A woman can get pregnant if a man’s sperm reaches one of her eggs (ova). Contraception tries to stop this happening by keeping the egg and sperm apart or by stopping egg production. One method of contraception is natural family planning.
How does natural family planning work?
It works by plotting the times of the month (menstrual cycle) when you’re fertile and when you’re not.
You learn how to record fertility signals, such as your body temperature and fluids in your cervix, to identify when it’s safer to have sex. This method is more effective when more than one fertility signal is monitored.
You can't learn natural family planning from a book. It has to be learned from a specialist teacher. To find a natural family planning teacher, ask your doctor or contact the FPA.
How effective is natural family planning
If the instructions are properly followed, natural family planning methods are up to 98% effective, depending on what method is used. This means that up to two women in 100 who use natural family planning will get pregnant in one year.
It will be less effective if it's not used according to the instructions. It takes commitment and time to achieve 98% effectiveness.
Added benefits of natural family planning?
There are no physical side effects, and you can use it to plan when you get pregnant.
What else should I know?
- You have to keep a daily record of your fertility signals, such as your temperature and the fluids coming from your cervix. It takes three to six menstrual cycles to learn the method.
- Your fertility signals can be affected by illness, stress and travel.
- If you want to have sex during your fertile time (which lasts around eight days a month), use a condom.
By using condoms as well as natural family planning, you'll help to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Lactational amenorrhoea method (LAM)
Women don't have periods while they're breastfeeding (this is known as lactational amenorrhoea). Therefore breastfeeding can be used as a form of contraception. This is known as the lactational amenorrhoea method.
The fertility signals used in natural family planning methods are not reliable in women who are breastfeeding.
Women who are fully (or nearly fully) breastfeeding can use the lactational amenorrhoea method for the first six months as long as:
- the woman has complete amenorrhoea (no periods at all)
- she's fully or very nearly fully breastfeeding
- the baby is less than six months old
When used correctly and consistently, one in 200 women who use LAM will get pregnant in the first six months. However, take care to use the method correctly. Don't feed your baby other foods because this may reduce your lactation.
LAM becomes unreliable:
- when other foods or liquids are substituted for breast milk
- after the baby is six months old
After having a baby, it's possible to get pregnant before your periods start again because you ovulate (release an egg) around two weeks before your period. For more information on breastfeeding, LAM and other reliable methods of contraception, talk to your health visitor, midwife or doctor. You can also see the breastfeeding guide.
Further information
Find out about the 15 methods of contraception
Contraception after having a baby
