This reeks of antichoice ,a href="http://www.noroomforcontraception.com/">No Room for Contraception nonsense to me...just saying.

Hello...? Withdrawal method!

I think unless you are really okay with the possibility of getting pregnant, it's not worth the risk. I think a combo of condoms and the rhythm method would be a good idea for those who want to avoid hormones would be great. Personally, I think I'm just a little too forgetful at the moment for this one. I could barely remember to track my cycle when we were trying to get pregnant.

What I'm really scared of is how many teens are going to get a hold of this study and, without having the right information, attempt the rhythm method instead of condoms. Scary!

I think that it is misleading for the article to call it the "rhythm method". What it is, is the Fertility Awareness Method, which involves taking your basal body temperature when waking, monitoring and interpreting cervical mucus, and monitoring and interpreting cervical positioning. The so-called Rhythm Method simply relied on counting days, and assumed (often incorrectly) that this was enough to determine when a women was fertile or infertile. I think that the fertility awareness method is awesome in that it encourages women to know how their bodies work and why. If one uses it correctly, it does work really well. That said, it is way more of a hassle than hormonal or barrier methods. And it is not only helpful in telling when you most likely will not get pregnant, but also when you could likely get pregnant, which is helpful for people trying to conceive. I've read about it in Taking Charge of Your Fertility, although I know there are other books out there on it.

To do the rhythm method properly requires technology, iron will, an equally committed mate, a settled, sober life and a 24/7 determination not to get pregnant. For young women, who often have irregular periods, it's a terrible method. It's like one of those diets that would work if you could stay on it but almost nobody can. it sounds like the study was designed to exclude the vast majority of women.
If you don't like the pill, what about the diaphragm? it's completely safe, can be put in hours before sex, and although it can be a pain in the neck is much less unspontaneous and much simpler than the rhythm method! The only reason I can see for promoting rhythm over diaphragm is a religious bias against "artificial" birth control.

Given the vast bulk of the research on the subject, this is probably just a statistical fluke. It looks like the wingnuts are stealing from Pharma's playbook: keep funding studies until an inevitable statistical fluke arises, then rely on PR to sell your propaganda.

Moreover, it doesn't jive with endocrinology research. Because hormones are so closely tied to environment, even a three month "learning" period will be unable to predict future ovulations. Unless, of course, you have the most boring, stress-free, and predictable routine imaginable.

That said, the Pill is far less than 99% effective, even with perfect patient compliance. Studies don't always reflect this because they tend to exclude overweight women, older women, etc.

I am living, if anecdotal, evidence that 19-year-olds probably aren't the best candidates for this method of birth control. Or at least they weren't in 1967 (hi mom!).

No one I know uses what you call the "Rhythm Method." That is a non-scientific method, based on guessing.

Natural Family Planning, though, is completely scientific and extremely easy and effective to use. I use the Billings method and have so for years. I have one child.

I choose to use NFP because I truly believe the whole basis for birth control is sexist to its core. NFP doesn't assume there is something wrong with female fertility, but instead honors it by putting a woman in touch with her own body. It isn't something that needs to be suppressed or controlled.

It is not difficult. It is easy. I have taught it to my girlfriends, I have even had to teach my doctor because the medical schools don't think it is important to teach BASIC female information to doctors.

True story, one of my friends was trying to get pregnant. She went to her doctor and he told her take the Pill to "regulate her cycle." She thought that sounded pretty dumb so I told her to chart her cycle. She took her chart into an NFP doctor who took one look and said, "Oh, it looks like you are running low on x type of hormone." Sure enough, after one dose, she was pregnant. Typical doctors don't have a clue what a female's chart means or how to read it. What does this say about sexism in medicine?

I would think all feminists would be completely passionate about taking control of their own fertility and educating themselves about their own bodies.

HOWEVER, NFP does not protect against STDs so there is almost an inherent assumption that partners will be monogamous. But,then, neither does the Pill or Patch.

I will step off of my soap box. I just get mad when people reject something they have no clue about and what is, I believe, completely in line with feminism.

The comments seem to be reactionary and not based on the current data. The newest method includes charting the way you ovulate, instead of relying on averages. This is done by charting what your discharges are like (extra gooey) and taking temperature so you learn when you are actually ovulating. Unfortunately, it is very labour intensive. Of course, such results of studies of it's effectiveness should be investigated further to assure their scientific validity but it need to be recognized that we've come a long way in regards to reproductive science. Pin pointing when we are ovulating and therefore fertile is becoming a much more exact science, not based on the average. I don't see why women see this as such a threat, isn't it liberating if we have an effective method that doesn't involve putting chemicals in our body which increase our risk of stroke among other things. I think it is a very individual choice which should be made with the best most current scientific data. Some of these posters seem as prejudiced against this method as those opposing birth control. Lets base our decisions on a rational basis, and recognize that most things are really not 'one size fits all.'

Jessica, I'm confused why you say this reeks of anti-choice? Geez, open your mind a bit. Some women, like myself, don't like taking the pill. This doesn't mean I am anti-choice. Far from it!

I really wish people would state whether they are talking about the rhythm method or NFP. It is extremely frustrating to see a lack of distinction in that article. It's false reporting and yeah Manda, I would be afraid of someone seeing that article and thinking "Oh, I will just have sex around my period and it will work!"
NFP and the "rhythm method" are truly two different things, and the rhythm method is pretty much a game of odds based on faulty notions of women's fertility.

Cat, Sure the rhythm method wouldn't work for irregular periods. However, NFP, which elizabeth aptly described, does work with irregular periods, and a whole bunch of other "lady" issues.

I am a huge supporter of NFP. It is a good alternative if you just can't handle the side-effects of horomones but want some back up protection beyond barrier methods. It does take some dedication, especially in the beginning. But I find taking my temperature at the the same time every morning to monitor my cycle to be pretty similar to when I would take the pill at the same time every single day. I have used it for two years, no problems. I have a few friends who have used it 10+ years with no problems.

The problem with NFP, as I see it, is that on the days when a woman is most fertile, and therefore most biologically likely to want sex, she can't have it. That doesn't sit well with me.

I don't know. It seems impractical to me for the simple reason that I tend to be more uh..."randy" when I am ovulating. That would kind of suck if that was the one time I wasn't supposed to have sex...when I want it most.

I agree with the poster that spoke of the diaphram. I used it with my last bf and was very happy with it.

Also it does seem as though it is quite a hassle to do all the steps needed for the Rhythm/Fertile Awareness method to be effective. I don't have the patience for the upkeep of something like that.

