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Health Topics: Contraception: Natural Family Planning
For natural family planning to be effective as a contraceptive, couples must abstain from sexual intercourse or use another method of contraception during fertile times. A typical rate for unplanned pregnancy is 12-25% provided you follow the guidelines of natural family planning very carefully.
Advantages:
- Costs nothing to use
- Does not involve chemicals
- Has no adverse side effects
- A woman who is aware of her fertility can use it to prevent or achieve a pregnancy
- Teaches men and women about the menstrual cycle
- Increase communication, cooperation and sexual exploration between couples
- Couples learn to appreciate their natural patterns of fertility and to work with them
- When a couple is ready for a baby, they will know when they are most likely to conceive
Disadvantages:
- Periods of abstinence are required
- Both partners must be motivated and committed to the method
- Changes in monthly cycle must be recorded for 6-8 months before this method can be used independently
- Charting and checking fertility signs must be done on a daily basis, especially when first learning this method
- Change in diet, exercise, and stress can alter the regular menstrual cycle. These factors are common among many college students, thus this method is not recommended as the only contraceptive method to be used by couples. However, it is the only method that adapts to these changes.
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