Natural Methods of Birth Control

Natural Methods of Birth Control

Natural methods rely on biology and timing rather than any device, drug or surgery — their whole strategy is to keep sperm and ovum from ever being in the reproductive tract at the same time.

• Periodic abstinence / rhythm method (the 'safe period'): Ovulation happens around day 14 of a typical menstrual cycle; the released ovum survives for about two days, and sperm can remain viable in the female tract for up to about 72 hours. By avoiding coitus during this fertile window, a couple can — in principle — avoid pregnancy without any device. In practice, this method's reliability depends heavily on how regular the woman's cycle actually is.
• Continuous abstinence: Simply not having coitus at all for a defined period. It is the most reliable natural method precisely because it removes any timing uncertainty, but it is also the most restrictive.
• Coitus interruptus: One of the oldest family-planning methods on record — the male partner withdraws before ejaculation so that semen is never deposited in the vagina. Because it depends entirely on correct timing and self-control in the moment, it is considered one of the least reliable methods. …