I have never understood why "The Church" is okay with the rhythm method, and not with other kinds of birth control. I mean if you are using the rhythm method you are still consciously trying to prevent a pregnancy, and therefore having sex for pleasure rather than for procreation.

This is really interesting. I'm not interested in committing to the rhythm method myself, but it's good that it might be an alternative for women who don't want the hormones from the pill.

That said, I'm curious about why some women claim that they're against "artificial" birth control, but then they use the rhythm method...isn't that also a form of controlling how many babies they have? I've never understood that.

"I would think all feminists would be completely passionate about taking control of their own fertility and educating themselves about their own bodies."

Well, you'd be wrong. Don't misunderstand--I take your point about sexism in medicine. But anytime somebody starts in with the "all feminists" rhetoric is almost always when I find myself excluded. I don't really have any interest in tracking my fertility. I like condoms. They work, and they're no bother. I don't see anything sexist about them; I'm not claiming, by using them, that there's something "wrong" with my fertility. I'm merely indicating that I don't particularly want to use it right now.

The problem with NFP, as I see it, is that on the days when a woman is most fertile, and therefore most biologically likely to want sex, she can't have it. That doesn't sit well with me.

She can still have sex. She just can't have intercourse.

So... those of us who actively prefer birth control pills because we have busy lives and aren't in love with the idea of testing the gooeyness of our vaginal discharge five times a day, are sexists and bad feminists? Those of us who don't enjoy having heavy, painful periods and use drugs to control and/or skip them are bad feminists because we're not "embracing" our "womanhood" (I guess infertile/childless women aren't real women then)?

Silly me, thinking it was a good thing the medical community gives us so much control over our bodies that we don't even have to deal with the unpleasant and painful aspects of being a woman. But I guess the fact that I fucking hate getting my period, or that I don't ever want to be pregnant, means I have to turn in not only my feminist card, but my woman card too.

Does this mean I get to grow a penis and be treated with the same respect as a man now?

"That said, I'm curious about why some women claim that they're against "artificial" birth control, but then they use the rhythm method...isn't that also a form of controlling how many babies they have? I've never understood that."

Very good question. For me, NFP does not suppress a woman's cycle. Instead, it utilizes the natural logic our bodies have and works with it. Whereas, with hormonal contraception, a woman has to pump her body full of hormones that suppress her cycle; which leads to an increased risk of cervical and breast cancer (look at Mayo Clinic & Cancer.gov for more info) and other side effects.

And EG--You are aware that condoms are less effective than NFP? As long as you are happy with that, no problem. The Fertility Awareness M encourages the use of condoms when a person is most fertile.

AND, like I said, many of my friends used NFP to get pregnant, not just avoid. This is how I discovered NFP. We had gone to all of the stupid fertility clinics (that are just as ignorant as the male medical establishment, these, too place a woman in danger by forcing ovulation, which is quite risky) and we could not get pregnant. Then someone recommended I learn Billings and we discovered all I needed was a stupid hormone. After all that time and only a NFP doctor could help me! What a joke! That is when I realized how sexist the whole thing is. But, hey, the pharmaceutical companies are happy!

From the Beyonce thread were they were talking about "curvey" women, to here where it's sexist and anti-woman to be on birth control, apparently no matter what I do I'm not a "real" woman. I'd really like a term then for what I am.

And I realize not everyone is agreeing with the above comment but I thought I'd throw my two cents in.

Look Law Fairy,

The burden to defend is on those of us who use NFP not the other way around. And my questions is why? Jessica started right off by calling it "anti-choice." What?!

This is my opinion only. But the Pill only masks your symptoms. So, if you were to go off the Pill today, you would still have the same problem you complain about with pain, etc. Why not find other methods to solve the problem, as opposed to the symptom of the problem?

"Silly me, thinking it was a good thing the medical community gives us so much control over our bodies that we don't even have to deal with the unpleasant and painful aspects of being a woman." EXACTLY my point. No one "gives" me control. I take control myself and do not have to rely on some pharmacist to provide ec, or I don't have to worry about whether I am pregnant or not, because I know.
What you choose to do is your deal, but I will not finance some pharm company just so I can get that breast cancer diagnosis 15 years later. Oh and yeah, I STILL would not have my baby if it were not for NFP.

I quit taking the pill a little over a year ago because I had some issues with it. But they were personal issues, not issues with the pill itself. I don't even like taking tylenol, so taking a pill every day for 3 years really started to bother me. I think any woman who decides to take control of her fertility (with a pill or a diaphragm or a condom or NFP or whatever feels right for her) is living by a fundamental feminist principle. It's all about choice, right?

I think that NFP gets a bad rap because it's associated with anti-choice religious movements and I don't really think that's fair. I started monitoring my fertility when I went off the pill and it's been a pretty cool experience. I definitely feel more aware of what my body is telling me, but I'm not in a monogamous relationship so I still use condoms.

I could see myself being paranoid about getting pregnant if/when I am in a monogamous relationship and my partner and I don't want to use condoms anymore. If that happens then I'll re-evaluate and perhaps find another method.

So, no, Law Fairy, hating your period and liking the pill doesn't make you sexist or a bad feminist.

Of course this is all just my opinion...

Fertility Awareness Method/Natural Family Planning works, Rhythm Method doesn't, for the reasons stated above. For those looking for an easy way to track their cycle, I recommend Fertility Friend. And I second the recommendation for Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Wechsler.

No one knows your body better than you do, and NFP allows you to take control back from the pharmaceutical industry if that's what you choose to do. I have absolutely no problem with anyone choosing any kind of birth control method they like, whether it be condoms, surgery, or hormones, but NFP is a pro-choice practice too often discounted through ignorance.

I don't see why we're setting this up as another "good feminist/bad feminist" dichotomy. It's about choice, right? And the more safe, effective methods for birth control/famiy planning out there, the happier we'll all be.

The best kind of birth control for a given person or couple is the kind that works the best for them. Personally, even though I don't chart, being aware of when I ovulate makes me feel more in control particularly if I am worried about contraceptive failure. The FAM works well for people who have the time to chart, and it can be used in addition to barrier methods (which is how I would always use it, personally). For some of us, birth control pills are a godsend. For others like me, they are a nightmare (at least the formulation I took.)

