Comparing fertility awareness vs contraceptive methods
Both fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) and contraceptives can both be used as a means to prevent pregnancy. Listed below is the efficacy of each method, along with possible health risks.
FABMs such as FEMM, which uses LH testing + cervical mucus, are extremely effective for avoiding pregnancy, if desired. Because FEMM uses your body’s natural signs to determine the time of fertility each cycle, there are no negative health risks. This method is successful by allowing you to know and observe the fertile signs your body gives each cycle, and can avoid intercourse during these times of the cycle to avoid pregnancy.
FABMs do require you to have the education needed to know which signs of fertility to look for. It is highly recommended to take a course from a certified FABM teacher to help you learn your body’s cues. Additionally, using a FABM as a means to avoid pregnancy requires frequent observations throughout the day (typically when going to the bathroom) in order to be effective.
Contraceptives can also be used to prevent pregnancy, but they do come with significant health risks. The most common contraceptives are hormonal birth control, typically birth control pills. Birth control pills work by ingesting constant levels of synthetic hormones, which suppresses the body’s ability to release the hormones necessary to ovulate. Essentially, birth control pills shut down the ovulation cycle. Without ovulation, pregnancy cannot occur.
Having these constant levels of hormones, such as estrogen, carries significant health risks. Estrogen increases the risk of many types of cancer, specifically breast, cervical, and liver cancers. The World Health Organization classifies oral hormonal contraceptives as a group 1 carcinogen, along with asbestos and smoking. Additionally, this constant level of estrogen carries the risk of blood clots and strokes.
Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) work similarly to birth control pills by releasing constant levels of hormones to prevent ovulation. IUDs can cause perforation or infection, as well as pain with insertion.
Female and male sterilization are surgical procedures. Male sterilization can cause fluid build up in the testicles, and 1-2% of men will develop chronic pain. For female sterilization, there is increased risk of ectopic pregnancy if failure occurs. In addition, there is a significant increase in anxiety and depression for both men and women who have undergone sterilization procedures.
People have the right to choose a method that works best for them. However, these contraceptives are often given without patients receiving true informed consent about the risks of the medication or procedures that they are receiving. If you would like to learn how to chart your cycle and be in tune with your fertility without health risks, please feel free to contact me or schedule an appointment below!
Additional sources:
World Health Organization (WHO), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC Monographs Programme Finds Combined Estrogen-Progestogen Contraceptives and Menopausal Therapy are Carcinogenic to Humans. Press Re-lease No. 167, 29 July 2005. Available at http://www. iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2005/pr167.html
James Trussell, Contraceptive failure in the United States, 83 Contraception 397, 398 tbl.1 (2011).
Pallone, MD, Stephen R. and George R. Bergus, MD. Fertility Awareness-Based Methods: Another Option for Family Planning. Journal of Fertility Awareness-Based Family Planning. March-April 2009. Vol. 22 No. 2 . pp. 147-157.
Fehring, PhD, Richard J., M, Mary Schneider, MSN, APRN, and Mary Lee Barron, PhD, RN, NFP-BC. Efficacy of the Marquette Method of Natural Family Planning. MCN. November/ December 2008. Vol. 33 No. 6. pp. 348 - 354.
