Fertile days

[Endure Whisper]

I've been taking birth control pills ever since I got married but I started facing the side effects now.. after 5 months!! Anyway, so I decided to stop having them and just use the "calendar method"..

I was told that all days of the month are safe to have unprotected sex except for my fertile days because, luckily, my cycle is exactly 28 days.. so how do I know my exact fertile days to avoid getting pregnant?

My cousin mentioned that it's the 13th, 14th and 15th day, counting from the first day of my period. To be more cautious I start from the 12th day upto the 16th day with protected sex.

Can anyone confirm that?

[Lym]

From my limited knowledge, I knew it was the 13th, 14th and 15th day of your cycle that you were most likely to be fertile. However, I googled this topic and what I just told you is not completely true. This is what I understood from several sites. Your most fertile days is 4-5 days before ovulation takes place, and also 24-48 hours after it.This is because the sperm can survive in the vagina for about 3 days, and the egg can survive for two days. Taking that into consideration, it means that fertilization between the egg and sperm can take place 3-4 days before the ovulation till 2 days after.

As you know ovulation usually takes place on the 14th day of your cycle. Now this is not definite, because it differs from one woman to another even if their cycle is exactly 28 days.

So applying that, you should be careful from the 9th day of your cycle till the 16th day.

[Superbia]

I once asked my mum about this matter, she was like you should start counting from day one of your period until day 16 to 17 in order to stay on the safe side away from the ovulating days. Basically, approx after the 16th day from the start of the period, I'm guessing you can have sex without worrying about getting pregnant. Then again, to play it safe the guy should avoid cumming inside the woman's vagina if it's unprotected sex occuring. So as long as there's no connection between the male's cum and the woman's vagina, I believe you'll be alright with the calendar method.

[Lym]

^^But then there is pre-ejaculation fluids, which means that some sperms can "escape" before the actual ejaculation takes place. I guess you can never be too safe with unprotected sex and the calender method.

[Superbia]

^^But then there is pre-ejaculation fluids, which means that some sperms can "escape" before the actual ejaculation takes place. I guess you can never be too safe.

I guess so. Ah, then just use a condom :p

[Lym]

^^ and it is still 98% effective. So there is a 2% chance that you are going to get pregnant :p So perhaps, condoms plus not ejaculating in the vagina should be "being cautious enough". If you still get pregnant, then that is no surprise. God's will always prevails.

[Jeff]

No, no.

Your cycles can CHANGE from month to month. So you can't just count particular days. For some, those days might be right 99% of the time. For others, 50%. For others, rarely.

Each person is different. And if you have stress or sickness, you can have an unusual cycle.

What you need to learn is to check your signs.

Basically what this means is, you observe what kind of cervical mucus your body puts out every morning. You just check yourself with toilet paper when you first get up in the morning.

The short answer is: When you ovulate, you have fertile mucus. Fertile mucus is very different from non-fertile mucus. The sperm needs fertile mucus to travel to the egg. If it doesn't have fertile mucus, it can't get to the egg and you can't get pregnant.

Fertile mucus is slippery like egg white. If you take it between your finger and thumb and stretch it, it stretches long and thin. If you want to know what I mean, crack an egg and see what happens with the raw egg white when you try this. It will be long, thin, strands that feel very SLIPPERY.

Like this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c8/Cervical_mucus1.jpg/180px-Cervical_mucus1.jpg

Non-fertile mucus feels STICKY-TACKY. When you take it between your fingertips, it feels like a little bit gluey. It's very short and breaks right away: Tch, tch, tch. It's not slippery and it doesn't stretch like egg white.

You can learn to observe your mucus and chart it pretty easily. If you are in Britain or somewhere like that, I can easily find people that you can hook yourself up with to teach yourself how to keep track of your cycle. Once you get the hang of it, it's so simple and effective.

Anyway, PM me if you want to know more.

[Superbia]

Some really interesting info you've provided up there Jeff. This whole "fertile mucus" issue never crossed my mind, I guess the whole thing is a simple process if you read around and find out more about it.