We are very different, and probably have different comfort levels with male and female condoms, diaphragms, spermicide, hormonal birth control, etc., etc. But even for women who never have any intention of charting and using periodic abstinence (or periodic barrier methods) to prevent pregnancy (or to get pregnant) I think it is great to be aware of your cycle. Any time a birth control method is discussed (accurately) in the media, I see that as a positive. Viva choice!

Jeez louise, the snark attacks! Gotta say, I enjoy reading this site (and usually the first few comments), but why do certain threads (generally around some topic relating to S-E-X, I've noticed) get us so hotly defensive? To each her own--tampax or diva cup, NFP or condoms, aspirin or herbal tea...

Interesting. I think I'll keep an eye on this, research-wise. I'm celibate for now, but when the time comes this will definitely be a consideration. Well, this and perhaps the Billings method. I just love the idea of coupling familiarity with my own body with pregnancy prevention. Right on.

Ha, well, that and I'm terrified of having to deal with the stress of "trying on" pills.

Jesus H. Christ, MRB. If you're only here to defend NFP from attacks, then why do you turn right around and attack those of us who don't like/use it? You're saying two contradictory things.

As far as I'm concerned, you can take your self-righteousness somewhere else. The PROBLEM is my period, because I don't fucking like it. The pill makes it go away, so it fixes the PROBLEM and not the SYMPTOM (oh noes!!! A woman who doesn't like her cycle!! Someone check her for a penis!!) Proselytize your cult of "real womanhood" someplace where people might believe bullshit like, drugs that help women live their lives the way THEY want are inherently bad because they make us bleed less.

What a fucking crock of shit.

Colleen, thank you. Yours is a reasonable take on NFP. MRB (potential troll?) certainly doesn't help this cause very much. I'm all for choice, and that includes choice for those of us who much prefer drugs. If other people want to stay off the stuff, fine by me -- but I don't accuse them of being "bad feminists" or "less of a woman" or somesuch bullshit for it.

I think that, for the most part, we can all agree that NFP is not a problem in and of itself, but it is a problem when it is portrayed in a manner that promotes it to the exclusion of other birth control methods and misinforms as to how to practice NFP safely and effectively.

For those who have used NFP (and anyone else who knows), I am curious whether you have advice on how to deal with menstrual pain that ordinarily is treated with hormones. I have been off and on with the Pill for years and don't particularly like it, but it is currently the safest and most effective way that I know of to control primary dysmenorrhea--severe pain that does not have an apparent cause that I can treat.

Law Fairy, Accusing MRB of being a potential troll is a bit much, don't you think?

No one here is accusing anyone of being a bad feminist. However, such drama instigating seems to me to be rather troll-like behavior.

MRB is, in my opinion, coming form a natural medicine standpoint, which is about treating the causes of ailments rather than symptoms. I don't think it is a personal attack, and I a suprised by the level of vitrol in your response.

Jeez Louise, of course I don't think it's anti-choice to use the rhythm method or natural family planning! I think women should use whatever kind of family planning methods they're comfortable with.

I DO think though that some of the people promoting natural family planning--like No Room for Contracpetion--are doing so for anti-choice and anti-birth control reasons. Which is infuriating. And frankly, MRB definitely sounds like she came right from NRFC. Saying birth control is sexist and hurts women is right in line with their bullshit.

Oh my goodness, No Room for Contraception is one of the most sickening and frightening websites I have looked at in quite awhile.

The birth-control –is-sexist thing sounds a lot like the abortion-hurts-women thing.

“And EG--You are aware that condoms are less effective than NFP?� Are you saying that just based on this one study? What if the study is crap? Condom use is a really time tested method and it’s naive to make such conclusions based on just one study. Plus even if that were true I’d still prefer condoms because I have much more important things to think about than the thickness of my mucus. And I would really like to be able to have sex, and by sex I mean intercourse, whenever I want. If this works for some people good for them.

Seriously, MRB's intolerance to the notion of using drugs to control one's cycle is what provoked my vitriol and speculation. I never suggested -- and I don't think anyone here has -- that using NFP or the rhythym method is inherently un-feminist, or whatever. Then MRB jumps in and says that women who take HBC are somehow "messing" with their bodies, as though that's a bad thing. The notion that women "shouldn't" "mess" with our bodies is a trollish sort of thing to say.

Of course I could be wrong. But MRB is saying some pretty damn outrageous and offensive stuff.

Ultra Magnus I'm also a very non-curvy girl who's on the pill. But just because other people feel that not taking pills makes them feel more in touch with themselves as women, or that large curvy women are beautiful (as I do, since most of my female family members are) doesn't really threaten me or make me feel worse about myself. To me, being feminism is about making choice as a woman in your own way, and not getting caught up the idea that there's some formula to be a "real woman". A Real Woman, to me, is anyone who identifies themself as a woman. Period.

That said, I've heard a lot about the NFP method, some from a sexologist who visited my dorm a couple years ago, and I've always thought it's something I'll use when I want to get pregnant. For now, though, I've got primary dysmenorrhea (high five, legallyblondeez!) that I can't control with pain killers. I've had it since a month BEFORE I got my first period. The pill is what works for me, and I'm happy to have it, but I'm glad that there's other methods available for women who can't take it who might want to do away with condoms (for most of the month anyway). It sounds like No Room for Contraception is definitely not recommending this for the benefit of women's health, though. Ick

Or, um, "being feminist" or just "feminism" at the top there. Colds make me not type so good.

Natural Family Planning might be ideal for certain women, but it was a disaster for me and my husband. We made it one year before I got pregnant at age 23. I very nearly had to drop out of college.

There are two major reasons why it wasn't right for us. 1) Phase two (the fertile phase when you can't have intercourse) used to last 10 to 14 days for me. As stone biscuit pointed out above, this was the time when I most desired sex. The wait caused an incredible amount of tension and resentment in our marriage. 2) Since we were strict Catholics at the time, we couldn't engage in any other types of sex to relieve the tension, nor could we use condoms, nor were we able to consider abortion when I found out that I was pregnant.

For a young woman who is pro-sex and pro-choice, NFP might be more doable, because she would have options for coping with the phase two abstinence and/or an unplanned pregnancy. However, she would still have to consider the effects of her lifestyle on the method. For example, if she stayed up unusually late one night, or had a couple of drinks, her morning temperature reading would be off.

Some cat said it best: "To do the rhythm method properly requires technology, iron will, an equally committed mate, a settled, sober life and a 24/7 determination not to get pregnant."

