Natural family planning may be as effective as the pill

[Doondoo]

The natural family planning method could be as effective as the contraceptive pill, provided it was taught properly and carried out correctly, say German researchers.

Petra Frank-Herrmann and other researchers at the University of Heidelberg assessed the natural method of family planning - also known as the sympto-thermal method (STM) - in a study of 900 women, reported the online edition of BBC News.

They found that using the natural method, which assesses fertility levels during the monthly cycle by measuring body temperature and observing cervical secretions correctly, led to a rate of 0.4 pregnancies per 100 women per year.

The lowest pregnancy rate was found among women who abstained from sex during their most fertile period, as defined by the natural method of contraception, the researchers found.


http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/32705.html

[Katherine Brengle]

1. Absolutely - the high failure rate associated with NFP is due

in large part to ignorance - people think they know what they are doing when in reality they just don't. A woman's window of opportunity for pregnancy in any given month is normally very small.

[leftchick]

26. there are exceptions

long lasting sperm in men and women with a large window of opportunity. My mother had seven children while practicing NFP. She was a nurse and knew what was what. Many years later we surmise that Mom and Dad were two of the exceptions I mention. So you can do everything right and still not know how fertile a couple you may be.

[Katherine Brengle]

31. Not really --

yes, some women have longer windows, but if you have fairly regular cycles you should be able to figure it out. If you are irregular, then it gets difficult, no argument there.

And you would be surprised how many doctors and nurses are very unschooled about a woman's reproductive cycle and fertility (no offense meant to your mom).

[leftchick]

41. lol! none taken

I had a pretty serious conversation with her about this years ago when I was going through IVF treatments. She swore to me that she did everything by the book and knew what she was doing. It was then, while living through IVF, that I learned of the super sperm and the long lasting eggs. I figured my Mom and dad were the perfect super fertile couple. Either that or Mom was lying to me. :)

[Arkansas Granny]

49. How many pregnancies would it take, on average, for a woman

to figure out that she had a longer window? Or is the longer window something that can be figured out by body temp and vaginal secretions? I don't mean to sound glib, but I don't have any knowledge or experience with this method.

[sandnsea]

85. measuring body temperature

It says it right in the article, it's not really guess work if you use the system. It's ironical to me that women use temperature to GET pregnant, but don't recognize that it must consequently then be effective to prevent pregnancy.

Of course, I don't think the real problem with NFP is women miscalculating fertility. I think it's jackass men who don't respect their wives that are the problem. I also think that if the Church endorses NFP, then there's no logical reason to not endorse artificial pregnancy prevention. None of it is 100%.

[SharonAnn]

92. My mother, a nurse, and my father, a doctor, had 8 children. They used NFP.

Didn't work so well for them.

I love my 7 siblings, as did they, and fortunately they could afford to raise and educate us.

However, my mother went to another town to have her last child. She had her tubes tied.

[LostinVA]

2. I grew up with lots of Catholic kids conceived this way

Oh boy.

I heard the chastity belt works really good, too.

[Katherine Brengle]

14. To be fair...

the NFP taught in Catholic schools is abysmal and not at all what this was testing.

[Iris]

32. ha! ha! And I "knew" lots of kids who were never even conceived because of this method!

Funny how that works both ways!

[koopie57]

66. If they weren't conceived ...

how did you know them? And how do you know they weren't conceived cuz of this method ... you don't mean to say you stick your nose into others bedrooms.

[koopie57]

56. Hey! Remember ME?????

*LOL*

[REP]

3. Damn, That Sounds Like Fun!

Measuring cervical mucus, taking temperatures, hoping for a regular ovulation cycle ... why would anyone take The Pill, use and IUD or be sterilized when they can just set up a small lab in their bathroom? Sure, I'm sterilized, but hot damn! get me the basal thermometer and let me in on this hot, hot fuss!

[Mandate My Ass]

6. Right on

Not to mention, abstaining during the most fertile period means abstaining when sex is most pleasurable for a woman. No biggie to the scientists and fundies I guess. :eyes:

[Iris]

13. why not a back up plan during the fertile times?

see my other post with the same subject line.

