Posted on 02/21/2007 6:25:14 PM PST by samiam1972
HEIDELBERG, Germany, February 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new study by German researchers shows that a method of natural family planning is statistically as effective as the contraceptive pill in delaying pregnancy.
Researchers from the University of Heidelberg studied the statistical effectiveness of the symptothermal method (STM) to avoid achieving pregnancy. Unlike contraceptives that either suppress a woman's natural fertility cycle or act as a barrier to conception, STM helps a woman to understand the natural signs of her fertility in order to achieve or temporarily delay pregnancy.
The study involving 900 women was published in the journal, Human Reproduction, and found that the correct use of STM to delay pregnancy led to a rate of 0.4 pregnancies per 100 women per year. The lowest pregnancy rate was found among women who abstained from sex during their most fertile period identified through STM.
In contrast, women who used a barrier method, such as a condom, had a pregnancy rate of .6 pregnancies per 100 women per year. Women who had sex (without contraception) during the fertile period had a pregnancy rate of only 7.5 pregnancies per 100 women per year, however researchers noted that this was a quarter of the rate one would usually expect.
(Excerpt) Read more at lifesite.net ...
And glad to be here, as opposed to the alternative, I'm sure.
However, if he's (are we sure it's "he"?) old enough to be posting unsupervised, then there have been very significant advancements in NFP knowledge since his putatively accidental conception.
And how sad that must be, to go through life thinking, "I'm a mistake ...".
Before getting married we learned NFP to chart fertility. We wanted a baby right away. Happily it worked, we've got one in the oven.
Follow the money.
Here is the BBC version of the same story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6375261.stm
Aren't you glad for that failure. No contraceptive except sterilization is 100% effective. And even so, after a vasectomy other precautions should be taken until it shown that those determined sperm are being kept back.
PS I am not pro birth control and hold to the Catholic position. But just wanted to point out that all methods have failure rates. Also NFP can be done without harm to the wife or husband. It is not healthful for a woman's body to be pumped with hormones decade after decade. At some point quite frankly the use of condoms must add an element of blaaahh to sex. Not being a guy I am just guessing on that one. So NFP seems the best choice not only for religious reasons but for long term health reasons as well.
There is a third method.
THINK " MARGARET THATCHER ON A COLD DAY NAKED"
I'm Catholic and actually took the class through the Baptist Church. They were the only ones giving it at the time. They thought it was the best secret the Catholic church had and wanted to spread it far and wide. :o)
Unfortunately they lived a block from me.
I asked Mr. and Mrs. M, how many kids do you have?
Long pause...15. The room exploded in laughter. What would they know about not having kids?
I found a free trial download of Ovusoft that you mentioned. Thank you for telling us about it! Here's the site:
http://www.download.com/Ovusoft-Fertility-Software/3000-2129_4-10276135.html
Mom claims she was too seasick to 'defend herself'.
Doesn't bother me a bit. Just because I was ahead of schedule doesn't mean I was unwanted.
I can't believe the similarities in our stories!
We also married in 1995 and used ABC for the first few years. I went to a class at church that connected the pill as an abortificient. I had no idea at the time! I cried all night and never took another one. Our first child was born 10 months later in 1998. We had marital problems after his birth and nearly separated. After a marriage counselor told us we should just get a divorce, I signed us up for classes.
We had just begun the class on NFP when we found out about our second child, born in 2000. We used it successfully for years. Although I had a few miscarriages, the pregnancies were planned and then avoided as needed.
Our third child came 5 years after the last in 2005 and are expecting the fourth in August. After 6 pregnancies you'd think I'd be able to recognize when I was pregnant. I was 8 weeks along before I figured it out this time. I guess we just got caught up in Christmas and wasn't paying attention. LOL!
Money has always been an issue with us. If we had waited until we could "afford" them, we'd still be childless! I'm a much better person since having kids. I have learned to live simply and frugally. It truly is a blessing!
"That should work. I'm always pregnant before the previous baby is weaned, so my menstruation dates aren't worth anything."
That's how this last one happened. I think I maybe had 2 cycles before this current bean was conceived. It happened the same month that I weaned my daughter. I have 4 bottles of wine that we bought right before child #3 that I won't let my husband open. I don't care about the others but I really want to sip on those with him! LOL! Maybe next year! :o)
"...we've got one in the oven."
Congratulations!!! It will change you life! Are you ready? :o)
"THINK " MARGARET THATCHER ON A COLD DAY NAKED"
LOL!!
"Long pause...15"
That's hilarious! I'll bet they were planned and welcomed pregnancies. That tends to happen to you when you take NFP classes. You become more open to large families!
I'll pipe up and offer that I am living proof that a double dose of birth control (40 years ago - talk about STRENGTH) wasn't a foolproof guarantee that God din't want my parents to have four living children! The pill was prescribed because the doctors thought my Mom would be killed by another pregnancy.
My Dad likes to joke that I came out with two little white pills clenched tightly in my pudgy little fist! ;-P
not bad for the BBC
Are you saying your mother was raped? God bless her.
You are so sane!
Thanks for posting.
Our saga:
1. After honeymoon we spent a month in a ski resort during the summer and asked the local priest about NFP. He laughed us out of hs office and provided no information or contacts.
2. Went out west with my work. Not a catholic community, so we made the local state-funded birth control pushers try to teach us NFP. That was riot. Did not learn a thing but it was fun to bewilder them.
3. Moved to CA and finally found a good NFP teacher. Learned how it works - some women become experts instantly like mine. Decided that we could always create an excuse to wait to have kids, so we did not avoid fertile periods and intentionally conceived.
4. After that we never charted again since we have never felt that we had any good reason to avoid having more children. Though one of us always has a good idea if she is fertile even without charting.
5. Seven kids later we are so glad we let God decide the size of our family.
6. We don't kid ourselves that we are good ambassadors for NFP since the size of our family would make most people run away from us.
7. After giving birth, my wife's doctors (6 docs for 7 kids - we move a lot) always lecture her about birth control as if she were a dumbass.
8. Most recent doctor scolded her for risking her own health (as if pregnancy is a disease - she had NO health problems that would indicate pregnancy was unwise or risky) and subjecting the other children to a potential risk that their mom might get not be healthy! It was a woman. Feminazi type. Of course a homeschooling mother of 7 is a barefoot and pregnant retard married to a mysoginist in this woman's mind. But I always thought male doctors ignored the woman's feelings and choices. That was why women needed to be doctors and treat other women. So that women would be respected. But this woman had ZERO respect for the choices of my wife. Most women would die to have children as nice, sociable, and educated as mine are. Most men would give anything to have a wife as loving and caring and nurturing as I have. (She happens to be beautiful and still a shapely size 4 to boot). I think this woman was just mad because the choices my wife made make this woman feel inadequate. Of course what woman who does not truly need to work would NOT feel inadequate for hiring out the nurturing of their children? Women's lib - what a crock.
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