I think a better option for a woman in Vanessa's position would be to explore other forms of non-hormonal birth control. Condoms are always a solid choice, especially when used with a diaphragm or spermicide. I currently have a copper IUD, and I absolutely love it. It has never given me a moment's trouble or worry. Unfortunately, some U.S. doctors are squeamish about putting one in a childfree woman (leftover anxiety from the Dalkon Shield fiasco in the early 70s), so she might have to shop around a bit. She should also request a paracervical block for the insertion - I did, and I couldn't feel a thing.

Lastly, while it is true that NFP can be a fine method of birth control for women of every political persuasion, it is also undeniably true that the folks who promote it the most fervently tend to be anti-choice religious fundamentalists.

legallyblondeez- i too have a lot of problems with my period (due to edndometriosis) and that's why i went on the pill to begin with. since i've been off of it, i've found a few natural remedies that have helped ease the pain. granted, i haven't found any miracle cures, but the pill didn't make all the pain go away either. it just made it possible for me to get out of bed the first two days of my period.

there are a few herbal teas that have helped me out a lot. My favorite is Yogi Tea's Moon Cycle Tea. There are a few others that have similar blends I think Dong Quai and Raspberry leaf are two of the key ingredients and those are good for balancing your hormones and relaxing the uterus to prevent cramping.

Plus it tastes good.

Oh, give me a fucking break. Uh huh, oh yeah, right and really, tell me another one -- and why all the practicing Catholic families I knew back in the day had six or more children.

Or, as my father once told me, "You were planned for -- your brother and sister were the Rhythm Method."

And after my sister was born, there were always condoms in his dresser drawer.

If this were just an academic exercise, that would be one thing, but we're talking real people and real lives, and women who might be forced into a pregnancy they don't want.

I just want to point out that the study was not conducted in the states, but in germany.

Doctors around Petra Frank-Hermann of the Universitäts- Frauenklinik in Heidelberg reported their results to the magazine "human reproduction"..

I want to echo previous posters in stating that the rhythm method and the Fertility Awareness Method are NOT the same thing. FAM is very effective if used correctly, the rhythm method is not.

I already talked about this in the Nuvaring posts comments but I've been using FAM for almost 2 years for birth control and haven't gotten pregnant yet. However I don't chart my cycles myself anymore, I use the best birth control method ever (for *me* anyway) called Persona.

Persona is a contraceptive fertility monitor that checks your hormone levels during the month to see when it is safe or not safe to have unprotected sex if you DON'T want to get pregnant. It is different than ovulation monitors which are used for people who WANT to get pregnant. It follows the logic of FAM but since it is tracking your hormone levels through urine samples during the month it is even more accurate. You can get more information about it on the Persona website www.persona.info.uk

Unfortunately, it is not sold in the United States, so the best way to get it is on Ebay. I first heard about in on some news program about all these wonderful birth control methods that aren't available in the United States.

For the person who asked how to deal with menstrual pain/problems using FAM, unfortunately if your problems are severe than hormonal methods are probably still the best option for you.

As someone who used to be on the pill, I love being hormone-free using Persona/FAM. I also love being able to tell EXACTLY when I'm ovulating and all of the monthly changes that occur in my body. This definitely isn't the right method of birth control for everyone, but I do think it would be nice if doctors/teachers educated more women about this method at least so that we could learn more about our bodies as opposed the information that young women often get fed that our cycles are mysterious and uncontrollable and it's impossible to know when you're ovulating.

Just like all forms of birth control FAM is not for everyone, but it is unfortunate that it is either not mentioned by most doctors or is disparaged or thought of with false stereotypes (ex. rhythm method = lots of kids or rhythm method = withdrawal or no birth control).

I think the more educated we are about ALL of our birth control options, the easier it will be for women to decide when and how they want to have kids or not have kids.

Also, I think this book was already recommended by a previous poster, but a WONDERFUL book about FAM is called "Taking Charge of your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. It taught me everything I know about FAM and a heck of a lot more than my (now former) doctor could tell me. It is very pro-woman and highly educational about the female reproductive cycle.

I also wouldn't mind if anyone wanted to email me about my experiences. My email is andreaabrams at verizon dot net

I also want to comment as to the "anti-choice" comment about FAM.

I don't understand how a birth control method can be considered anti-choice just because it doesn't involve drugs or latex. The more birth control options available, the better.

I suppose I came on so strong because of the tone from the very beginning "I am absolutely terrified of this method" and Jessica's first point.

I am completely what Seriously said. I had not even looked at that site, Jessica until your second point. All I know is from my own experience and from my own research for whatever that is worth.

If you want to know what my motivation is it is that I passionately believe women are used as guinea pigs in the medical field. I know it makes my view point extreme, but frankly, I think the burden of proof should be on them to prove it IS safe. Right now, bc methods are currently safer than in the past because they are decreasing the amounts of estrogen in them, but then that means you are at higher risk for getting pregnant.

My point here, is that many women are unaware of the latest Mayo Clinic's report on oral contraceptions and breast cancer risks and that there is a completely viable option. Like I said above, it does not protect against STDs so women are at risk there if they use NFP and not FAM.

And Jochre, you are SO right, anyone who uses the Rhythm Method is at HIGH risk for an unplanned pregnancy.

Oh, and my mom had four kids on the Pill before she got wise and sterilized herself.

jochre said: "Oh, give me a fucking break. Uh huh, oh yeah, right and really, tell me another one -- and why all the practicing Catholic families I knew back in the day had six or more children.

Or, as my father once told me, "You were planned for -- your brother and sister were the Rhythm Method.""

Jochre - did your mom and the other Catholic families chart their basal body temperature each morning and monitor their cervical mucus, if not then they weren't doing what was studied in this trial. Counting days in your cycle (rhythm method) is NOT effective, FAM/NFP is.

Also, how do you know those Catholic families didn't WANT 6 children?