I am continually amazed at the way people here attack what they don't understand.

[REP]

71. But a "Back Up Plan" Isn't NFP

What method is okay as a back-up method but not as a primary method?

[Iris]

101. um . .. condom? foam? jellies? sponge?

Barrier methods are best used with a back-up method. That's jr. high sex ed.

[REP]

105. Condoms, Foam, Jellies and Sponges Are Not NFP - Thanks For Making My Point

That NFP may not be the best or most convenient method for women who wish to avoid pregnancy. Thank you for ceding my point so easily.

[Bill McBlueState]

50. yeah, no biggie to the scientists

Because, as we all know, scientists just loathe pleasurable sex. :eyes:

[Iris]

8. why ridicule someone who wants to avoid chemical bc, a foreign object in the body or sterilzation?

All the things you ridicule do not involve a small lab in a bathroom. Some of it is simple observation and can be done by women who are in touch with their own bodies.

[koopie57]

61. Who ridiculed anyone here?

Good for those women who are able to follow their cycle and how they feel and not have a few drinks here and there. That is wonderful and more power to them, but that is easier said than done.

Really, there are only a few posts here from those who are ridiculing others.

[Iris]

99. so what if a woman has a few drinks? Barrier methods are a fine back up.

And you may not see jumping all over an idea as ridiculing it, but, honestly, I get sick and tired of seeing people on this board act like CONSERVATIVES over anything that challenges their idea of the way the world should be.

[REP]

62. What A Strange Read

I'm not pointing and laughing at those who use NFP; I'm ridiculing those who say Natural Family Planning is as effective as The Pill. It isn't; nor is it as convenient as The Pill and other methods. Not every woman has regular ovulation cycles or releases just one ova; not every woman can take the time to do the measurements. For those who want to - great, have at it, but do not pretend that this is a superior method for women who prefer not to become pregnant.

[NashVegas]

89. For the Past 3-4 Years

I've had cycles wildly vary, anything from 21-29 days, but most often 24-26 days. It started shortly before I turned 40 and is only appears to be righting itself just now.

[Iris]

100. all those points you make are true and NFP actually addresses them.

There's a lot more science to it than you think. And it can be as effective as the pill.

[KittyWampus]

63. Exactly Iris, people ridicule what they don't understand or what threatens their world view.

The very idea that a woman can control her fertility WITHOUT using drugs? For some that's preposterous.

BTW, I can tell easily when I ovulate by simple observation when using the lavatory each day. But then, I pay attention and understand what to look for.

[REP]

70. "Simple Observation"

I can tell when I ovulate because of the mittelschmertz - but is it a complete ovulation or another cyst forming? Or is it cyst rupturing?

Nephrotic level proteinuria can screw up 'simple observation' of anything that can be observed while using the toilet.

Why is it SO threatening that not every woman wants to use NFP asnd take a chance of it failing? Yay for those who do. But for many, it is neither as reliable or convenient as many other forms of birth control.

[LostinVA]

80. self delete

[Katherine Brengle]

16. God forbid women should take charge and understand their bodies.

Get a clue.

[REP]

65. Clue Phone For You

Not every woman has a predictable ovulation cycle. Not every woman wants to use NFP; some women prefer to use another method to ensure that they do not become pregnant. To say that a woman who chooses another method doesn't understand her body is quite arrogant; I (for example) chose the method I did (tubal ligation by fulguration) precisely because I do understand how my body works. If you cannot understand that, well ... too bad.

[Clark2008]

25. Well, I can't take the Pill, but I do have a funny story.

Both of my children were conceived using some method of birth control outside of the "rhythm method."

When I actually USE the rhythm method, I have a 100 percent success rate in NOT getting pregnant; however, as you mentioned, I have a near-perfect ovulation cycle, so I can do it. I never measure mucus, but I do count days and take my temperature.

But, whenever I use some sort of man-made birth control method - condoms, the Sponge, IUD, whatever - I don't count days and, well: I used a rubber in 1998. My son was born in 1999. I used the Sponge back in September... I'm 24 weeks pregnant with my second child.

Needless to say, my husband's getting snipped. LOL!

