Natural Family Planning is the alternative to birth control pills most commonly espoused by the Roman Catholic Church. This form of birth control is very effective when used properly, but there are still many women leery of it because it's not as effective as the Pill or a condom. The Billing's Method relies heavily on a woman knowing exactly how her body responds during ovulation and what to expect from it, so it's important to understand how this method works before embarking on it.
The Billing's Method works by understanding how your body reacts to ovulation. In ovulation, the mucus that is excreted through the cervix is very different from the regular mucus that is found naturally in a woman. It is sticky, white and has the consistency of uncooked egg whites, making it easy to spot once you know what you're looking for. Another factor is a rise in body temperature during ovulation and though it's not necessary to chart this (because body temperatures can rise from so many other factors) it's something to keep an eye out for. Some women also have different sensations around the vulva and clitoris when they're ovulating; they may feel sexual sensations more intensely for example. Other women have problems with bloating and minor cramping when they're ovulating.
Once you start keeping track of these sensations in the time of ovulation, then it becomes much easier to figure out when you're most fertile and thus should avoid sexual intercourse. Women are most fertile for about one hundred and twenty hours during ovulation and their body's reactions make them ideal for holding sperm; the mucus for example is a perfect place for sperm to stay without harm.
Keeping track of the ovulation symptoms is key to this method working because this way you can take into account changes in your system that would affect your menstrual cycle. It also works well for women who are naturally irregular since you go on a month by month case instead of trying to predict it. However, you don't have to do much more than keep track of your symptoms and chart them; you don't have to take a body temperature or do any internal checks; you just have to keep track of the changes in your body.
The Billing's Method of natural family planning should only be done under the supervision of an instructor, at least for the first while, because although it has a 90% or more rate of effectiveness, it is only effective when it's done properly. You can find instructors online or by talking to your doctor about this method of family planning. The Billing's Method, when properly done, is a great way to control your chances of pregnancy without worrying about taking drugs or using internal devices and is often the only way for those of a religious bent to control their rate of pregnancy.
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