Fertility Awareness Methods

Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) do not use hormones, so they are considered safe for people with a history of breast cancer. They do not increase the risk of breast cancer coming back or of developing a new breast cancer. This is true regardless of the breast cancer type, stage, or hormone receptor status.

One important note is that many people experience changes in their menstrual cycles during or after breast cancer treatment. If your periods are irregular or unpredictable, FAMs that rely on tracking menstrual cycles alone may be less reliable.

In these situations, some people may choose FAMs that track signs such as body temperature, cervical fluid, or both, which do not depend on having regular periods.

Fertility Awareness is not a single method but rather a group of methods. Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) are also called natural family planning. FAM methods require you to track info about your body every day.

With perfect use, 1-5 out of 100 people will get pregnant over a year, depending on which FAM is used. Perfect use means you use the FAM as directed.

Most of the time, people don't use FAM exactly as instructed. This is called typical use. With typical use, 2-23 out of 100 people will get pregnant over a year, depending on which FAM is used.

FAM can be much more effective if you have help tracking your data. Currently, there is one FAM phone app approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called Natural Cycles. Based upon typical use, Natural Cycles is 93% effective. If used perfectly, 2 out of 100 Natural Cycles users will get pregnant during the first year of use.

You can also use a birth control method at the time of sex. We call this a Method Boost because it prevents pregnancy better than FAM alone. Method Boost options include outer condom (penile), inner condom (vaginal), pull out, spermicides, the vaginal gel (Phexxi), the cervical cap and the diaphragm. You can also use these as a Method Backup when you have not used FAM as instructed.

FAM helps you predict when you will ovulate (release an egg) and when sperm can join an egg. These are your fertile days when you should avoid sex.

To figure out your fertile days, you need to track data about yourself every day: 1) your body temperature; 2) your period; 3) your cervical mucus (how thin or thick). To get the most accurate results, it is better to track all 3 of these if possible.

FAM only works if you can track your data every day. If pen and paper works for you, that is fine. There are also many online tools and smartphone apps.

Fertility Awareness Methods do not affect your periods.

Natural, hormone free.

Builds trust and teamwork with your partner.

You need to avoid sex for multiple days out of the month.

Need your partner's cooperation.

It is very safe.

No, but you can use outer condoms (penile) or inner condoms (vaginal) to prevent STIs.

You can get a thermometer and other supplies at a drugstore. There are several phone apps to help people use FAM to prevent pregnancy.

The Natural Cycles app is the only one approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The cost of use is about $100 a year. Cycle Beads is another popular FAM app.

For more info about FAM, click here: Planned Parenthood: FAM