How to Use the Fertility Awareness Method to Increase Your Chances of Conception

Fertility Awareness Method is a natural form of birth control that doesn't interfere with your fertility. While it can be used to prevent pregnancy, it is also used to help you conceive.

Fertility Awareness Method, or FAM, is a collection of practices that help a woman to understand her fertility. Understanding your fertility is the key to knowing when you are most fertile so that you can plan accordingly.

FAM uses the following techniques to help you determine your cycle and your fertility.

Charting: By keeping track of your menstrual cycle, you can get a good estimate of when you will be fertile.

The average woman's cycle is 28 days, but many women fall closely on one side or the other within this timeframe. If you fall well outside this timetrame, I would recommend that you see your doctor to determine whether you have a hormonal imbalance that is affecting your fertility. Several months of charts will provide your doctor with a good understanding of what the problem is.

FAM is most reliable for women with regular menstrual cycles, but it can also be used for other women as well.

For the best estimate on when you would be fertile, you can use these guidelines:

It is optimal to chart for 8-12 consecutive months so that you have a good idea of the average length of your cycle. Always count the first day of menstruation as Day 1 of your cycle.

After you have several months' worth of charts, find your longest cycle and your shortest cycle. Subtract 18 from the length of your shortest cycle. This number is your first potential fertile day. Then take your longest cycle and subtract 11 from the length. This is your last potential fertile day.

Monitoring your Cervical Mucus: Cervical mucus changes during your entire cycle and can alert you to when you are fertile and when ovulation has already occured.

The first few days after menstruation ends, your cervical mucus will typically be scant. This phase is typically referred to as 'Dry'.

At some point after your 'dry days', your mucus will start to change. It will increase. It can change color to become cloudy, whitish, or even yellowish. It will feel more slippery and sticky.