Through technological advances and fertility tracking apps, more women are becoming empowered to know their own biology, make better decisions about reproductive health and family planning.

 

Birth Control Choices 

 

In the mainstream medical community, most women are encouraged that the only means to prevent unplanned pregnancy is to use hormonal birth control methods such as oral contraceptives and IUDs.

There are many downsides to hormonal birth control being the only option including adverse side effects such as blood clots and stroke. In addition, hormonal birth control uses a pill to put a band aid on a reproductive health issue, avoids identifying the root cause of the issue and places a woman at high risk experiencing side effects from the medication.

 

Alternative Birth Control Choices

 

In the last 50 years scientific research has helped doctors understand with great precision how to pinpoint the time of a woman’s ovulation even when she has irregular cycles.

Based on this research, methods of charting a woman’s cycle have been designed that help her know accurately what days she could get pregnant if she has intercourse. Those methods include:

• Cervical mucus: Each month, a woman will experience a moist to slippery sensation when she wipes. She will observe a white, yellow or clear discharge. This is a sign that ovulation is near. The sensation, texture and appearance changes as ovulation approaches.

• Hormonal production: Right around the time of ovulation, two key hormones are at play- Luteinizing hormone (LH) and estrogen. LH can be detected in your urine with a simple home test. When an LH is positive, a woman will     ovulate within 24-36 hours from the first positive test.

 

Peak day is the last day a woman sees, observes and experiences the most estrogenic mucus which is compared to “egg whites” with characteristics being clear, slippery, lubricative, stretchy and abundant. A woman’s fertile window is 3 days on either side of peak day.

For LH testing, the woman will begin to test the first day she experiences a moist sensation or sees thick, cloudy white discharge. She will test until she is positive. Her fertility window with LH testing is the day she tests positive +4 more days since she will ovulate 24-36 hours after a positive LH test.

 

Fertility Tracking Apps

 

Fertility tracking apps help a woman track all the events of her cycle from the first day of menstruation, her preovulatory, ovulatory and post ovulatory events so she can best predict her ovulation without the side effects.

In addition, she can track symptoms, medications, general health events and anything that would interfere with her normal cycle. Furthermore, she can analyze her fertility health from cycle to cycle to better manage her fertility and goals of achieving or avoiding pregnancy without the use of hormonal birth control methods.

Although it is not encouraged to solely depend on a fertility app when trying to prevent pregnancy, it is highly recommended to pair the fertility app with a certified fertility education instructor.

Fertility education programs like FEMM (Fertility Education & Medical Management) exist to educate women about their own biology and empower them to be the most informed participants of their healthcare through natural, effective, side-effect free, evidence-based methods that are safe and effective alternatives to hormonal birth control.

 

Alternative Birth Control Resources

 

At True Choice Medical Clinics, we understand that women are showing more dissatisfaction with the current birth control methods and their adverse side effects. They are tired of their reproductive health concern questions always being answered with a pill by the mainstream medical community.

TCMC offers programs like FEMM education empowering women to achieve hormonal health through charting their cycles while working side-by-side with a medical professional who will help them significantly improve their overall health.

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To consult with a certified fertility education instructor, call 858-397-1970 or email [email protected].

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New Fertility Apps Reveal Women Desire to Understand Their Cycles

https://naturalwomanhood.org/topic/natural-birth-control/- effective