Is FAM right for you?
If you are interested in the fertility awareness method (FAM) because you want to get pregnant, read this and get back to me if you have questions.
If you want to use FAM as contraception you’re in the right place.
You’re probably not sure it can work – and you’re not alone. I was very sceptical when I started using it and so are many of my clients.
The NHS website says FAM (or natural family planning) can be up to 99% effective, and the CDC have changed their guidance, but of course it can fail.
Sometimes it fails because people misunderstand the method or rely on an app, but the most common reason I’ve come across is people having unprotected sex on a day they knew was fertile – or the failure of whatever contraceptive method they were using on their fertile days.
So make sure you and your partner can handle using condoms or other precautions for at least nine days a month.
You also need to be having periods - true periods not the kind of period you have on the pill, which are actually withdrawal bleeds.
Your periods don't have to be every 28 days, you just need to get them - preferably every 21 to 35 days. The less your cycle length varies, the more green days you get.
If you stop taking the pill, treat day one of your pill withdrawal bleed as day one of your cycle and use precautions till you have a true period and know what you're doing.
If your periods have disappeared concentrate on looking after your overall health. You can record your fertility indicators while you do this but you will need to use condoms or other precautions till your periods return.
If you are breastfeeding read this. If you have painful periods read this.
Fertility awareness is probably easiest to use if you are over 18 and under 40. Your cycles are usually fairly settled at this time of your life - unless you have an underlying health issue.
The other main requirements of FAM are:
If that sounds manageable, the NHS website recommends you get support from a Fertility UK practitioner (like me), but you can learn on your own...
If you want to use FAM as contraception you’re in the right place.
You’re probably not sure it can work – and you’re not alone. I was very sceptical when I started using it and so are many of my clients.
The NHS website says FAM (or natural family planning) can be up to 99% effective, and the CDC have changed their guidance, but of course it can fail.
Sometimes it fails because people misunderstand the method or rely on an app, but the most common reason I’ve come across is people having unprotected sex on a day they knew was fertile – or the failure of whatever contraceptive method they were using on their fertile days.
So make sure you and your partner can handle using condoms or other precautions for at least nine days a month.
You also need to be having periods - true periods not the kind of period you have on the pill, which are actually withdrawal bleeds.
Your periods don't have to be every 28 days, you just need to get them - preferably every 21 to 35 days. The less your cycle length varies, the more green days you get.
If you stop taking the pill, treat day one of your pill withdrawal bleed as day one of your cycle and use precautions till you have a true period and know what you're doing.
If your periods have disappeared concentrate on looking after your overall health. You can record your fertility indicators while you do this but you will need to use condoms or other precautions till your periods return.
If you are breastfeeding read this. If you have painful periods read this.
Fertility awareness is probably easiest to use if you are over 18 and under 40. Your cycles are usually fairly settled at this time of your life - unless you have an underlying health issue.
The other main requirements of FAM are:
- You can record a few things. Mainly day one of your period, your waking temperature and your maximum fluid days (usually two or three a month). There is a limit to how much you need to record.
- You can learn a few things. Mainly how to spot a sustained rise in your waking temperature and those maximum fluid days. There is a limit to how much you need to learn.
If that sounds manageable, the NHS website recommends you get support from a Fertility UK practitioner (like me), but you can learn on your own...