Understanding Your Fertility Cycle

In each cycle, you are first infertile (Phase 1), then fertile (Phase 2) and finally you become infertile again (Phase 3) at the end of your cycle.

When this idea was first discovered - the rhythm method was born.

But, the rhythm method has a huge flaw...

It was all about averages.

The old rhythm method was based on the average woman with an average cycle and used the average number of days for each phase of a woman's fertility cycle. Averages, averages, averages!

But you are not average! You are unique! :)

Some women have long cycles - some have short cycles. And even our own cycles can be longer or shorter at times.

As scientists continued to research the female fertility cycle - they discovered that a woman's body changed in specific ways as she went from one phase to another in her fertility cycle.

This gave way to modern (and very effective!) methods of natural family planning. Today, NFP uses your body's fertility signs - not averages - to determine when you are fertile or infertile.

When you are using natural family planning - you are keeping a fertility chart with notes about your three main fertility signs:

*your basal body temperature
*your cervix
*your cervical mucus

You will be able to tell when you are ending one phase - and beginning another phase - based on changes of one or more of your fertility signs.

What makes natural family planning so effective is that it is not based on the average woman and average cycle. NFP is based on your body's real signs of ovulation and fertility.

Natural family planning is all about you! :)

Let's take a look at the first phase of your fertility cycle...

Phase 1 - Infertility

While Phase 1 starts on the first day of your period - it usually continues for several days after your period is over.

The end of Phase 1, or the last day of Phase 1, is different for every woman. The end of Phase 1 can also be different from cycle to cycle in most women.

Why? Why isn't there a specific date that Phase 1 ends on all the time? Because every woman is different and every cycle is different.

How will you know when Phase 1 is over? As you learn natural family planning - you will learn a few rules to help you determine the end of Phase 1 based on your cycle history.

But even those general rules are all overridden by the presence of cervical mucus. When you notice cervical mucus - Phase 1 is over and Phase 2 has begun.

While you are considered infertile in Phase 1 - there are a few guidelines to follow.

For example, it is important to abstain in the mornings during Phase 1. If you are looking to postpone pregnancy - you should also avoid making love on consecutive days, but every other day is alright.

Don't worry about memorizing these rules right now. I just want you to have a general idea of the differences in the phases of your cycle.

Phase 2 - Fertility

A change in your cervical mucus will signal that you are in Phase 2. As soon as you observe that your cervical mucus has started, you know that you are fertile.

How do you tell if you have cervical mucus? We'll cover that shortly, but what you need to know right now is that...

Cervical mucus = fertility!

Some types of cervical mucus are more fertile than others. But the presence of any mucus means that you are fertile.

Your Phase 2 will vary in length depending on your age, your health, and your stress levels.

It is interesting to note that when you are healthy and eat good nutritious food - your fertility is more 'concentrated'. Your Phase 2 fertility is shorter in days - but you are much more fertile on those days.

When you have poor nutrition, you will have more days that you observe cervical mucus - but you will not be as fertile.

So, if you're stressed out and eat a lot of junk food - you will have a longer Phase 2. You will also have more irregular fertility cycles.

There is a great book about how nutrition relates to your cycle. It's called "Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition" by Marilyn Shannon.

In her book, Marilyn discusses common problems women have with their cycles - like painful PMS, difficulty with cervical mucus, and irregular cycles - and offers natural ways to improve your cycles and make natural family planning easier.

To recap - Phase 2 begins when you observe cervical mucus.

To determine the end of Phase 2, you are watching for changes in all three of your signs. Just like Phase 1 - you must observe your fertility signs to tell when your Phase 2 has ended.

We are looking for an upward thermal shift in your basal body temperature. Your cervix will actually lower its position and become more firm. And your cervical mucus will change as well.

When you see these changes in your fertility - you will know that you are in...

Phase 3 - Infertility

Phase 3 begins after you have seen an upward shift in your basal body temperature, your cervix has lowered, and become more firm, and your cervical mucus has changed.

All of these changes tell you that you have ovulated - and you don't have to worry about getting pregnant for the rest of this cycle.

Phase 3 continues until you begin your period.

Which brings us back to Phase 1.

Your Fertility Signs

How to you tell which phase you are in? You use the changes in your body's fertility signs.

The signs we use are your basal body temperature, your cervix and your cervical mucus. These are all signs of ovulation.

Let's talk more about these signs of ovulation and how to 'check' them when you use natural family planning...