[Katherine Brengle]

33. Congratulations anyway lol!

Enjoy your sneaky new little one :D.

[Clark2008]

38. My doctor calls me "Fertile Myrtle."

:7

[all.of.me]

37. that was my experience, too.

birth control failed me. rhythm sustained me.

[all.of.me]

4. this worked for me.

but i was very regular, i always knew what my body was doing, and i was very careful.

[cali]

5. Exactly, if you're very regular and very very careful

it's as effective as taking a pill- but around 20x as much work. It's a crock of shit to compare its efficacy to that of the pill.

[Iris]

10. It's not 20 times as much work.

That's ridiculous. We live with our bodies everyday. This method just requires some simple observation. OH, and a 3 minute thermometer reading before getting out of bed. Might be worth it to some as a means of avoiding some of the side effects of the pill or other bc methods.

[cali]

24. Ok, I was using hyperbole, but sorry it IS far more

work, and although you may have the time and education needed to practice it effectively, many, many women don't. In fact, most women don't. and in case you didn't realize it there are other effective b/c methods aside from the pill.

[Katherine Brengle]

27. Every woman should understand

her cycle, regardless of whether she uses NFP or not.

This detachment that we have from our bodies is extremely disturbing.

[Iris]

29. yes. That's what I've been trying to say.

but not quite so well!

[cali]

40. Understanding your body and your menstrual cycle

is a good thing. It doesn't necessarily mean closely monitoring it. I agree with you that the detachment we have from our bodies and from what sustains our bodies is disturbing, but I find your attitude disturbing as well. And your assumptions.

[all.of.me]

44. i agree.

we are so far removed from the entire natural world, it is disturbing. how much time does the average american spend outside? does anyone watch the sky for the weather? we get pushed farther and farther into a synthetic lifestyle. ii am considered odd, because i am so far removed from the plasticity.

[Iris]

28. still. . . "far more work" is a matter of opinion.

I don't use this form of bc, but I know when I'm ovulating - no temp needed. I know and 2 weeks later I have a period - works like clockwork even though my periods are highly irregular.

[all.of.me]

30. time and education?!

know one has more time with your body than YOU!

education? i bought a book with info, a thermometer and a chart, but i after i started to use them, i realized i had already been charting my body for years by then! it is not just temperature - it is body changes, mucus changes, emotional changes. i never used a thermometer, just my intuition and sensible observation.

[cali]

46. Disturbing.

Nice for you that you're an educated person. Lots of women aren't. Gasp, believe it or not there are plenty of women and girls who are functionally illiterate in this country. Thanks for pointing out the elitism I find so disturbing.

[all.of.me]

52. you don't need to read to know your breasts are sore

or that you have a mucus-y discharge. my point was that the book was worhtless, because i already knew all that about my body purely by being aware of it!

[cali]

64. You really, really

don't get what I'm saying.

[Clark2008]

35. Apparently not.

You need to read my post above.

I can't take the Pill because the hormones adversely effect me - very adversely. However, other methods don't work on me, either. Every time I've used something other than the rhythm method for longer than a couple of months - BOOM - I get pregnant.

If I actually count my days, listen to my body and pay attention, rather than rely on a man-made birth control device, I don't get pregnant. If I forget all that and just use the device, I have a baby nine months later.

Don't assume it's great for all women.

[politicat]

106. To be honest, being on the pill is better for some women than being off it.

For women with PCOS, the pill can be the saving grace that keeps it from getting completely out of hand. And for women like me, who have genetically soft connective tissue, the higher levels of estrogen that come with being on the pill mean that we're less prone to soft tissue (i.e. ligament, muscle and tendon) injuries than not.

I live with my body, but it's like living with a hostile witness. It does not want me to be in touch with it; it wants to file for separate maintenance and a restraining order because I keep imposing diet and exercise restrictions upon it. (And no, I'm not really that dualistic. I'm very much a monist, and I don't see myself as separate from my body. My id, on the other hand...)

So what worries me when stories like this one, and stories like the 22 week preemie, come out is the public and the less thoughtful pols out there taking it into their heads that, since there's a natural method that works as well (though the study looked to me like it was creaming) or since one proof of concept baby managed to survive without so-far massive damage and disorder, then there's no need for the easier to administer, easier to rely upon drug and no need for late-term abortions.

