
Challenges with Calendar Method Family Planning
Only works on women with regular periods
There is a limitation in using the calendar method family planning. You may only use this method as an effective means of natural birth control if you have a regular period. This means that you get your period monthly or you are what they call a “regular.” Even then, it is not guaranteed to be 100% effective.
For women with an irregular period, the chances of becoming pregnant become higher when your menstrual cycle is outside of the 26 to 32 days range even if you avoid unprotected sexual intercourse on Day 8-19.
Not 100% accurate
Another challenge with this form of family planning is the fact that you cannot really predict when you are fertile. It can only give you an estimated window as to when you may be safe or fertile. If your cycle is not the same length every single month, the calendar method becomes less effective.
If you have more than 2 cycles a year that is longer or shorter than 26-32 days, the calendar method family planning will also not be as effective. You also need to remember that since it is not 100% accurate, some doctors recommend using the calendar method family planning in tandem with other modern methods of family planning.
For those who want to maintain natural family planning methods, it recommended that you combine the calendar method of family planning with the temperature and cervical mucus methods. This is one of the best ways on how to do calendar method family planning.
Lapse in tracking
Aside from these challenges, another reason that may cause the calendar method to fail is memory. If a woman is not able to track her cycle in a diary, planner, or digital calendar, the chances of forgetting when the first day of her period is high. Since the method is already not 100% accurate, a slight miscalculation can prove to be risky especially if this method is used to avoid pregnancy.
Key Takeaways
Learning how to do calendar method family planning properly is easy once you understand the basics of menstruation. Calendar method family planning can be an effective and cost-effective means of birth control. However, since it is not 100% accurate, it is best to use it with another form of family planning. The full-proof means of not getting pregnant is to abstain from sexual intercourse altogether.
Learn more about Sexual Wellness here.
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