I didn't see anyone posting the actual abstract from the study. so here it is.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of fertility awareness based (FAB) methods of family planning is critically reviewed. The objective was to investigate the efficacy and the acceptability of the symptothermal method (STM), an FAB method that uses two indicators of fertility, temperature and cervical secretions observation. This paper will recommend a more suitable approach to measure the efficacy. METHODS: Since 1985, an ongoing prospective observational longitudinal cohort study has been conducted in Germany. Women are asked to submit their menstrual cycle charts that record daily basal body temperature, cervical secretion observations and sexual behaviour. A cohort of 900 women contributed 17 638 cycles that met the inclusion criteria for the effectiveness study. The overall rates of unintended pregnancies and dropout rates have been estimated with survival curves according to the Kaplan–Meier method. In order to estimate the true method effectiveness, the pregnancy rates have been calculated in relation to sexual behaviour using the ‘perfect/imperfect-use’ model of Trussell and Grummer-Strawn. RESULTS: After 13 cycles, 1.8 per 100 women of the cohort experienced an unintended pregnancy; 9.2 per 100 women dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the method; the pregnancy rate was 0.6 per 100 women and per 13 cycles when there was no unprotected intercourse in the fertile time. CONCLUSIONS: The STM is a highly effective family planning method, provided the appropriate guidelines are consistently adhered to.

http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/dem003v1

Since we were strict Catholics at the time, we couldn't engage in any other types of sex to relieve the tension

Wait.... So Catholics are ONLY allowed to have PIV sex??

is kissing allowed? ANY kind of foreplay??? are you allowed to touch the clit, or does that send you straight to hell?

Casey, different Catholics have different beliefs about what constitutes sexual sin, but I can tell you what I was taught: Non-coital sex is a mortal sin. Manual stimulation is permissible only when its purpose is to facilitate coitus. Oral sex and anal sex are sodomy, and are therefore forbidden.

Granted, this is a highly orthodox, Opus Dei style of Catholicism. Not everyone is raised this way. My husband and I were, however, and NFP was torturous for us.

Thanks for posting that abstract, redemmie.

I'm all for being in touch with your menstrual cycle, but for me, NFP would be practically untenable. (Thank deity there are so many choices -- for women, at least -- to control our fertility.) Like other commenters, I'm on hormones for other reasons besides birth control; I have polycystic ovaries, which not only means that I get tubal cysts due to the freaky hormone levels in the general area of my ovaries, but that my periods and ovulation are wildly unpredictable. I tried charting for the heck of it before I was diagnosed, since I never knew when to expect my period, and it only served to confuse me. And it didn't help much with the gut-wrenching, send-me-to-the-hospital pain, either. It's unfortunate that the medical field is no less sexist than the rest of the world, but hormones are the only way to control my condition.

Also, I think that since MRB used NFP for getting pregnant, she forgets that it only works as pregnancy prevention if you have total compliance from your (male) partner of the moment. Hormones, in both BCP and EC form, are definitely feminist when the man isn't so compliant. And there has been research showing that, while the hormones may increase cervical and breast CA risk, it decreases ovarian CA. Damned if you do, damned if ya don't. Again, since I don't have much of a choice in the matter (oh, irony), I tend to see the Pill as a good thing, especially since not every woman is in a position -- socially, biologically, financially, what have you -- to rely on her ability to chart her cycle and on the compliance of the men around her.

For example, I'm an undergrad with the attendant stress and odd hours, so NFP wouldn't be the best idea for me even with perfect ovaries. (I'm also prone to the occasional unplanned one night stand, so I'd go for the Pill even if it weren't medically necessary!)

When I bring up my point from earlier I'm talking about the "curvy" and in this thread the debate over what "real" women should take for birth control I'm talking about how some women will say, "Well I'm a real woman because I have curves," or "I'm a real woman because I like/embrace my period, etc." THAT'S what I have a problem with. It's the co-opting of what a "real" woman constitutes and even though it's women who are made to feel bad about themselves for how the look, or what they choose to do, excluding the entire gender of women out of what constitutes "real" is problematic for me and we shouldn't be doing it. Women come in all shapes and sizes and hopefully use the methods of birth control that are best for them.

I personally like taking the pill and have had no problem with it in the six years I've been on it. Like someone said earlier I couldn't track the levels of mucus or my ovulation because that seems like a big hassle to me but for a woman who doesn't want extra hormones (which is a hassle for her) in her body that'd be good for her to follow.

And to MRB, at some point in time EVERYONE, black, white, male, female, animal ,human have been used as "guinea" pigs. They're even testing men for the male hormonal birth control now and god willing that comes to pass in the next five/ten years. Unless you've got hard evidence I don't believe that anyone in the pharmaceutical community is singling out women.

Eva, I find that really disturbing. I'm glad to hear you don't believe that anymore. I can see why some conservatives don't believe in the female orgasm, though.

Thanks to the posters who point out that there are many female-specific maladies for which the hormonal birth control pill is the best available (or safest, or most reasonable) treatment.

MRB says "This is my opinion only. But the Pill only masks your symptoms. So, if you were to go off the Pill today, you would still have the same problem you complain about with pain, etc. Why not find other methods to solve the problem, as opposed to the symptom of the problem?"

I agree with MRB about the medical establishment being male-dominated and quite sexist in a lot of ways, and the above opinion makes sense, in theory. But MRB, if you do a bit of research, you will find that it is way too simplistic an approach for women who have one or more of these maladies. I have primary Dysmenorrhea, which basically means debilitating menstrual pain with no underlying cause, therefore, my symtoms ARE the things which require treatment.

I used to feel the same way you do about hormones until I was pretty much forced by a train-wreckish confluence of medical circumstances to at least give them a try, and I continue to be grateful for the profound improvement in my life and the option to take the medication which is best for my condition (and also the birth control method of my choice).

Just saying, there are many people who don't have the luxury you and most healthy women do of utilizing the NFP method. And that I'm happy that there are so many options out there for women (and sad that there are so few birth control options for men), and I'm pissed that some methods/options/treatments are being propagandized and lied about and misrepresented and touted and impugned, not based on any real rational or scientific evidence, but according to political and religious and personal agendas. On that I think you and many other people can agree.

Maybe the pill DID come straight out of a sexist, male-centric medical establishment. But that doesn't make the pill itself a sexist, bad thing to me. (It certainly wasn't pushed on me by anyone, and I see many more sexist, bullshit advertisements for douches and such than I see any kind of ads for birth control of any kind.) If you believe that, more power to you. But that isn't the story for all women.

Alecto: Good point!

I like not ovulating. I'm as in touch with my body as I care to be. Most of the time, I wouldn't give it a quarter so it could phone home. I also like being on hormones, since I'll take a very slightly elevated risk factor for breast cancer (negligible, really, and probably outweighed by the risk factors I already have from being nulliparous and having a low waist-hip ratio -- that happens when your ribcage sits on your hipbones) over cramps that make me wish I were dead, but know I won't be, mood swings, and the whole rest of it.

If the Fertility Awareness Method works for you, great. But don't come on here making noise about how the rest of us are slaves to sexism and the pharmaceutical industry because we're doing something different. And let me download an episode of my menstrual cramps into your head sometime.

"For young women, who often have irregular periods, it's a terrible method."

