Natural Family Planning: Fertility Awareness Withdrawal

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Natural Family PlanningFertility
AwarenessWithdrawal
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What is Fertility Awareness ?

• A variety of methods that can be used to help a
  woman tell which days she is most likely to get
  pregnant.
• Involves observing and writing down natural signs
  of fertility.

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How Does Fertility Awareness Work?

• A woman uses her fertility patterns to predict
  when she will release an egg from the ovary.
• A woman must keep an exact daily record of her
  body temperature, chart her menstrual cycle, and
  note changes in the mucus that comes from the
  cervix and vagina.

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How Effective is Fertility Awareness?

• Difficult to calculate.
• Increased effectiveness with daily recording of
  temperature, menstrual cycle, and mucus changes
  from cervix and vagina.
• Typically, there is a 20 pregnancy rate.

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Advantages of Fertility Awareness

• It is a natural method.
• There are no known side effects.
• Both partners share responsibility.
• Helps couples to know the best time to get
  pregnant.
• Morally and culturally acceptable.

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Disadvantages of Fertility Awareness

• High rate of pregnancy when not used correctly or
  consistently
• This method cannot be used if the womans
  menstrual cycle is irregular.
• If a woman has a fever, Pelvic Inflammatory
  Disease (PID), or sexually transmitted infections
  it is more difficult to be accurate with this
  method.
• A couple must use a barrier method or abstain
  from sex during the fertile time.
• This method offers no protection against sexually
  transmitted infections.

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What is the Withdrawal Method?

• During sex the man withdraws his penis from the
  vagina before he ejaculates (cums).

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How Effective is Withdrawal?

• The effectiveness rate varies with the
  self-control of the male.
• The male must recognize he is about to ejaculate
  and pull out.
• With typical use about 20 out of 100 females
  would be pregnant after one year of using
  withdrawal.

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Advantages of Using Withdrawal

• Natural method that does not require devices or
  medicine in the body.
• There are no known side effects.
• No cost.
• Is morally and culturally acceptable.
• Better than not using any birth control method.

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Disadvantages of Using Withdrawal

• There is a high rate of failure
• Relies on the man recognizing when he will
  ejaculate.
• If semen comes in contact with the opening of the
  vagina the woman may become pregnant.
• Sex may not be as pleasurable for the couple.
• Not recommended if it is dangerous for the woman
  to become pregnant.
• No protection against sexually transmitted
  infections.