For me, stories like this are bricks in the primrose path that leads the way to the destruction of women's rights over their bodies. Yes, it's nice to have the choice of NFP, but it does not work for everyone, can't work at all for some (like we PCOS who have such irregular periods and such random ovulation that we'd be taking a risk all the time) and may be seen as an alternative, but is not a replacement. I'd like to see NFP taught for free in community colleges, but I don't want it taught in high school as a viable alternative to the very solid Pill and Condom pairing. If nothing else, NFP does absolutely nothing to prevent the spread of disease.

[Katherine Brengle]

19. You obviously have no experience with this --

in the beginning it takes a bit of work bc women in our culture are so far removed from their own bodily processes - but once you learn what to look for, it is very simple.

[cali]

34. and you would be wrong.

In order to get pregnant, I monitored my fertility. So, although I didn't use it to avoid pregnancy, I am familiar with it. Not to mention that I've always been quite in touch with my body,and that which I ingest, as well as that which surrounds it, thank you very much. Frankly, I don't think you have any idea how elitest you sound.

[Katherine Brengle]

36. And I don't think YOU do.

Clearly a matter of opinion, eh?

[Clark2008]

43. Did you know trying to get pregnant is harder than trying to avoid

pregnancy?

There is only a three to four-day window, max, a woman can get pregnant; so if you're trying to conceive, your working on borrowed time; however, if your goal is NOT to conceive, it's a much easier process.

I'm not saying the rhythm method (or whatever they're calling it now. Us Catholic girls always called it the rhythm method and now I sound like Carl Childers, but I digress) is great for everyone, but it's a fantastic solution for many, many women, particularly those of us who can't take hormones.

We're just asking that you not be judgmental and assume it's hard work. It's not.

[all.of.me]

23. it's not that much work if you're aware of your body.

i had a friend who knew exactly where she was in her cycle by the feel and location of her cervix. it just takes awareness.

i will say that the times i got pregnant, i had used tangible birth control (a cervical cap) that failed. talk about a hassle! easier to just abstain while fertile.

[Clark2008]

48. Exactly.

And, when I DID get pregnant again in September, I knew I was pregnant a full four days before my period was due.

I felt the egg burrowing, literally, and saw the small swath of blood that comes out. I went to the drug store, bought one of those early, early pregnancy kits and confirmed what I felt. I called the doctor to make an OB appointment. They asked me how late I was and I said, "I'm not. I'm not due for another couple of days, but I knew I was, so I took a test and it came back positive."

The receptionist was shocked, but my doctor, who knew me all during my first pregnancy was not. He knows I know an incredible amount about my body (and subsequently my babies bodies) because I pay attention and listen to what it (and they) is telling me.

[all.of.me]

54. good for you!

i am the same. i knew i was pregnant before a missed period. it's an intuitive thing as well as a physiological thing. with my second daughter, i knew i was going to get pregnant while we were making love. i just knew. but i was trying that time!

[susanna]

104. I think that's really the thing.

There are those of us who are very, very regular; things like NFP seem to work well in our childbearing years.

That said, I am now entering perimenopause and my straight-up regularity is a lovely wayward dream, lost to current hormones. Now THAT is scary. I still dislike synthetic hormones, so I try to create a new dynamic. What it is remains to be seen...but less sex is probably likely for the moment. ;-)

[all.of.me]

109. that's what happened to me.

after my second daughter was born and i started to bleed again, she was about 18 months, i guess. my periods were whacked after that. 2 weeks, 6 weeks, ovulation during bleeding, it was weird. the kids' dad and i were not getting along very well, so sex was not much of an issue. he left when she was 4, and it has not been a problem since, but i do hear what you're saying! it's hard to know what your body is doing at that point, and other forms of bc need to be found. mine was single parenthood! :)

[gollygee]

7. The problem I have with this

is that those times when I would be fertile if not for my IUD are the times I'm most interested in sex. Can you imagine trying to tell men, "You can have sex all the time except those times you want it most! Isn't that a great birth control technique!?"

