Safe Days to Avoid Pregnancy

Knowing the Safe Days to Avoid Pregnancy is crucial for many couples as a natural way of birth control. This article will outline these days along with additional details.

What are the Safe Days to Avoid Pregnancy?

Some women track their menstrual cycles to pinpoint the least fertile days for safe intercourse as a natural way of birth control. This approach is known as Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) or Natural Family Planning. So, what are the safe days to avoid pregnancy? Before answering this question, several key points need clarification:

• Although menstrual cycles vary among women, the average duration is typically 28 days, starting from the first day of menstruation.
• Ovulation occurs when the ovaries release an egg 10 - 16 days before the onset of the next menstrual cycle (approximately days 12 to 18 of the cycle). This period is termed the fertile window because it represents the peak fertility days in the menstrual cycle.
• Pregnancy can potentially occur during the five days preceding ovulation, on the day of ovulation itself, and during the following two days (although the likelihood decreases). While an egg remains viable for only 24 hours after release, sperm can survive in the female reproductive tract for up to 5 days, and in rare cases, up to 7 days post-intercourse.
• Ovulation days vary from woman to woman, and the aforementioned timeline serves as a general approximation. However, ovulation tests or consultation with a healthcare provider can aid in precise determination.

This means that there are 21 days in the menstrual cycle when the likelihood of pregnancy is low, which are the days before and during menstruation, as these days are the least fertile.

However, pregnancy can occur in the days following the end of the menstrual period if unprotected intercourse takes place, especially for women with a menstrual cycle shorter than 28 days. They may ovulate within days after their period ends, and as mentioned, sperm can live up to 7 days after intercourse.

Is the previous method effective in preventing pregnancy?

According to the National Health Service (NHS), the fertility awareness method is effective and can be up to 99% successful if a woman’s menstrual cycle is very regular and the method is followed carefully by couples.

However, the Planned Parenthood organization estimated its effectiveness to be between 76% - 88% and pointed out that other contraceptive methods like the IUD are more effective. This is because the ovulation day may change each month, and some factors can affect the number of days in the menstrual cycle, such as:

• Stress and anxiety.
• Intensive exercise.
• Dietary habits.
• Traveling in different time zones.
• Vaginal infections, such as sexually transmitted infections or fungal infections.
• Excessive alcohol consumption.
• Use of hormonal contraceptives in previous months.

This means that this method is not easy, quick, or completely reliable for preventing pregnancy. It may take 3 - 6 months to understand the menstrual cycle and identify fertile days and the days when pregnancy is unlikely to occur for safe intercourse, and it does not provide protection from sexually transmitted infections.

Finally, it is important to note that the success of this method requires balanced hormone levels in the woman and a regular menstrual cycle. Blazma offers a Female's fertility Tests, which includes 5 tests for different and important hormones that play a crucial role in the regularity of the cycle and health.