Natural Family Planning Methods Abstinence: One of the most effective ways of natural family planning is abstinence.

Couples who do not want to have a baby and want to avoid taking artificial contraceptives, should keep away from sexual intercourse during the fertile days of the woman. For this method to work out, the women should keep track of their menstrual cycles to know the timing of their ovulation and the period during when there is high risk of getting pregnant. Withdrawal: Withdrawal is another method of natural pregnancy prevention. In this method, the man withdraws his penis from the vagina before ejaculation while having sex. However, this is not a full proof method of birth control, as the fluid which is secreted before ejaculation also contains sperms and are sufficient to fertilize an ovum. Natural family planning is normally chosen by people owing to certain religious reasons or because they are not able to take contraceptives due to health reasons. The best thing about natural methods of avoiding pregnancy is that they do not have any negative effects; however, to follow this method couples have to be determined and disciplined. Artificial Family Planning Methods Condoms: Condoms are the most commonly used male contraceptive to escape pregnancy. Using condoms during sexual intercourse acts like a barrier for sperms to enter the vagina, thus restricting their contact with the egg. In recent times, even female

condoms are available in the market. Along with birth control, a condom also helps in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. There have been cases where condoms have failed to avoid pregnancy, but this is mostly due to defective condoms or incorrect use of the condom. Birth Control and Emergency Pills: Another method of artificial family planning is the use of birth control pills by women. Birth control pills also known as oral contraceptives, stop the development of the egg and also helps in the thickening of the cervical mucus in the uterus, thus restricting the passage of the sperms to the egg. This can be an effective method if the pills are taken regularly and in the correct manner. If contraceptives do not work out, another way of precluding pregnancy is to take emergency contraceptive pills. If a couple has indulged in unsafe sex, the woman can take emergency pills to reduce the chances of getting pregnant. Intrauterine device (IUD): The IUD or Copper T as it is commonly known is a very convenient, safe and reversible method of family planning which does not require a daily routine. It is a small device made of metal, copper or plastic that is inserted into the uterus of a woman of reproductive age, for as long as she does not want a pregnancy. Normally once it is inserted, it stays in place for 5 to 10 years and inhibits the entry of sperms into the inner recesses of the vagina and also prevents fertilization. It is the most popular and widely used female contraceptive method . The IUD should be inserted and removed (when pregnancy is desired) by a qualified medical practitioner, to avoid complications.

Sterilization: refers to permanent contraception by surgical procedures, to avoid future pregnancies. It is a method of birth control suited for couples who do not want to have any more children or couples who don't want to have even a single child. Vasectomy is the procedure for men and tubectomy or tubal ligation for women. It is by far the safest and most effective method of pregnancy control, though irreversible. Sterilizing is done permanently and is a full proof method. Artificial family planning methods, like IUDs or contraceptives to postpone or avoid a pregnancy are effective, if used in the correct manner. However, these methods can cause certain side effects, especially oral contraceptives. Women who take birth control pills may experience nausea, weight gain, vomiting, ectopic pregnancy, etc. Regular use of contraceptive pills may also make conception difficult, if couples want to have a baby later. Sometimes over use of birth control pills can lead to infertility in women. One of the problems with condoms is that they are made of latex and people who have latex allergy are not able to use them. Any method of family planning, be it natural or artificial, does not affect the sex life of the couple. However, no method is full proof and there have been rare cases where women have become pregnant even after using contraception. So, the best way would be consult one's gynecologist for the appropriate family planning method to stay away from a pregnancy that is undesirable. Buzzle,cm

The Standard Days Method The Standard Days Method (SDM) is a new simple fertility awareness-based method. It relies on a "standard rule" or a fixed "window" of fertility that makes it easy for women to know when they are likely to become pregnant. The fact that it involves no calculation or observation makes the SDM easy for service providers to teach and for women to learn and use. To avoid pregnancy, a woman with cycles between 26 and 32 days long should not have unprotected intercourse on cycle days 8 through 19. A color-coded string of beads, called Cycle Beads , are used to help women keep track of the days of their menstrual cycle and see which days they are likely to get pregnant. More on the SDM... The TwoDay Method The TwoDay Method is a new simple approach to NFP. It relies on a simple algorithm to help women identify when they are fertile, based upon the presence or absence of cervical secretions. If the woman notices any secretions on the current or previous day, then she is probably fertile today and should not have unprotected intercourse if she wants to avoid pregnancy. If she notices no secretions today and yesterday (two days in a row without secretions), then she is not fertile today. More on the TDM... The Ovulation Method The Ovulation Method, also call the Cervical Mucus Method, is based on understanding and interpreting changing cervical secretions that are produced at the neck of the uterus (cervix). At the time of greatest fertility, these secretions become clear, stretchy, slippery