That would make it also terrible for perimenopausal women, right?

"So... those of us who actively prefer birth control pills because we have busy lives and aren't in love with the idea of testing the gooeyness of our vaginal discharge five times a day, are sexists and bad feminists? Those of us who don't enjoy having heavy, painful periods and use drugs to control and/or skip them are bad feminists because we're not 'embracing' our 'womanhood' (I guess infertile/childless women aren't real women then)?"

...and don't forget those of us who have Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. I like taking the Pill because, among other things, it reduces my facial hair growth (basically preventing the PCOS-caused portion and leaving the portion I inherited from my Middle Eastern foremothers, I guess) so I don't have to spend hours each day plucking and shaving in order to meet the minimum "hygiene" standards of society and earn a living (I can't afford to repel *everyone* - since I didn't inherit enough land to be a subsistence farmer, I need an employer or customers to have a paying job).

"The best kind of birth control for a given person or couple is the kind that works the best for them."

Right on! :D

"As far as I'm concerned, you can take your self-righteousness somewhere else. The PROBLEM is my period, because I don't fucking like it. The pill makes it go away, so it fixes the PROBLEM and not the SYMPTOM (oh noes!!! A woman who doesn't like her cycle!! Someone check her for a penis!!)"

Great points.

"For those who have used NFP (and anyone else who knows), I am curious whether you have advice on how to deal with menstrual pain that ordinarily is treated with hormones."

Before I went on the Pill, I treated my cramps with the same painkiller medicines, sick leave, clear soups*, tea, etc., I use for other pain. These days I still sometimes get cramps (though not as painfully!) and when that happens I still use some other painkiller methods too.

* as opposed to chowders, chilis, Vichyssoise, etc.

I like not ovulating. I'm as in touch with my body as I care to be. Most of the time, I wouldn't give it a quarter so it could phone home.

Interrobang, this is awesome. I totally feel the same way.

"Maybe the pill DID come straight out of a sexist, male-centric medical establishment. But that doesn't make the pill itself a sexist, bad thing to me."

Didn't the airplane also come out of a sexist, male-centric industrial establisment?

"And let me download an episode of my menstrual cramps into your head sometime."

Heehee. I dream of having had that power years ago when nobody would freakin' believe that I was in that much pain from a lil' ol' period. I didn't want to believe it myself.

"For those who have used NFP (and anyone else who knows), I am curious whether you have advice on how to deal with menstrual pain that ordinarily is treated with hormones."

Well, it depends on the pain levels. In The Beginning, I used ibuprofen and, just to be all natural, some cramp tea (which was about five times more expensive per dose than Advil, and tasted like shit and took at least fifteen minutes to prepare) that a friend who worked at an herb shop suggested. Those things worked well enough to have me feeling just peachy.

Then the cramps got worse and those things stopped being effective. I was prescribed naproxen in a doseage that was equivalent to a little more than two Aleves. That worked pretty well for a year or so. Then THAT stopped working so well. So I started taking three Aleve at a time (bottle says no more than three in a 24-hour period, and I was taking at least double that). That worked...ok, but not so great.

Then I found that if I drank a little booze in addition to the Aleve, the pain went away a little more. Then, I got a stomach ulcer from the Aleve and the drinking, and I was all like "fuck." I went on ulcer medication, which worked like a charm, until the next cycle came around, and the ulcer meds proved no match for the Aleve. It was like some twisted painful idiotic real-life version of the old woman who swallowed a fly.

I went back to my doctor (who is both an awesome doctor and an awesome lady) and, since I knew the pill was the next and only logical step at that point, told her I was finally ready to give it a try. She and my previous doctors had NEVER pushed it on me, but it had been suggested to me several times and I must say that I was a freakin' idiot not to have tried it sooner.

Anyway, to summarize, I am living happily ever after, largely pain-free and 100% ulcer-free, and the only medication I am currently on is the pill. My response to cramps before-pill: "OH MY GOD, what do you want from me, just KILL ME already (and half the time, I seriously meant it)" My response to current cramps: "Oh cramps, you're just so silly! Hee hee hee! Here, have some tea and cake! Ha ha, it's so cute when you tickle me like that!"

I think the other posters have all nailed it: the more options the better, because not every option works for every woman, and not at every time of their lives. Some women might do great on NFP, but for others it wouldn't work at all. I've run the gamut; I've been on the regular pill, the mini-pill,Depo-Provera, the Mirena IUD, and used fertility awareness methods to get pregnant on purpose.
Each one had its benefits and drawbacks for the purpose I needed them. The regular pill worked fabulously for years, and helped ease the horrid cramps I had when I was younger. Charting my basal body temperature got me pregnant on basically the first try. The mini-pill was for when I was breastfeeding, Depo was for the second breastfeeding round after I got pregnant on the mini-pill because it has such a small margin of error (I was later told that a two hour deviation in a day could trigger an ovulation), back on the regular pill when I was horribly depressed and gained huge amounts of weight without that extra estrogen, Mirena when I needed more secure assurance of non-fertility than the pill gave me, but without the progesterone side effects I had with Depo shots. (Best side effect of Mirena? No periods at all! Whee!) And that was just me. Every other woman would react differently than I did to each of them. I don't think anyone can pick any contraceptive method and say it's the "best" for anyone, which is why I'm glad we have choices.

I didn't even start my period until I was 15, and living with it for 3 years without any kind of hormone was awful. My periods weren't so much painful as they were ridiculously long. I'm talking two weeks of regular flow sometimes!!! So when I started having sex I didn't dare want to be off of hormones. I am definitely not in the time or place in my life where I can actually do the whole NFP or other non-hormonal methods discussed here, it's too risky. Luckily I haven't had any side effects at all from my pill, and my periods are so short and light that I don't even really have to use a tampon, sometimes a small pad will do or a quick trip to the bathroom.

I wouldn't mind trying the Mirena at one point, though. I've read up about it and it seems like a good choice, but I'm paranoid. I'll have to be weened off of my pills I suppose.

Right now because I am in college, the pill is the only real option for me. One day when I'm married and planning a family, I'll consider NFP or non-hormonal options, but for now, these little yellow guys are just fine by me.

I'm in touch with my body. I say hi once a week when I smack a patch on my back. I'm glad to no longer be in touch with ovulation (I got ovulation cramps every month before I started BC) and intense cramping and nausea related to my period that kept me from going to school 2-3 days a month.

