While these medications help lots of women avoid getting pregnant, they do carry some disadvantages such as potential side effects and not being able to undo their effects easily. For those reasons, there are natural contraceptive methods that allow women to avoid pregnancy without any medicine involved at all.
By learning about how these methods work, women can figure out which one may be best for them.
One natural method of contraception is the rhythm method. This involves tracking your menstrual cycle and understanding when you are most likely to get pregnant. You avoid intercourse during that time every month. While this is a somewhat effective method, it relies on you being able to accurately track your cycle and it's not foolproof.
Another option is the use of fertility awareness methods. These involve tracking your basal body temperature as well as changes in cervical mucous. You then use that information to determine when you are ovulating and avoid intercourse during that time. This is also not a foolproof method, but it can be more accurate than the rhythm method if done correctly.
If neither of those methods sounds good to you, one other option is using a barrier method. This can be in the form of a condom or diaphragm and works by stopping sperm from coming in contact with an egg. Condoms are most effective when used correctly and consistently, but this may not always happen. The downside of barrier methods is that if they do fail, there's nothing preventing pregnancy from happening after unprotected sex has occurred.
Another natural contraceptive method that women have access to is lactational amenorrhea which refers to delaying your period when you're breastfeeding. This doesn't work for everyone though as it depends on how often you're nursing and if your baby is completely draining your breasts when nursing or not.
A final natural contraceptive method that can be used is withdrawal, but this doesn't offer protection from pregnancy if the man pulls out too late after climaxing. Of course, there is a number of disadvantages to each one of these natural contraceptive methods that you will want to consider prior to making your decision about which one you'd like to use for yourself. The most important thing is knowing what they are and why they may not work for every woman in order to make an informed decision when it comes time for family planning.
Of course, fertility awareness can also be used during pregnancy as a way to tell when labor contractions have begun through monitoring the changes in your basal body temperature and cervical mucous. This way, women can avoid sex during that time or attempt to conceive if this is the outcome they are looking for. Using these methods involves understanding your body and what it looks like at different points of your menstrual cycle so there is a learning curve involved.
As you can see, natural contraceptive methods do exist and can be used by women who don't want to take any pills or use other artificial means of contraception. It's important to know all about birth control options as well as how these work in order to make an informed decision when you're ready for that step in life.
This blog provides information about telemedicine, health and related subjects. The blog content and any linked materials herein are not intended to be, and should not be construed as a substitute for, medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any reader or person with a medical concern should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other healthcare provider. This blog is provided purely for informational purposes. The views expressed herein are not sponsored by and do not represent the opinions of nōni.