Natural Contraception: Why I Love Tracking My Cycle through Basal Temperature and Cervical Mucus

Since the pill hit the market in the 1960s, it has been the go-to contraceptive. Women could finally choose whether or not to get pregnant. Furthermore, the pill was quickly prescribed to "cure" women of hormonal problems. But we're increasingly seeing women questioning the pill's use, and the pill's side effects are becoming more common. This is where natural contraception is making a comeback—this time with a modern twist: a good thermometer and handy apps.

What is natural contraception?

Before we tell you about all the benefits of natural contraception, we'll first explain what it is. Natural contraception, also known as the "temperature method," is a contraceptive method that calculates your fertile days. If you're fertile and don't want to get pregnant, you either have sex without sex or have protected sex. This only applies to a few days each month.

By measuring your temperature, you know exactly when you're fertile. How is that possible? Because your body rocks! During ovulation, your body temperature is about half a degree higher than normal. Weird, right?

So if you get enough sleep every night, wake up around the same time and immediately measure your temperature (your basal body temperature), you can measure that increase and therefore know when you are fertile.

Checking your cervical mucus (which is much more elastic during ovulation) is a good way to determine when you're fertile. And because an egg lives for about 24 hours and a sperm a little longer, you can have unprotected sex in the days before and after ovulation.

Why does your temperature actually rise around ovulation?

In the female body, there are two temperature levels: one before ovulation and one after. During the first phase of your cycle, before ovulation, your temperature is slightly lower. During the second half of your cycle, progesterone causes your body temperature to rise.

Ovulation usually occurs two days before the temperature rise, up to one day after.

By looking at the temperature increase in combination with checking your cervical mucus, you can determine your non-fertile period.

Ovulating right in the middle of your cycle?

It's often thought that ovulation occurs right in the middle of your cycle. This makes sense, since there's a first and second part of the cycle. But the timing of ovulation can vary significantly from woman to woman.

The egg maturation phase, the phase before ovulation, can last from the eighth day after the start of your cycle until the time when you are almost expecting your period.

If you only track your menstruation, you will never be able to say with certainty when you ovulate.

Why co-founder Morgane is a fan of the temperature method

Morgane, co-founder of Guud Woman, uses Natural Cyclus and Sensiplan. These are two natural family planning methods (NFP), also known as the sympto-thermal method, which do not use artificial hormones to suppress ovulation. These methods involve accurately determining ovulation by measuring your basal body temperature daily and analyzing your cervical mucus.

I'm very happy with this contraceptive method. It means I never have to take artificial hormones again, and I'm not afraid of menopause. So many women take artificial hormones for a significant portion of their lives .

As a teenager, you get your first period, and many young girls experience heavy bleeding, irregular cycles, or hormonal acne. Instead of addressing the cause, doctors are too quick to prescribe birth control pills .

And years later, when you're trying to conceive, you stop taking the pill. But if you can't get pregnant easily, your doctor might tell you to go back to a different pill because the extra hormones can boost your ovulation. And soon after giving birth, you'll be prescribed the pill again.

Later, when your body enters perimenopause or menopause, you might experience side effects as your body adjusts to the hormones you take monthly. The solution? Artificial hormones. Again! Women sometimes feel completely overloaded with artificial hormones, their entire lives.

I personally experienced many side effects from the pill, and that's why I'm so happy I can manage my cycle naturally. I feel completely in tune with my body, and that's so wonderful. It's healthier, and any menstrual problems you might experience are easier to manage with good supplements and small lifestyle changes.

Natural Cycle and Sensiplan: how do they work?

The English-language app Natural Cycles has been officially approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a contraceptive. This is the first time an app has been allowed to advertise as a medical device in the United States. The app comes with a special thermometer with two decimal places.

This is how Natural Cycle works:

1. Take your temperature as soon as you wake up. If you've been drinking, slept briefly, or are sick, also report this. It's important to be precise.
2. Enter the temperature via the app.
3. Based on your temperature, the app predicts your fertile days. This way, you know when you can have unprotected sex. Over time, the predictions become increasingly accurate. And if you add additional information, such as your cycle length, the process will go faster.

This is how Sensiplan works:

Sensiplan has been the subject of scientific research for over 35 years and is one of the most reliable sympto-thermal methods, provided that you:

• interprets the cycles correctly,
• strictly applies the rules of the method,
• you (and your partner) are motivated and
• the guidance is of high quality.

Studies at the universities of Düsseldorf and Heidelberg found that of the 7,866 cycles examined, only 3 unintended pregnancies occurred. This corresponds to a Pearl Index of 0.4*. When used correctly, the method has a reliability of 99.6% (method certainty), which is at least as reliable as the pill.

With Sensiplan you will learn to map your cycle, listen carefully to your body, check your cervical mucus and, based on this, calculate your fertile days.

How do you start with natural contraception?

Are you on the pill and want to start natural contraception? Here's how:

1. First, read our handy guide on stopping the pill and how to help your body recover. This guide explains exactly what to expect and how to prepare your body.
2. Then check out Natural Cycles and Sensiplan, and choose which one appeals to you most.

And last but not least, chat with us and we'll help you find the right supplements to support your hormonal health. This way, you'll be balanced every day and feel Guud every day of the month.