This method is based on determining a woman's fertile days. Fertility awareness can be used to increase the effectiveness of other birth control methods. You can determine your "fertile time" by learning to recognize certain "clues" that your body provides. This allows couples to avoid those days to prevent pregnancy, or to have intercourse those days hoping to conceive.

You can become pregnant only on certain days of your cycle. Menstrual cycles vary, the "average" 28-day cycle being no more "normal" than a 25-day or a 35-day cycle. A cycle consists of the number of days from the first day of one period until the day before your next period. On average, women ovulate (are then fertile and could get pregnant) 12 to 16 days before that NEXT period. So you must try to estimate when your next menstrual period is due to start, then count backwards from that day: 12 to 16 days. Those are the days during which you are most likely to ovulate. If you can't predict your next period, this process will become a little more difficult, but there are other signs of body changes to look for that will help you recognize ovulation.

Cervical mucous is one of these changes
This is secreted or produced by the cervix, (the neck or entrance of the uterus) which leaves your body from the vagina. The first few days after menstruation this mucous is usually absent followed by mucous that is sticky then changes to a creamy, texture. As the cycle approaches ovulation the cervix becomes more open and this mucous increases in amount, but becomes thinner and clearer (almost like raw egg white) helping to nourish and transport sperm. This mucous can be stretched when held between you fingers. After ovulation, for about the two weeks before menstruation, this mucous dries up and results in a reduced amount of vaginal discharge. The cervix itself closes up again, blocking sperm.

The opening of the cervix along with the position of the cervix, which can be felt at the "top" end of your vagina, indicate the approach of ovulation, too. As already mentioned, the cervix (the neck of or entrance to the uterus) opens slightly at ovulation, to accepts sperm into the uterus. The cervix itself will "feel" more prominent; if you insert your fingers well up in your vagina you will feel it somewhat "raised" and "open" and "moist", the texture is soft like your lips.

Another fairly accurate way to track ovulation is to record your Basal Body Temperature. This will help to indicate whether or not you are even ovulating. Charting your temperature over several months will give you some idea of when in your cycle you are likely to ovulate, but since your temperature goes up after you ovulate, it's not a good "clue" as to when to have intercourse -- intercourse needs to happen before that temperature rise in order to get pregnant! We know sperm can live up to five or six days in a woman's body, around the time that she's ovulating. So, intercourse six days before the day your temperature shifts could result in pregnancy, if there is cervical mucous present.

Just after ovulation your Basal Body Temperature (BBT) goes up about half a degree and remains up for approx. the next 12-16 days, until you menstruate. Your BBT is your early morning temperature before getting out of bed and after at least 3-5 hours of "restful" sleep. The rise in temperature is very slight in some cases, and is best seen using a specially calibrated basal thermometer. There may be a very subtle drop before the rise at ovulation; these temperature changes as little as .2 to .5 of a degree, not a whole degree. Illness, activity, restlessness are a few of many factors which can influence that early morning BBT.

Start taking your temperature on the first day of a period at about the same time each morning, keeping the thermometer right at your bedside table, to reduce any movement before taking your temperature; record these temperatures on a graph, ideally, to see a line and more easily see these temperature shifts. The lower temperature just before the rise at ovulation is the best time for conception to occur.

A couple of other more subtle clues given by some women's bodies around ovulation include:

• a bit of vaginal spotting, as the egg is released
• a mild acne or pain over the ovary that released the egg
• some breast fullness or aching from ovulation until your period starts

Turning into your bodies clues and changes over 3 or 4 months will give you an idea of when ovulation probably will occur, so you can "time" intercourse to increase your chances of becoming pregnant; but, there is no guarantee you will. On average, couples have about a 30% chance of conceiving with any unprotected intercourse, and it's believed to take an average of 6-9 months to conceive. Keep in mind that sperm can survive about six days in a women's body around ovulation, which means you could have intercourse six days before you ovulate and still get pregnant.

If after a year of trying no pregnancy occurs, a doctor will begin preliminary investigation into both partners.

Fertility or ovulation kits and devices are available at most drug stores and can help indicate ovulation. They are expensive, and are used more by women trying to become pregnant.

● To the top