[Iris]

9. couldn't you use a back up form of contraception during those times?

Although it is accepted by the Catholic church, the method itself does not have any religious doctrine attached to it that says no sex during the fertile window.

[gollygee]

11. I like my IUD

I have a pretty long fertile window, and I'm allergic to latex anyway. Though I understand there are other condom options these days (I've been married long enough that I'm not that up to date on stuff).

[Iris]

15. Great! Then don't use the form of bc being discussed on the thread!

[gollygee]

18. I won't! Thanks for the suggestion!

[Katherine Brengle]

12. It's just an alternative,

not a replacement for those who want the pill. But there are many women very uncomfortable with putting hormones in their bodies or who do not respond well to the pill.

(Personally I have serious misgivings about it, and am only taking it presently because I miscarried and until DH gets fixed I have no interest in the possibility of becoming pregnant again - the small risk of well practiced NFP is unacceptable.)

[gollygee]

17. Oh well I won't ever use the pill again

I can't use hormones.

The more options available, the better, because we women are all different and what is appropriate for one of us won't work for all of us.

[Katherine Brengle]

21. Absolutely --

the more options the better imo. I'm glad for all of the advances that have been made.

But you better believe I am going to stop taking the pill asap - I hate the idea of manipulating my body like this.

[Clark2008]

53. I'm sorry you miscarried.

Even if the baby was a, well, "surprise," going through a miscarriage is an incredibly difficult experience, emotionally, physically and hormonally.

I'm glad our husbands know it's easier for them to "get fixed" than for us and are willing to do so. Mine's getting his done while I'm recovering from having the baby because we can't have sex during that time frame, anyway.

[NashVegas]

90. Exactly

The problem - and I am completely sympathetic - is how RW / fundies who wish to eliminate BC would utilize a report like this. A number of women - and I'm one - find this idea very threatening.

My sympathies on your misfortune, btw.

[soothsayer]

68. That's 100% true! lol, of course the pill made me feel totally un-sexual

all the time, so I think that's how THAT evil thing was effective.

[seabeyond]

20. how i got my first child. the key is carried out correctly, lol. n/t

[Solly Mack]

22. My cousin successfully kept her children down to 4 - the number she wanted

using the rhythm method (She's Mormon - I add that only because it was religion that dictated her ah, choices)

But she also had a clockwork period/ovulation cycle...and way too little sex (her words, thank you very much)


Mayo Clinic on the symptothermal method
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/symptothermal/BI00031

[poverlay]

39. The "rhythm method" is obviously flawed. If you're against birth control you will just have to

deal with the drawbacks of it. I prefer something a little more secure and more importantly~ foolproof!

[Clark2008]

57. Nothing but abstinence is foolproof, though.

Nothing.

[gollygee]

59. Yeah but the title of this is misleading

some birth control methods are more effective than others.

The title of this thread is misleading because it assumes that NFP is done perfectly and it uses the numbers relating to the pill that include user error. If NFP is done without error, it "may be as effective" as the pill with normal errors. That isn't a fair comparison.

Also, people say, "when you know you're fertile, use a back-up method" but in that case the effectiveness would be that of the back-up method, not that of NFP.

[poverlay]

75. My vasectomy is pretty foolproof so far... You are right though. Nothing guarantees lack of

results like a lack of action.

[Clark2008]

83. I actually know a couple who has a vasectomy child.

The husband's vasectomy grew back... and we know the baby is his (first, my friend wouldn't have cheated and secondly the baby looks just like him). He went and got re-checked and, sure enough, one of the vas deferens had grown back together on one side.

Amazing how the body will try it's hardest to procreate in the face of medical science, isn't it?

So, while surgical procedures are probably more reliable than any birth control, they're still not 100 percent.

:hi:

[poverlay]

84. Oooohhhh, I don't want to hear that! Why did you have to tell me that? That's just mean!

Now every time...

Aaarhghhhh!!!

j/k

[Clark2008]

93. Just have it checked every once in a while when you go in

for your regular man-stuff check ups.

