How to Use the Calendar Method for Birth Control | Health and Fitness

The calendar method of birth control is a natural way to track a woman?s menstrual cycle to determine when sexual intercourse is most likely to lead to pregnancy. According to PlannedParenthood.org, calendar methods are moreover referred to as fertility awareness-based methods (FAMs). PlannedParenthood.org indicates that the calendar method is 91 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. Contracept.org and Mayo Clinic advise the failure rate of the calendar method to be 13 percent. The calendar method can moreover be used when couples are trying to conceive.

1. Trace your menstrual patterns for at least eight cycles, according to PlannedParenthood.org. Begin by circling the first day of the cycle. This is the day that your period starts. Do this for each month until at least eight cycles have been documented.

2. Compute the number of days in your cycle. For example, if the first period started on the 20th day of January and the second period started on the 22nd day of February, there would be 32 days in this first cycle. Continue making this chart until all eight cycle lengths are calculated.

3. Predict the first fertile day in the current cycle. According to PlannedParenthood.org this can be done by identifying the shortest monthly cycle. Examine the chart created over the past eight or more months. Determine which cycle had the fewest days. Subtract 18 from this number. For example, the shortest cycle may be 28 days. Take 18 away from 28 to arrive at 10. Beginning with day one of the current cycle, count out 10 days, or whatever number you arrived at from your equation, on the calendar. Mark it with an ?X?. PlannedParenthood.org explains that the first day of the cycle is included in the counting down to the first fertile day.

4. Forecast the last fertile day in the current cycle. Identify the longest cycle in the chart by finding the largest number of days. Subtract the number 11 from it. Beginning with day one of the current cycle, count this new number of days out on the calendar. For example, the longest cycle may be 31 days. Take 11 away from 31 to arrive at 20. Beginning with the first day of the current cycle, count out 20 days. Mark it with an ?X?. This ?X? signifies the last day of fertility in the current cycle.

5. Refrain or avoid unprotected sexual intercourse between the first and last potential day of fertility. If other methods of birth control are used, then they should be implemented during the fertile dates. When trying to conceive, sexual intercourse during the fertile days will increase the likelihood of conception.

• The longer the calendar method is tracked the more reliable it will be for your specific fertility cycles. The calendar method is more reliable for women that have cycles lasting the same number of days each time. Every woman?s cycle is different and may vary due to factors like stress.
• PlannedParenthood.org warns against using the calendar method if cycles are shorter than 27 days. The calendar method for birth control does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

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