[HITMAN]

Endure Whisper, I personally won't advise you to opt for the calender method which is risky, on the contrary you have a safe hassle free method with a good safety profile & 99% effectiveness, the device lasts for years & can be removed anytime if you are not satisfied

Have you discussed the IUCD with your family physician?

http://www.nhs.uk/magazines/sexualhealth/PublishingImages/IUCD_m860396_176x176.jpg

http://www.sexualityandu.ca/e-bulletin/images/iucd2.gif

[Endure Whisper]

IUCD?! Never heard of it.. but seeing the pictures got me really scared! I don't want to put stuff in me :S

[HITMAN]

I can assure you that it's much safer than what you've been using for the last five months

And don't worry, it's not in your vagina but rather in your uterus ;p

http://www.arc-scotland.co.uk/images/faq10.jpg

[minerva]

here's something i found relating to the cervical mucus days....
if you are in doubt erm...use a 'raincoat' and consult your gynae. there's the temperature method you can use as well...

http://www.sandiegohomebirth.com/images/CMM-Chart.gif

[Pinturicchio]

Lol @ the wettest day!... the 17th is a day i would wanna spend at home... alone...

[Thalia]

Endure Whisper, I personally won't advise you to opt for the calender method which is risky, on the contrary you have a safe hassle free method with a good safety profile & 99% effectiveness, the device lasts for years & can be removed anytime if you are not satisfied

Have you discussed the IUCD with your family physician?

http://www.nhs.uk/magazines/sexualhealth/PublishingImages/IUCD_m860396_176x176.jpg

http://www.sexualityandu.ca/e-bulletin/images/iucd2.gif
Ah, the Mirena.

I'd go for this Endure Whisper.

The first 6 months may not be nice, but if you stick through the first cramps, I'm told it is the safest contraceptive after sterilization.

If I had the guts, this is what I'd have right now. I actually might try it. The dose is much lower than the pill and this device will also stop your periods. Meaning, with time, you won't even be getting any periods.

It all reverses once it is removed.

I'd try it.

The mucus method and the calendar or temperature method is not safe at all. If you've had sex and THEN realise you're ovulating a few days too soon, it would be too late.

[Jeff]

I think you are on the right road being suspicious of chemicals.

Your body is SUPPOSED to ovulate. Suppressing the whole cycle that you entire bodily rhythm is built around is intuitively problematic.

There are health issues involve which you can easily discover by googling around. Not all doctors agree with HITMAN by any means.

Like I said, I will be happy to put you in touch with a WOMAN with whom you can explore the issue of tracking your cycles. Talk to somebody, read about and then decide if you want to try it.

[Endure Whisper]

Thanks guys for your responses but it was quite disappointing to see that the calendar method doesn't work well although my cycle is always exact! The thing is, I am only 21 years old, well turning 22 next month, and my doctor did not recommend anything else for me except the pills (where she rathered the condoms first and then the pills).

Maybe I'll do as Lym mentioned, have protected sex from the 9th day upto the 16th :) although last month, I started from the 12th to 16th day and thank God I am not pregnant :D thanks guys!

[Muscati]

The safe period method sucks because it takes the spontaneity out of your sex life. With you'll turn into a couple who only have sex when it's safe and stop yourselves when it isn't.

[Thalia]

Thanks guys for your responses but it was quite disappointing to see that the calendar method doesn't work well although my cycle is always exact! The thing is, I am only 21 years old, well turning 22 next month, and my doctor did not recommend anything else for me except the pills (where she rathered the condoms first and then the pills).

Maybe I'll do as Lym mentioned, have protected sex from the 9th day upto the 16th :) although last month, I started from the 12th to 16th day and thank God I am not pregnant :D thanks guys!
remembering now.. the Mirena is not recommended really for women who haven't already had kids.

The best is to use a combination of methods.

Try abstaining from sex on the very fertile days, use rubber on the others and use the withdrawal method + rubbers before and around those fertile days.

It's great to have a planned child when you feel ready for them emotionally and financially.

[Endure Whisper]

remembering now.. the Mirena is not recommended really for women who haven't already had kids.

The best is to use a combination of methods.

Try abstaining from sex on the very fertile days, use rubber on the others and use the withdrawal method + rubbers before and around those fertile days.

It's great to have a planned child when you feel ready for them emotionally and financially.

Yeaap, that's what I am going to do :) thanks!