You know what else I'm glad for? I'm glad that I don't have to spend every morning measuring the gooiness of my vaginal secretions, charting anything other than red marks on the calendar for my period, taking my basal body temperature daily, having my sexual options limited on a day to day basis, and having to devote time every day to the task of not getting pregnant. Other women may not mind, but I do. I would care quite a bit if a bunch of numbers and statistics about my vagina in my journal were telling me that I couldn't have intercourse that night. I would care quite a bit if I had to devote more to not being pregnant than the time than it takes to swallow a pill, the energy it takes to get my patch into that spot where it lays flat, or the ability to remember to fold up a flexible ring and slide it into me easier than a tampon once a month. I would damned well be pissed off if, before sex, I had to do math to figure out if I could "go all the way" at a time when I'm most likely to be horny. When I was using condoms alone, I freaked out every 3 months or so when stress or nature or God or the phase of the moon made my period completely out of synch.

Condoms do have a failure rate, but it's low with proper usage, and they're the only thing proven to prevent STDs. And using condoms is also the most excellent filter against sex with assholes. "But I can't feel anything with them on" or "I can't come with a condom" or "I'm too big for a condom" is all I have to hear to be out the door. And what could be better than that?

Esme
That comment rocked my world. You said it right :)

Condoms: The Dumbass Blocker

Love it, Esme.

Not that it really matters, but there is a difference between NFP and FAM. FAM is the Fertility Awareness Method, lets you determine if you are ovulating etc and you can chose to use a condom is you want to have intercourse. NFP, which is ok'ed by the Catholic Church says that during that time, if you don't want to become pregnant, you can choose not to have intercourse.

Personally, I've been using FAM for 15 years, have gotten pregnant three times, all three were planned and happened very quickly despite being 33, 35 and 39 . So no complaints here. It's easy, fast, and rather low key. In other words, it works for me, and my spouse. We just use condoms when I'm ovulating, which, yes, it when I want to have sex.... but the Pill would supress ovulation and that "want it now!" feeling, so it's not a major hardship.

The thing is, birth control is a very personal decision and not once choice is right for everyone. I personally hated the Pill. So I don't use it. FAM worked well even when I was breastfeeding and had very...ummm... ODD cycles, or lack thereof.

I guess I just wanted to point out that NFP and FAM are NOT quite the same thing.

Hey Friends,

I think I'm starting to sound like a Persona pusher, but I did want to clarify that if you use Persona you don't have to bother with charting or checking cervical mucus. Again, this method isn't right for everyone, but since it doesn't get any press in the U.S. I wanted to make it clear that this is a method that is very simple - all you have to do is look at your monitor once a day and do a quick urine test 8 days a month.

Can you tell I'm in love with my Persona?

"But I can't feel anything with them on" or "I can't come with a condom" or "I'm too big for a condom" is all I have to hear to be out the door. And what could be better than that?

To be perfectly fair, some condoms really are too small, so that they have the same effect as cock rings. Fortunately, they come in so many different sizes that it's sheer wankery to use the "I'm too big" excuse in a general setting.

Meanwhile, I wonder what the altering-menstruation-is-antifeminist crowd thinks of NASA et al. How do they think women should deal with menstruation in zero gravity - or do they think girls should be discouraged from wanting to be astronauts/cosmonauts/taikonauts in the first place?

To be perfectly fair, some condoms really are too small, so that they have the same effect as cock rings. Fortunately, they come in so many different sizes that it's sheer wankery to use the "I'm too big" excuse in a general setting.

Which is why I always keep a range of sizes around.

Another effect too-small condoms have is that they tend to come off easily (like when the guy doesn't bother to read the damn package when picking one out -- shouldn't he have a better idea of what fits him than I do?). And when that happens, I'm glad I have my hormonal BC!

I second the condom size comment. My fiance (then boyfriend) and I were having problems left right and centre. It was either that he would have trouble staying hard or that the damn thing would break (I had to take EC twice in one week!). Then I bought some extra-larges as a joke and whaddya know? Problem solved. And his ego got a healthy boost too.

Re men whining about condoms -- in my experience, it's also good to tell the guy you're not on the pill, even if you are. If he knows you are, he whines EVEN MORE about wearing a condom (give me a break)...

Of course, I can totally accept that a major part of the problem is that I've never slept with a halfway decent man. Yup, I can definitely accept that.

Who the fuck cares if some anti-choice groups ALSO like NFP/FAM? What does this have to do whether or not the method works?

To each her own, right?

"she forgets that it only works as pregnancy prevention if you have total compliance from your (male) partner of the moment. Hormones, in both BCP and EC form, are definitely feminist when the man isn't so compliant."

I am not sure I am understanding what Alecto means here.

Compliance, in my opinion, means that a woman wants sex. If her man isn't "compliant" isn't that rape?

"Sheer wankery." Priceless.

I had cramps bad enough to make me faint when I was younger, within the first couple of years after I got my period at age 11. Naprosen (same ingredient as Alleve) didn't work for me - I actually thought it was a sugar pill for years until it came out in over-the-counter form - that my asshole doctor had just not believed me and was fucking with me by giving me a placebo. Codeine worked, but I only found that out when I fainted from the pain and it scared my mom and she gave me one that had been left over from some prescription my dad had. Anyway, I say all this as a precursor to mentioning other things that have helped my cramps since, so you know I come from a perspective of understanding the horrible pain some women get from cramps.

The pill really did help regulate my period and diminish the severity of my cramps, and I'm still glad I had access to it as a teenager and younger adult (I'm 39 now). However, I had problems with side effects that I didn't know were problems from the pill until I went off it for good when I was in my early thirties. It made my migraines worse and increased the severity of my bouts with depression, among other things. The times when I was off the pill in my twenties, I was on so many "recreational" drugs that there was no way to tell what the hell was going on anyway.

Point being, I am avoiding work right now at the office so am not taking proper measures to curtail my long-windedness. Second point being, I found out by accident that regular exercise - and by regular I mean even ten minutes of moderate aerobic something-or-other every other day - made my cramps all but disappear. Ibuprofen took care of whatever was left.

Also, I was surprised when I was in my late twenties and told a doctor that I didn't use birth control, that I just had my male sex partners not-come-inside-me when I wasn't using condoms. She told me that that WAS a method of birth control, albeit a risky one. I've never been pregnant, though. Partly I wonder if I'm just infertile (wonder if? HOPE is more like it) but I do think there's a chance that I just had the right mix of paranoia and good luck for pulling out to work for so many years.

These days, I don't have sex with men without condoms. I'm with Esme about the way she responds to men who don't want to use them.

