28 days, 25 days, 34 days. Is The Rhythm Method really a safe method of birth control?
These days, women menstruate all over the map. However, The Rhythm Method remains the oldest ‘natural’ form of birth control.
It was first developed in the 1930’s. It’s considered the only device-free, barrier-free, drug-free method of contraception.
Many couples still use this method. It’s free of side-effects, cheap, and works (well, most of the time).
For my male readers, if you aren’t interested in being a father anytime soon, use protection. Even if your partner says she isn’t ovulating, still wear a condom.
Unless a woman is very diligent with monitoring her cycle and has very regular cycles, this method is not considered safe or effective.
In fact, it was given the nickname, “Vatican Roulette,” which is a game that you’re probably not interested in playing when it comes to parenthood.
The Rhythm Method is based on avoiding sexual intercourse during specific days that are considered ‘unsafe’.
In order to use this method, both couples need to co-operate. To determine the ‘unsafe’ days, a woman must know when she is ovulating.
While ovulation kits are popular, they are not the only option. Here are some others.
The Calendar Method:
If a woman has a perfect 28 day cycle, she may feel confident relying on this method of birth control. With ovulation occurring on day 14, she will need to abstain from sexual intercourse from days 11 – 17.
The rest of the days, she can engage in unprotected sex.
If a woman does not have a perfect menstrual cycle, she’ll need to track her menses for at least 6 months to gather information. Once this is done, she subtracts 20 from her shortest cycle and 10 from her longest cycle.
If you work this out on paper, you’ll see that with a cycle ranging from 25 – 30 days, she’ll need to avoid sex from day 5 – 20.
Abstaining from intercourse for half the month might not be the best option … agreed?
Basal Body Temperature:
With this method, a woman’s temperature will need to be taken first thing in the morning before getting up.
She tracks her temperature for months, and is able to identify when she ovulates based on the pattern of her temperature drop right before ovulation.
Again, she’ll need to abstain from sexual intercourse for at least three days before and after ovulation, because sperm can survive inside a woman’s body for 3-7 days.
Cervical Mucus:
If using cervical mucus to determine ovulation, ladies and gentleman, be very careful!
Spermicides, vaginal creams, and other chemicals inserted into the vagina alter the natural production of mucus and make this method extremely unreliable.
Mucus is collected from close to the uterine opening and stretched between the thumb and index fingers. If it looks like raw egg whites and doesn’t break apart, it’s fertile mucus, and it’s not a ‘safe’ time to have intercourse.
Ovulation App:
You’ve got to love technology!
Women input the first day of their period every month and the app will tell them exactly when they’re ovulating and which days they should abstain from sex.
Two thumbs up for this app and fingers crossed that there aren’t any software bugs.
I’m going to wrap up with a joke that I heard throughout my four years in Naturopathic Medical school:
What do you call people who use natural birth control, also known as The Rhythm Method?
Answer: Parents!
For my readers who have questions/comments or baby stories to share about The Rhythm Method, please feel free to post in the comments section below.
Dr. Sara has appeared on multiple radio shows/podcasts, the W Network, Breakfast Television and CP24. For almost 5 years, she worked as the National Spokesperson for a well-known digestive wellness brand, educating across the globe on gut health. Dr. Sara has been named a rising star in Canada receiving the Generation Next award for her outstanding contribution to shaping the future of Canada’s grocery industry. She frequently contributes to large publications and has been published in Best Health Magazine, The Globe and Mail, Sweat Equity, Grocery Business, Inside Fitness, Canadian Living, Elevate, HELLO, and ELLE Canada.
Dr. Sara’s approach to healthcare is not as easy as taking a pill. The “quick-fix” approach is not one she subscribes to. While there’s a pill for just about everything, rarely do prescription drugs stop the course of disease - they merely mask symptoms. Dr. Sara believes true health requires a commitment from both the doctor and the patient.
No Comments