Re: Just can't Win

Hi friend! My heart truly goes out to you! It seems so unfair that we have so much pressure put on us to use BC. I was at an appointment just today and it is the third appointment I have been at where once they find out I have had Mirena removed they immediately start questioning me about MY method of BC. I like to watch their jaws drop when I tell them I think I'm all done with BC and I want to have 10 more children over the next 10 years. This usually gets them twitchy and they drop the subject. LOL! Sometimes I have to have a little fun because I get so mad when this stuff is being pushed on us and yet there is no risk assessment done. PUSH PUSH PUSH is all I hear when the nurses and docs question and I am done being put on trial by the docs and nurses! Me and the hubby are using condoms but have thought about Natural family planning too! Maybe you could let your hubby read side effects and risks associated with the different BC's and he may change his mind if he knows what a health risk hormonal BC's pose. I also wanted to pass on the following info regarding natural family planning. You do not have to get a period to use this method. There are two methods that requires a period but there are two others that don't. Hope it is okay I jumped on the boat to vent a bit too! I also hope this info helps you out! Please keep us all posted friend!! Take care! Hugs!:):):)





Calendar rhythm method

The calendar rhythm method relies upon calculating a woman's fertile period on the calendar. Based upon her 12 previous menstrual cycles, a woman subtracts l8 days from her shortest menstrual cycle to determine her first fertile day and 11 days from her longest menstrual cycle to determine her last fertile day. She can then calculate the total number of days during which she may ovulate. If a woman's menstrual cycles are quite irregular from month to month, there will be a greater number of days during which she might become pregnant. The calendar method is only about 80% effective in preventing pregnancy and when used alone is considered outdated.

Basal body temperature (BBT)

The basal body temperature (BBT) method is based upon the fact that a woman's temperature drops 12 to 24 hours before an egg is released from her ovary and then increases again once the egg has been released. Unfortunately, this temperature difference is not very large. It is less than 1 degree F (about a half degree C) in the body at rest.

The basal body temperature method requires that a woman take her temperature every morning before she gets out of bed. An accurate, sensitive thermometer must be used and the daily temperature variations carefully noted. This must be done every month. A computerized monitor for recording and charting fertility is now available on the market, but a woman still must take her own temperature and enter this information into the monitor.

To use the BBT as a birth control method, a woman should refrain from having sexual intercourse from the time her temperature drops until at least 48 to72 hours after her temperature increases again.

Mucus inspection method

The mucus inspection method depends on the presence or absence of a particular type of cervical mucus that a woman produces in response to estrogen. A woman will generate larger amounts of more watery mucus than usual (like raw egg white) just before release of an egg from her ovary. A woman can learn to recognize differences in the quantity and quality of her cervical mucus by examining its appearance on her underwear, pads and toilet tissue.

She may choose to have intercourse between the time of her last menstrual period and the time of increased cervical mucus. During this period, it is recommended that she have sexual intercourse only every other day because the presence of seminal fluid makes it more difficult to determine the nature of her cervical mucus. If the woman does not wish to become pregnant, she should not have sexual intercourse at all for 3 to 4 days after she notices the greatest amount of cervical mucus.

Symptothermal

The symptothermal method combines certain aspects of the calendar, the basal body temperature, and the mucus inspection methods. Not only are all these factors taken into consideration, but so are other symptoms such as slight cramping and breast tenderness. Some women experience lower abdominal discomfort (in the area of the ovaries) during release of an egg (ovulation).