Natural family planning
Fertility awareness (also known as natural family planning) involves tracking how your body changes during your menstrual cycle to help you predict when pregnancy is more likely.
If your periods are regular, your fertile time is usually about 7-10 days in each cycle.
To check this more accurately, you need to track more than just period dates — you also record your early morning temperature and changes in vaginal fluid.
There is a higher risk of pregnancy with this method of contraception.
- You’ll need to track signs of fertility every day, like your body temperature (before getting up), vaginal fluid changes, and your menstrual cycle dates.
- On fertile days, you can use condoms or avoid sex to prevent pregnancy.
- It can take a few months to learn your pattern, and things like stress or illness can make it harder.
- There are no side effects because there are no hormones or procedures — but there’s a higher risk of pregnancy (around 24 in 100 people get pregnant each year using this method).
- Fertility Awareness doesn’t protect against STIs, including HIV — use condoms too. Learn more about STIs here.
There are many apps available claiming to support fertility awareness.
Things to consider are:
- Some apps can help track your cycle, but many only track periods — not temperature or vaginal fluid.
- For accurate tracking, you may benefit from guidance from fertility awareness teachers. Find a qualified teacher here: Fertility UK.
- There is a higher risk of pregnancy with this method. If fertility awareness methods are not used correctly, up to 20 women in every 100 will become pregnant. If you want a non-hormonal contraception option with lower pregnancy risk, consider condoms or the copper coil (IUD).
