[VeritatisSplendor]

Good grief, klossg - at least some women have cervical mucus for 8 days - I do. I've read what I consider to be reliable and informed testimony from women who had intercourse 7 days before ovulation and conceived. Maybe some men have long-lived sperm and if they marry women with long CM phases, presto.

Wikipedia's "Menstrual Cycle" entry has footnotes to 3 scientific papers saying sperm can live 8 days.

If you want to make real sure NFP doesn't lead to pregnancy, you have to skip the pre-ovulatory time altogether.

And what do you do when your body starts throwing out a double ovulation now and then?


From Wikipedia, Menstrual Cycle:
"Sperm survive inside a woman for 3 days on average, with survival time up to five days considered normal. A pregnancy resulting from sperm life of eight days has been documented.[7][8][9]

# ^ Ball M (1976). "A prospective field trial of the "ovulation method" of avoiding conception". Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 6 (2): 63-6. PMID 985763.
# ^ Dr Evelyn Billings & Ann Westmore (2005). Trials of The Billings Ovulation Method. Retrieved on 2005-11-03.
# ^ Sinha G, Sinha A (1993). "A field trial of Billings' ovulation method for spacing and limitation of birth". J Indian Med Assoc 91 (10): 255-6. PMID 8308307. "

Mrs VS

[Scotswife]

"From Wikipedia, Menstrual Cycle:
"Sperm survive inside a woman for 3 days on average, with survival time up to five days considered normal. A pregnancy resulting from sperm life of eight days has been documented.[7][8][9]

# ^ Ball M (1976). "A prospective field trial of the "ovulation method" of avoiding conception". Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 6 (2): 63-6. PMID 985763.
# ^ Dr Evelyn Billings & Ann Westmore (2005). Trials of The Billings Ovulation Method. Retrieved on 2005-11-03.
# ^ Sinha G, Sinha A (1993). "A field trial of Billings' ovulation method for spacing and limitation of birth". J Indian Med Assoc 91 (10): 255-6. PMID 8308307. "


So I might not be stupid or crazy! What a relief.

[klossg]

at least some women have cervical mucus for 8 days - I do. I've read what I consider to be reliable and informed testimony from women who had intercourse 7 days before ovulation and conceived.

You are absolutely right. I didn't say it was what got her pregnant. I am trying to understand the knowledge of NFP out there so that I can help. Don't get me wrong. I am not arguing against fertility if mucus is present. This sperm life tangent is not my point. I am sorry that I brought us down this path. The 5 day sperm life is at the low end of a bell curve from a screen (slide) that we use to teach in CCL. It does go beyond 5 days as I recall. CCL teaches phase 1 & phase 2: If mucus is present you are potentially fertile. Sorry for any confusion.

I know that many woman can have mucus patches longer than 7 days. My wife is one of them. CCL's rules are all based on the assumption of fertility if mucus is present, regardless of the life of the sperm. All CCL's rules would require abstinence if mucus is present during pre-ovulation.

And what do you do when your body starts throwing out a double ovulation now and then?

Double ovulation is assumed in the CCL system of rules.

Good grief

I am only trying to set the record straight on NFP information. I am not trying to convert everyone to using NFP when they do not want to. It is a personal choice. I can only provide info from what I know. Please feel free to slap me when I overstep that boundary.