Fertility monitor as birth control??

mariposo15 · July 2010

I am dying to get of the pill! I have no sex drive at all. I have been on it for almost 10 years (I have tried different ones), but they all have bad side effects. I am currently using Levora, low dose. For the past couple of years I have had no sex drive at all and I am completely fed up with it. I have been doing research of different options, but the non-hormonal IUD are not an option as we are going to start trying to have a baby in about 6 months. I have come across a fertility monitor that tells you the best days to get pregnant. If we just avoid those days (or use protection) the chance of getting pregnant would be really slim, right? I have an appointment to see the doctor next week and I plan on asking that and several other questions. I guess I am just curious what everyone thinks, if anyone has any other ideas/options, and if others have good questions I should ask the doctor as well.

annabelle.27 · July 2010

Read Taking Charge of Your Fertility. It'll help you TTA and TTC.

I don't know what monitor you're referring to, but I wouldnt rely on it. Just because it's not a "best" day to conceive doesn't mean you can't conceive.

BrideinNJ79 · July 2010

If you always ovulate on the same day every month then this may work for you. However, if you're dead set on not getting pg right now, I wouldn't recommend this method. Sperm can survive in the body for 3-5 days. So if you ovulate on CD14 and have sex on CD 11, there's a possibility of getting pg. By the time you see that you're ovulating, it'll be too late to do anything about it.

caitriona87 · July 2010

You can't just use a regular old fertility monitor (like Clear Blue) but there is a method of NFP that uses a monitor--it's called the Marquette method (developed at Marquette University.) It's a bit pricey to buy (I think about $200?) but I've heard good things about the method. Just make sure you are trained properly in it (I believe there's an online class.) Other methods of NFP cost less but may take a little longer to learn. (I used the sympto-thermal method both to TTA and to TTC.)

bunniekrissy · July 2010

Fertility monitors are not really reliable as birth control. However, it is very possible to track your fertility signs to avoid pregnancy. Here's another vote for reading Taking Charge of Your Fertility. tcoyf.com

Anlg · July 2010

I also agree with reading TCOYF. I used the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) as birth control before kids and loved it. I had been on the patch before I switched, and the lack of libido and crazy PMS were terrible. It was great when we were ready to TTC. We just started having unprotected sex during my fertile period.

iluvmylab · July 2010

After you read TCOYF, you can chart your cycle on fertilityfriend.com. Many Catholic churches also teach a Natural Family Planning class. It's free for us since I'm a member of the church, but I think anyone can come.

zelda25 · July 2010

BrideinNJ79:
If you always ovulate on the same day every month then this may work for you. However, if you're dead set on not getting pg right now, I wouldn't recommend this method. Sperm can survive in the body for 3-5 days. So if you ovulate on CD14 and have sex on CD 11, there's a possibility of getting pg. By the time you see that you're ovulating, it'll be too late to do anything about it.

This is patently false. Charting is ideal for people with irregular cycles because it teaches you to look for the signs that you're close to ovulation--in addition to seeing when you have actually ovulated. TCOYF explains all of this.

kimnelson09 · July 2010

zelda25:

BrideinNJ79:
If you always ovulate on the same day every month then this may work for you. However, if you're dead set on not getting pg right now, I wouldn't recommend this method. Sperm can survive in the body for 3-5 days. So if you ovulate on CD14 and have sex on CD 11, there's a possibility of getting pg. By the time you see that you're ovulating, it'll be too late to do anything about it.

This is patently false. Charting is ideal for people with irregular cycles because it teaches you to look for the signs that you're close to ovulation--in addition to seeing when you have actually ovulated. TCOYF explains all of this.

I think you misread. She was saying that a fertility monitor wasn't ideal to avoid pregnancy based on the above.

KellyHouseman · July 2010

My good friend strictly used a fertility monitor as birth control. Everything was going fine (abstaining from sex on her fertile days) until suddenly she recieved a surprise...she was pregnant only 4 months after giving birth to her daughter. Total shock and surprise and was not in their "plan". So be prepared for a potential pregnancy if you go this route. Maybe just using condoms until you're ready to TTC? Or like the other ladies mentioned start charting.

KatieBride06 · July 2010

i was just looking for posts about this very same thing.

i bought TCOYF recently, but haven't started it yet. and i just finished my last month of BC. like OP, we're waiting about 5 months before active TTC.

for TTA with TCOYF do you have to chart with temps? it looks pretty complex, but i'm sure i'd know more after i start reading. i didn't know if there was a way to know without going through the temp charting.

kimnelson09 · July 2010

KatieBride06:

i was just looking for posts about this very same thing.

i bought TCOYF recently, but haven't started it yet. and i just finished my last month of BC. like OP, we're waiting about 5 months before active TTC.

for TTA with TCOYF do you have to chart with temps? it looks pretty complex, but i'm sure i'd know more after i start reading. i didn't know if there was a way to know without going through the temp charting.

With FAM, you generally chart your waking temperature and monitor your cervical fluid. You can also feel your cervix, but I've never done that. Basically, you use two complimentary methods to determine when you're fertile.

It seems like it's really complicated, but it isn't. Do a few practice months first to get the hang of it and get a feel for your body (tack on a few more if you're just coming off BC until your cycle normalizes), and use a barrier method in the meantime.

bstrangely · July 2010

we did it for a year and a half. i blogged about the device we chose here:

http://open.salon.com/blog/bstrangely/2009/05/04/loving_my_robot_rhythm_method

we used it to conceive in december and it worked great.

a pp mentioned a friend who got pregnant 4 months after giving birth with her method, and the instructions for mine pretty much state that it's probably not going to work for several months after birth and to use a barrier method:

http://www.naturallyforher.com/faq

i had been on the pill for about 8 years. i love my ladycomp. i would recommend it to anyone, but only if you're in a committed relationship and willing to use it religiously. it requires a little more planning than many methods but it's been great for us.

sjksak88 · July 2010

I am currently reading TCOYF and it makes a lot of sense. I am choosing to use either condoms or spermicide until I am more comfortable with the FAM. But I really think it works, of the women that I have talked to that strictly follow it have only gotten pregnant when they were ready.

Cullum13 · July 2010

Definitely read TCOYF. and sign up at fertilityfriend.com to make charting easier.

sjksak88 · July 2010

Oh and Iphone has a fertilityfriend.com app called free mentrual calendar. It you can input periods, intercourse, temperature, cervical fluid, and some more stuff. It syncs with the website so you can keep track of your fertility whether you have a computer on hand or not. I had it before I even knew what the FAM is. It's free and it helps a lot. Hope it helps, along with TCOYF.

Fertility monitor as birth control??

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