You'll be fine. :7

[poverlay]

94. Thanks ... (He said wryly.) n/t

[soothsayer]

67. It's not rythm--you take your temp, feel the uterus tip, observe the

type of discharge---it's totally amazing and accurate, actually. There are all these cool changes that take place as you approach ovulation, and you can totally feel/see/notice them going on if you pay attention. There's only a few days a month that a woman can conceive (sperm can hang out in the nooks and crannies, so it's a bit longer than her actual ovulation) If you actually measured the effectiveness of other forms of contraception (condoms, the pill) ONLY during those few days that a woman is fertile, boy you'd have a different idea of their so-called effectiveness rates.

[poverlay]

74. Didn't mean to offend you with the phrase "rhythym method". That's how it was referred to when my

wife and I took the class. Yes it can be effective, but not if, as in my wife's case, your cycle is not always consistent. Or if you actually want to have sex during that fertile period. And not unless you're completely and utterly and overly cautious not to make a mistake. The pill worked great for us, but unmeasured and anecdotal is that evidence. Yes there are drawbacks to every contraception. I believe a combination approach works best.

[GreenZoneLT]

42. Yes, and monkeys may fly out of my butt, too.

There's many a slip twixt the cup and the "carried out correctly."

"Oh, baby, I want you, too, but let me check my cervical secretions first."

IIANM, this contradicts a lot of earlier research into the real-world effectiveness of "natural" birth control (I'm not sure why physics is more natural than chemistry). There's a word for women who rely on guesstimating their fertility by the moon. They call them "mothers."

[koopie57]

72. Actually,

a monkey flying out of my ass would be an effective form of birth control. I think the government should spend 30 million dollars researching that *wink*

[TZ]

45. isn't that how some women become pregnant who want to?

By charting and keeping track of the natural cycle? There are a lot of people for medical reasons can't take the pill so this would obviously be great for them. However some people are also get other benefits from the pill besides birth control (anybody with polycystic ovarian disorder for one) so it has its place. But this is definitely the best way for people in a stable monogamous situation.

[gollygee]

47. It isn't a choice between this and the pill

there are other options.

I'm glad this is available, but I'm glad other options are there too. We need as many options as possible because we're all different.

[TZ]

55. oh true

but somepeople may make that case. Not me though!:-)

[all.of.me]

58. yes, it is.

i knew a girl in high school who bled 33 days a 'month.' her periods were almost constant. she was put on birth control to control her cycle. bc has its place, but it just wasn't for me.

[no_hypocrisy]

51. My sex ed teacher in high school told us there were NO "safe" days

in a cycle. Also sperm can survive almost a week, not only 48 hours. Thus you can think you're safe on the calendar but the sperm have other plans.

[Clark2008]

60. And your high school sex ed teacher would be wrong.

He/She meant well, but science tells us otherwise.

And, even if sperm survive past 48 hours, once the egg has matured to the level that it can't burrow, it doesn't matter if the sperm get to it. The egg also "dies," or becomes non-viable, past a certain point (which is why we have periods).

[soothsayer]

69. Nah, cuz there's such a thing as 'post' ovulation, don't forget.

[LostinVA]

81. There aren't for most women

[Bridget Burke]

82. She or he was correct--given the audience.

The "Natural" method apparently works for some women. That's great.

But sexually active high school girls may not yet be "in touch with" their bodies. And unplanned pregnancies can be worse than inconvenient for them. So they need to do more than check the calendar.

[Scout]

73. make sure girls and women know how to do this correctly....

for the day when birth control is outlawed!

and of course for those who choose to use it instead of other forms of bc that are still legal.

[newportdadde]

76. Riiiggghhhttt... my wife and I have a 3 year old and twins that just turned 1 year.

Guess what? We are pregnant again even while on the mini-pill and my wife nursing.. lol.

This might work for some couples but in each of our pregnancies as soon as my wife was off the pill we were pregnant the next month. Maybe we are just super fertile or something... anyways there is no way I would trust it.

My wife is getting her tubes tied after this last one.

By careful with the mini pill, wrap it up.

[m_welby]

77. yes it was effective for my sister for 18 years...

... at least until she hit 40 and her body started changing. Suddenly she was pregnant (and delivered a beautiful little girl).

no matter how regular you are, as time passes, things change.

