6 common misconceptions (and the truth) about natural contraception

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It's pretty astounding how many different perspectives there are on natural contraception. 

Everything from, "that doesn't work" to "that's dangerous" to "it's the best thing on the planet" and on and on, really.

Because I'm currently *launching* the Natural Contraception - The Herbal Way program, I thought I'd share some of the common misconceptions I hear (and some of the fears folks have) and give a little clarity on what's true and what's not. 

As usual, there's often a little truth in everything, and of course I'm biased, but with 16 years of Fertility Awareness practice as my sole form of contraception and 20 years (well, in 2025 it will be 20) of study and active practice with herbal medicine, I can say confidently that there is a LOT we know about how to prevent pregnancy without hormones, IUD's, or even barrier methods. 

In fact, Fertility Awareness is a very reliable form of contraception when practiced correctly ("perfect use" in contraception terms).

Which is not without risks and most of us practice imperfectly, at least occasionally. We're not robots... at least not yet. 

So what are some of the most common myths and misconceptions about natural contraception?

And what actually works?

Listen in to this episode to find out. 


Listen to learn:

• how effective FAM and natural contraception can be compared to hormonal birth control
• why I think it's foundational to track your cycle *especially* if you have irregular cycles, PCOS, are postpartum or perimenopausal
• how many times you can ovulate in a cycle
• why apps are almost never a reliable way to know when you ovulate
• whether herbs for pregnancy prevention can be dangerous
• how herbal abortion differs from herbal contraception
• what actually works! 

Resources:

• Check out the Natural Contraception - The Herbal Way program! Class starts Dec 10th, enrolling until Dec 13th, 2024
• Episode 18: Herbal uterine tonics
• Episode 90: 5 effective non-hormonal birth control options
• Episode 105: What is your fertile window, and what is it telling you?
  
• Study: Pyper, C, Jenetzky, E, Strowitzki, T, & Freundl, G. (2007). The effectiveness of a fertility awareness based method to avoid pregnancy in relation to a couple's sexual behaviour during the fertile time: a prospective longitudinal study. Hum Reprod., 22(5):1310-9. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dem003
• Study -- this one basically shows there are a lot of variations in study strength but also reviews many different methods, they are NOT all FAM: Peragallo Urrutia R, Polis CB, Jensen ET, Greene ME, Kennedy E, Stanford JB. (2018). Effectiveness of Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Pregnancy Prevention: A Systematic Review. Obstet Gynecol., 132(3):591-604. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002784 
• ACOG statement on Fertility Awareness 

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

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Learn to track your cycle and listen to your own body wisdom - Track Your Cycle Simply in 3 Easy Steps Guide (click here)  

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