- ?A COUPLE engages family planning methods to also allow spacing between the births of their children
By ETAMBUYU SANG?ANDU? -
NATURAL family planning (NFP) method is one of the oldest forms of contraception that has been available world-wide which can be applied by couples that may have problems with artificial ones.
But how much do couples know about the natural methods and yet some women suffer from effects of artificial contraceptives.
It is against this back-ground that this article seeks to explain the pros and cons of NFP.
Natural birth control includes behavioural methods of specific actions that people can do naturally to help prevent an unintended pregnancy and it does not cost anything and usually has no side effects.
NFP is one of the methods used to help a couple determine when sexual intercourse can and cannot result in pregnancy.
It involves being able to identify the signs and symptoms (fertility indicators) of fertility during the menstrual cycle, so you can plan or avoid pregnancy.
Reproductive health specialist Swebby Macha who is secretary general of Zambia gynaecologist and obstetrician association said that NFP is a reliable method without side effects but also has some disadvantages.
Dr Macha explained that during the menstrual cycle, a number of changes occur in a woman?s body.
By???? keeping track of these changes, couples can plan when? to have intercourse and when to avoid intercourse, depending on whether they are trying to achieve or avoid pregnancy.
In most cases, a couple will use Natural Family Planning only to limit the total number of children and to provide a space of time between births.
However, natural family planning methods need to be taught to a couple if they chose any of the natural family methods.
Firstly, fertility awareness methods require partners cooperation and the couple must be committed to abstaining or using another method on fertile days.
The woman must be aware of her body changes or keep track of days according to the values of the specific method.
NFP methods help women learn about their bodies and fertility.
?The method has no side effects; it can be used to identify fertile days by both women who want to become pregnant and women who want to avoid pregnancy.
?It allows some couples to adhere to their religious or cultural norms about contraception and that it does not require procedures and usually do not require suppliers,? Dr Macha said.
He said even though NFP had no side effects, it also has some disadvantages like having a high failure rate, it requires male partner co-operation.
Excessive vaginal secretions, febrile illness, irregular monthly periods may interfere with methods and that it requires back up methods for effectiveness.
He mentioned the following methods that are used for natural family planning.
Calendar based method involves determining the women?s fertile period based on the first day of her last period.
Because of the potential for a lot of variation in a woman?s cycle, this method is considered to be fairly unreliable, but may be an acceptable option for women with extremely regular cycles.
The calendar rhythm method is used by women whose cycle lies outside the 26-32 day cycle.
Before starting on this method, a woman records the number of days in each menstrual cycle for at least six months.
The first day of the monthly bleeding is always counted as day one.
The woman subtracts 18 days from the length of her shortest recorded cycle.
This? tells her the estimated first day of her fertile time.
Then she subtracts 11 days from the length of her longest recorded cycle.
This? tells her the estimated last day of her fertile time.
One could use a thermometer to check the body temperature.
A woman?s resting body temperature goes up slight after the release of an egg (ovulation), when she could become pregnant.
?The temperature rises slightly above from 0.2 degree Celsius to 0.5 degree Celsius just after ovulation.
The couple avoids sex or uses another method for three days after the onset of temperature rise,? Dr Macha said.
Withdrawal also known as coitus interrupters or pulling out, this method allows the man to withdraw his manhood from his partner?s reproductive organs and ejaculates outside.
This is a behavioural action?? where a man pulls his manhood out of the woman before he ejaculates.
This is not as reliable a method because a male ejects pre-ejaculate fluid while he is aroused.
Dr Macha said this method has a higher failure rate approximately 25-30 per cent.
Symptoms Based Methods, Dr Macha said the methods are based on observing signs of fertility.
One of them is the cervical secretion, when a woman sees or feels cervical secretions, she maybe fertile.
The woman may feel a little wetness then the couple could avoid sex or use another method.
The woman then abstains from unprotected sex for seven days before and two days after when she may have ovulated.
It is helpful for a woman to understand her menstrual cycle.
This method also requires some meticulous effort and record-keeping.
Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia Reproductive Health provider Betnas Mwanza said calendar based method is effective if a woman knows and understands her menstrual cycle and does have regular periods.
?It cannot be effective to a woman who does not have regular periods as it can lead to having unplanned children,? Ms Mwanza said.
Ms Mwanza added that if one ought to use thermal temperature then they would have to check the body temperature everyday in the morning before you work.
She said when using the cervical mucus, a woman needs to check the discharge when it is thick; it means she is safe to have sex.
But when the discharge becomes light and slippery it is not safe because it is possible to conceive.
Although this method is usually 100 per cent effective, Ms Mwanza said pregnancy can occur if semen or pre-ejaculate fluid gets into the birth canal that is if a man ejaculating is too close to the woman it may roll onto it.
On continuous Breastfeeding or Lactational Amenorrhea Method, Ms Mwanza said it is considered a form of contraception because it can postpone ovulation for up to six months after giving birth.
Ms Mwanza said this method works because the hormone required to stimulate milk production prevents the release of the hormone that triggers ovulation.
?A woman should not rely on this method for more than six months or if she has had a period since giving birth. It is only effective if the woman feeds her baby at least six times a day with both breasts, does not substitute other foods for breast milk, and feeds her baby every four hours during the day and every six hours at night,? Ms Mwanza said.
Ms Mwanza said the most research on achieving pregnancy with Natural Family Planning has been done for the fertility care methods and with the clear plan fertility monitor, used by the Marquette method.
She said studies have shown that these methods can help couples of both normal and impaired fertility achieve pregnancy more easily.
Ms Mwanza said although Natural Family Planning can be learned from a book, most Natural Family Planning experts believe that interaction with a knowledgeable instructor is the best, especially if problems in interpretation of? signs arises, or for support if there are difficulties with abstenance.
According to World Health Organisation NFP is over 97 per cent effective in preventing pregnancy, and all offer many advantages over artificial contraception.
Ms Mwanza, however, said it is difficult to implement NFP methods because women seek the information without their spouses.
?It becomes a problem when a woman comes alone to learn about these methods without the husband. You will find that on the day she is fertile the husband will ask for sex which can be a problem between the two that is why as PPAZ we advise people to come and learn as a couple,? Ms Mwanza said.
In addition, Ms Mwanza said natural family planning methods does not add anything in the body meaning one will remain the same way she was created by God and there will be no side effects experienced.
Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Copperbelt Coordinator Jurita Mutale said NFP should be encouraged though it requires a lot of discipline.
Ms Mutale said it is a good method because it cannot cause any side effects on a human body, and it helps relax the body.
She said the challenge is that marriages nowadays cannot stand natural family planning because most people are not disciplined as compared to older days.
Anthony Salangeta, a Catholic priest said natural family planning confirms the rediscovery of the marvelous gift of parenthood.
?It involves respect for nature and demands the responsibility of the individuals. Our church emphasises procreation as the primary purpose of sex and NFP helps the body rest,? Father? Salangeta said.
Speaking from experience, Theresa?? Kaseka described NFP methods as a method that was easy to use if one understood the mechanism and changes of the body.
She said NFP was the safest method one could go for compared to other methods? like contraceptives.
?Anything that is natural has got less side effects and anything that comes from God is natural and cannot cause any harm on the body,? she said.
?Natural Family Planning is the best family planning because when we take family planning pills, it means you have no control over your sexual desires, you can have sex any time meaning you are abusing yourself but according to God?s plan we are supposed to be temperate in everything even in sex,? she said.
Source: http://www.times.co.zm/?p=12724
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