[TlalocW]

78. What's interesting about NFP is that

Statistically, it has the chance of causing more natural abortions than other methods, which should make the Catholic Church sit up and take notice. If done "right," couples have sex at the end of the woman's fertility cycle. But even at that point, there's a possibility that there are a couple of "old" eggs hanging around. These eggs can be fertilized, but because of their relatively advanced age, the resulting zygote won't be strong enough to implant itself in the woman's uterus. Also, in certain cases, it is possible for sperm to survive long enough in the woman's body that the woman enters her fertile period again, and a new egg and an old sperm combine with the same results as the previous situation.

TlalocW

[Dulcinea]

79. If this works for you, more power to you!

NFP is one of many BC choices that work well for some, & not for others, like the Pill or condoms.

I took the pill for years. I never had a regular cycle (and am therefore not a good candidate for NFP!) & only went off to start a family. I had absolutely no bad side effects; guess I was lucky. After my family was complete, I had a voluntary tubal ligation. YMMV.

[Tsiyu]

86. A book I recommend to all women

is WOMEN'S BODIES, WOMEN'S WISDOM by Christiane Northrup, M.D.

That is, I recommend it to women who really want to understand their own bodies, rather than trusting the system.

NFP is like breastfeeding to some. The natural functions of the female body are distasteful to some humans. Why? Dunno. Fear? Societal programming? Mothers who told them their bodies were "dirty?" Doctors who insist they know everything?

It always amazes me that some women are so afraid of their own selves. Sad, really. But it is true that NFP is highly effective IF women have supportive partners AND they study how to manage their fertility correctly.

[gollygee]

87. It is possible to not find our bodies distasteful and still not care for NFP

My dislike of it has nothing to do with discomfort with my body, fear, societal programming, or thinking my body is dirty, or thinking my doctor knows everything, or a lack of support from my husband.

It's that I really don't want to get pregnant, and I don't want to have to abstain from sex when I most want sex. And I have no reason to want to rely on condoms as a backup when I'm ovulating because, again, I really don't want to get pregnant and an IUD is more effective than condoms.

I'm all for women having this option available and I hope women have access to the information needed. But please don't make assumptions about those of us who want to use something else. NFP is ONE option for women, and just like every other option it isn't the right choice for everyone.

[Tsiyu]

98. I'm sorry you took my post personally

It certainly was not intended for any one person on the thread and I fully support women making their own choices about their bodies.

I was commenting more in a general sense about how afraid some humans are of the natural functioning of their reproductive organs. All women need to learn all they can about their fertility, etc., and then make choices based on what is best for them, rather than what any one physician or friend or relative says.

If you're happy with your choices, awesome. But when people ridicule others ( not that you did; i have not read all the responses in the thread so i have no idea what you might have said here) for going to a more natural form of BC, I have to wonder what the hell is wrong with them. There are some who ridicule the idea outright, and I feel so sorry for them.

[Ilsa]

88. It also means there are times when you need other protection or abstinence. nt

[ecstatic]

91. and who has the time for that?

Although, I guess that method is a lot cheaper with less side effects. Now that I think about it, it may be something worth considering.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

95. That's Cool. I'm Sure Many Women Will Still Find Taking The Pill To Be Far More Convenient And

realistically more accurate though.

[frogcycle]

96. heck, if you do it right it is infallible

just don't get near each other

[RC Quake]

97. My spouse & I used the "natural" family planning for 5 years.

It was successful.

Then we tried to have a child. 1 year. 2 years. 3 years. 7 years. Damn. All those years of trying NOT to get pregnant when all along we never could.

So now, the bc pills are being used to alleviate the painful monthly cramps. Damn. All those years of painful cramps that could have been avoided.

Life just isn't fair sometimes!

[Geek_Girl]

102. IMHO

I think if women want to stay away from chemicals and medication they should make their men wear condoms.

[PreacherCasey]

103. "Pulling out" works too! just ask my son's mother.

[mmonk]

107. It is if you have the discipline. Problem is, human sexuality

does not have the amount of discipline required naturally.

[Thothmes]

108. NFP

punch line for an old joke was the term for people that used NFP was parents.