Fertility Awareness

Question: If I use tampons during my period, can I still consider my first 5 days infertile? Answer: Remember that it’s not always all 5 days at the beginning of your cycle that are infertile. The days of Heavy and Moderate flow, when you know that you are having a true menstruation, are infertile. (In a true menstruation, the…

We often hear about “egg-white mucus” for identifying the fertile phase and ovulation. Peak-type cervical mucus often does look like egg-white, BUT not always. All cervical mucus is fertile. If you see cervical mucus, you know that your “gate” is open, an egg is developing, and your body is preparing to ovulate. You might see something pasty…

Charting tip: On your “Light” and “Very Light” days of true menstruation*, you can check for and chart cervical mucus the same as any other time of your cycle. During days of “Heavy” or “Moderate” flow, you won’t be able to tell whether cervical mucus is being discharged. But on those days when your menstrual…

Question: When can I be sure about my chart and start having unprotected sex? Answer: As long as you and your partner don’t need the protection for STIs… then, when you’re confident that you can recognize your fertile and infertile days. It’s a personal thing, but usually, that takes 2 or 3 cycles. It can…

The idea of only getting 4 periods a year with some of the new pills, or having no periods at all by taking the shot, doesn’t seem right to me. I don’t have a reason other than my cycle seems like something that shouldn’t be interfered with. Are there any medical reasons to keep bleeding?…

Let’s start this Q&A series with the basics: What’s Fertility Awareness? How does it work for Birth Control? For getting pregnant?   Fertility Awareness… There are several methods of Fertility Awareness that use the same basic principles. They all work by identifying the days a woman can get pregnant, and the days she can’t. I teach…