Fertility Awareness Method
A method of tracking our body’s BIOMARKERS (observable signals) of fertility across the entirety of our menstrual and ovulatory cycles in order to identify out window of fertility and cycle health.
What are these biomarkers you speak of??
Cervical Mucus/Fluid
Cervical fluid/mucus (CF or CM) is created in the cervix and secreted in response to estrogen. We can learn to observe and interpret the changes in our cervical mucus/fluid each day to understand our current fertility status
Basal Body Temp
Basal body temperature (BBT) is our resting temperature first thing upon waking in the morning. It changes in response to progesterone and can help us to confirm ovulation AFTER is has occurred.
Cervix Changes
Cervical changes are referring to the changes in texture, openness, and position the cervix goes through in response to changing hormones throughout the menstrual and ovulatory cycles. This can be a fun biomarker use to confirm what we are already noticing with CM and BBT.
Tracking these biomarkers and learning to interpret them allows us to confidently identify our window of fertility and effectively avoid OR achieve pregnancy naturally AND gives us insight into the entire picture of our overall cycle health. Our cycle is like our 5TH VITAL SIGN and our chart is our objective measurement tool!
Is FAM right for me?
-
FAM is a great option for folx with irregular cycles because FAM relies on in-real-time data to determine your fertility status and overall hormone health, NOT previous cycle data. Whether you’re wanting to avoid pregnancy naturally, planning to conceive, or wanting to support your cycle toward more regularity, FAM is a great option for you!
-
FAM helps us to identify the health concerns because it is our FIFTH VITAL SIGN. Charting your cycle is the first step toward understanding WHY you are having painful periods or uncomfortable symptoms and allows us to identify the best next steps for resolving those symptoms. You CAN achieve PAIN-FREE PERIODS!
-
FAM teaches you how to identify times of fertility and infertility accurately, based on the science of sperm survival, egg survival, and the ability of cervical mucus to keep sperm alive. Despite what some providers may have led you to believe, learning how to read your body in this way is a basic skill that anyone can learn to effectively avoid pregnancy without having to suffer through the side effects that come with conventional options
-
Having a chart of your cycle using FAM can, in itself, give you a wealth of information about what is going on with your cycle and lead you to better understand WHY you’re having trouble conceiving, and to be able to get on the right path toward a healthy pregnancy. Having an accurate chart of your cycle is a valuable tool to bring with you to any appointments with providers that may be supporting you on this journey!
-
Especially when choosing to conceive with donor sperm, it’s important to time your IUI (intrauterine insemination) or ICI (intracervical insemination) as accurately as possible to avoid wasting that donor sperm. FAM helps you identify the most optimal timing!
-
Postpartum can be a wild ride! Learning FAM can help you identify the return of fertility and to avoid pregnancy naturally until, if ever, your intentions change to wanting to conceive again. OVULATION occurs BEFORE MENSTRUATION. So, identifying that first ovulatory event is key to avoiding pregnancy in the postpartum period. It can be really helpful to work with an instructor to identify your changing pattern of fertility during this time.