- Abstaining from intercourse during woman's fertile
times
- Can be difficult to use while breastfeeding
because signs of fertility may be absent or hard
to interpret
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Periodic abstinence is another nonhormonal contraceptive option.
To use periodic abstinence, a woman must learn about the different
stages of her menstrual cycle. She must learn to predict when
she will ovulate and to identify her fertile period, during
which pregnancy is likely to occur. She must avoid sexual intercourse
around the time of expected ovulation – on what are called
“unsafe” or “fertile” days.
However, this method can be difficult to use after pregnancy
when a woman is breastfeeding because her signs of fertility
may be absent or hard to interpret. For example, one method
of periodic abstinence involves monitoring morning changes in
basal body temperature. But these changes will not occur until
ovulation has resumed. Even when ovulation has resumed, these
changes may not occur
if the woman gets up several times during the night to breastfeed
her infant. Another method of periodic abstinence requires watching
for patterns in cervical mucus. However, reduced ovarian function
during breastfeeding may make the cervical mucus pattern more
difficult to interpret. Women who are fully breastfeeding and
amenorrheic may not have signs of fertility for up to six months
after childbirth.
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