Shayna, it could mean that her sig other/boyfriend/partner/husband/whomever, sure, won't go and force her, but will pout and cajole and basically make her life miserable. Which, sadly, describes a LOT of relationships.

This isn't really news. See this Planned Parenthood chart. The perfect use pregnancy rate for the best forms of fertility-awareness methods is very low: 1% in the best case. I guess this new study puts it slightly even lower, but probably not really when you consider margins of error, etc.

I had this conversation with my sister-in-law (who uses this method). It seems to me the salient fact is this one: the normal use pregnancy rates for these methods is 25%. That is, 1-in-4 women who don't use these methods perfectly correctly get pregnant in the course of a year. The rate for the pill, even with imperfect use, is still only 5%.

So here is an important question: which do you think is easier to use consistently and correctly? How easy is it to say no to sex during your most fertile period, even assuming you have figured out exactly when that is? How easy is it when your partner is applying some pressure?

Fertility-awareness might be the right method for some people. But it won't replace the pill, and these are things to keep in mind if anyone tries to argue that it could.

TLF, I'm with you a hundred percent, and I like getting my period. That does not mean that I have any interest whatsoever in charting my basal body temperature and mucus and the rest of it, thank you very much. Why would I do all that, when I could easily go to the drugstore and buy a packet of non-latex condoms? When used correctly and consistently, the condom's failure rate is low indeed, and it has the advantage of letting me have penis-in-vagina sex whenever I feel like it (provided I have a willing partner, of course), and not having to spend any part of my day keeping fertility diary.

Seriously, MRB brought up the "good feminist" issue when she said that "every feminist" should be in favor of getting in touch with her body--which means, of course, in favor of getting to know her body in the way MRB thinks is best, on MRB's terms.

In my experience, the symptoms are the illness, quite often. Relieve the tightness in my chest, and you are treating my asthma. Relieve TLF of her painful periods, and you are treating her problem.

I had cramps bad enough to make me faint when I was younger, within the first couple of years after I got my period at age 11. Naprosen (same ingredient as Alleve) didn't work for me - I actually thought it was a sugar pill for years until it came out in over-the-counter form - that my asshole doctor had just not believed me and was fucking with me by giving me a placebo. Codeine worked, but I only found that out when I fainted from the pain and it scared my mom and she gave me one that had been left over from some prescription my dad had. Anyway, I say all this as a precursor to mentioning other things that have helped my cramps since, so you know I come from a perspective of understanding the horrible pain some women get from cramps.

The pill really did help regulate my period and diminish the severity of my cramps, and I'm still glad I had access to it as a teenager and younger adult (I'm 39 now). However, I had problems with side effects that I didn't know were problems from the pill until I went off it for good when I was in my early thirties. It made my migraines worse and increased the severity of my bouts with depression, among other things. The times when I was off the pill in my twenties, I was on so many "recreational" drugs that there was no way to tell what the hell was going on anyway.

Point being, I am avoiding work right now at the office so am not taking proper measures to curtail my long-windedness. Second point being, I found out by accident that regular exercise - and by regular I mean even ten minutes of moderate aerobic something-or-other every other day - made my cramps all but disappear. Ibuprofen took care of whatever was left.

Also, I was surprised when I was in my late twenties and told a doctor that I didn't use birth control, that I just had my male sex partners not-come-inside-me when I wasn't using condoms. She told me that that WAS a method of birth control, albeit a risky one. I've never been pregnant, though. Partly I wonder if I'm just infertile (wonder if? HOPE is more like it) but I do think there's a chance that I just had the right mix of paranoia and good luck for pulling out to work for so many years.

These days, I don't have sex with men without condoms. I'm with Esme about the way she responds to men who don't want to use them.

Combined oral contraceptives may increase the risk of breast cancer. They decrese the risk of ovarian cancer. Breast cancer is a very curable disease, especially if you get mammography. Ovarian cancer, on the other hand, is symptomless until it has seeded your belly with metastases, and there's no screening test.

Unfortunately, I don't do well on COCs. (At least not on triphasics. Haven't tried monophasics.) Fortunately, pregnancy and breastfeeding also protects you from ovarian cancer. (I'm currently waiting for my period to get back, so I can start using a copper IUD.)

ACK, I don't know why that posted twice.

"Compliance, in my opinion, means that a woman wants sex. If her man isn't 'compliant' isn't that rape?"

If she says "I only want sex when I'm not fertile" and he says "OK, in that case I don't want sex with you at all and go try to find someone else who does want sex as often as I do," then he's not raping her but is he compliant?

"Shayna, it could mean that her sig other/boyfriend/partner/husband/whomever, sure, won't go and force her, but will pout and cajole and basically make her life miserable."

...or just plain leave, which she may not be able to afford (for example, if she's a housewife without much savings of her own).

Regarding Persona:

Persona can only be used if you have a regular cycle between 25-35 days in length.

Also, doesn't work for annonvulatory women (breastfeeding women and women approaching menopause) and if your cycle one month is shorter or longer than the past, which almost all women experience this in their life, it also will not work.

Shayna Bree said:
egarding Persona:

"Persona can only be used if you have a regular cycle between 25-35 days in length.

Also, doesn't work for annonvulatory women (breastfeeding women and women approaching menopause) and if your cycle one month is shorter or longer than the past, which almost all women experience this in their life, it also will not work. "

Hey Shayna, you're right about needing cycles to be between 25-35 days long to use Persona, but not about having cycles of different lengths. Most women's cycles vary a little from month to month and Persona accounts for that as long as the cycles remain in the 25-35 day range. Even if for 1 month it goes out of that range, you can still keep using Persona, you will just have to reprogram it the next month.

Persona is not the right form of birth control for everyone, but it definitely is an option worth exploring if you're tired of condoms and hormones (as I was).

A bit late on this, but just a couple of things. Actually, one thing from which everything else follows: Always look at the original study.

A new study found that -- when followed correctly -- the rhythm method may be just as effective in preventing pregnancy as birth control.

The study found no such thing [you'd need two groups of women, one using STM, one using another method for that]:

CONCLUSIONS: The STM [symptothermal method] is a highly effective family planning method, provided the appropriate guidelines are consistently adhered to.

Also, (1) this is an observational study, (2) the study has been ongoing for 20 years; only 17 638 cycles met the inclusion criteria, (3) the pregnancy rate was 0.6 per 100 women and per 13 cycles when there was no unprotected intercourse in the fertile time.