and wet. Couples who wish to avoid pregnancy abstain from intercourse from the onset of cervical mucus symptom until three days after the last day of fertile-type secretions. Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Women using the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Method identify their fertility by observing their body temperature each morning before beginning any activity. The body temperature is lower before ovulation and rises slightly to about .2 degrees Celsius or .4 degrees Fahrenheit after ovulation. Couples who wish to avoid a pregnancy abstain from intercourse from the onset of menses until three days after the woman's basal body temperature has risen, to about .2 degrees Celsius or .4 degrees Fahrenheit, signifying the end of the fertile phase Symptothermal Method The Symptothermal Method involves observing changes in the cervical secretions, along with changes in the basal body temperature, and the position and feel of the opening of the cervix. Other fertility signs such as midcycle pain or bleeding may accompany ovulation. Couples who wish to avoid pregnancy abstain from intercourse during the fertile period identified by all of the fertility indicators. Lactational Amenorrhea Method

The Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) is based on scientific evidence that a woman is not fertile and unlikely to become pregnant during full lactation or exclusive breastfeeding. Full lactation describes breastfeeding when no regular supplemental feeding of any type is given (not even water) and the infant is feeding both day and night with little separation from the mother. LAM provides maximum protection as long as:
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Menstruation has not resumed and Bottle feeds or regular food supplements are not introduced and Baby is less than 6 months of age.

Effectiveness of Natural Family Planning Methods

Successful use of natural methods to prevent pregnancy depends upon:

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The accuracy of the method in identifying the woman's actual fertile days A couple's ability to correctly identify the fertile time The couple's ability to follow the rules of the method they are using

Unintended pregnancies among women practicing natural methods are primarily related to user error. A sizable but unknown portion of the unintended pregnancies is attributable to improper teaching and poor use of the methods. Experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) suspect that among users of NFP, sexual-risk taking during fertile days--that is, having intercourse even when they know the woman is fertile--accounts for more unintended pregnancy than does inability to accurately identify the fertile time.

Couples who use natural methods correctly to prevent pregnancy have only a 1% to 9% chance of becoming pregnant during one year of use, depending on which method they use. Couples who do not use their method correctly that is, they have intercourse on days when the method's guidelines tell them that the woman is fertile -have a much greater chance of unintended pregnancy. Advantages and Disadvantages of Natural Family Planning Method

Advantages
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Increased self-awareness and knowledge of their fertility Increased reliance on their own resources rather than a family planning program or other sources of contraception Increased independence from costly or distant medical services Freedom from artificial substances and the side effects or potential medical risks of other methods Reduced re-supply costs associated with commodity-based methods Enhanced communication and intimacy with partner Encourages male involvement in family planning For some, the ability to adhere to religious and cultural norms

Disadvantages
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The commitment, motivation and cooperation of both partners is necessary For women using symptom-based methods, keeping daily records of fertility signs and symptoms

When used for pregnancy prevention, a couple may experience stress as a result of not being able to have unprotected intercourse for several days in a row during the fertile days

Different Family Planning Methods There are many options for family planning out there, and it is confusing to sort through all of them. Each one has different effectiveness ratings, but some are more comfortable (for some people) than others. Reading through a simple breakdown of all of the family planning methods available will help you weed out the ones you are not interested in, so you can go about researching just the ones that are of interest to you. 1. Natural o Natural family planning is also called the rhythm method. It involves tracking the woman's ovulation and avoiding sex when she is fertile. Natural family planning has a success rate ranging from 78 to 88 percent. Barrier
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Barrier methods include the condom, which is placed over the man's penis, and the diaphragm, which the woman inserts in her vagina. The diaphragm covers the entrance to the uterus, thereby blocking the sperm's access. The cervical cap does the same thing, but can be left in longer. The condom holds the sperm inside it. In general, barrier methods have an effectiveness rating of 71 percent to 85 percent, but using a spermicide along with a barrier increases its effectiveness.

Oral/Topical

Some women take pills or wear a patch to control their hormones. If used correctly, these drugs prevent pregnancy. If the woman wants to become pregnant, she can simply stop taking the pill or remove the patch. The effectiveness of these methods is rated at 92 percent.

Injection
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Depo-Provera is an injection given to women as birth control. Women must get the shot four times per year, and it has an effectiveness rating of 97 percent to 99 percent.

Internal
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IUD stands for internal uterine device. An IUD is inserted into a woman's uterus by a doctor to prevent pregnancy. When the woman is ready to become pregnant, her doctor removes the device. The effectiveness is rated at 97 percent to 99 percent.

Sterilization
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A vasectomy is a form of outpatient surgery given to men. In a vasectomy, the tubes that carry sperm from the testes to the urethra, or vas deferens, are cut, so that sperm never enter the man's ejaculate. Women can be sterilized by cutting the tubes that connect the ovaries to the uterus. This, however, requires hospitalization and recovery. Effectiveness for sterilization for both men and women is rated at 99 percent or more, but not 100 percent due to extremely rare medical flukes.