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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Knowledge, attitude and practice of natural family planning methods in a population with poor utilisation of modern contraceptives.

Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest fertility rates in the world, which is further promoted by the low utilisation of modern contraceptive methods. Yet, many communities claim to have traditional methods of family planning that pre-date the introduction of modern contraceptives, implying that contraception is a culturally acceptable norm. It was therefore postulated that the study population would have a high level of awareness and practice of natural methods of family planning. We aimed to obtain an insight into the extent and correctness of knowledge about natural family planning methods, and its practice as a guide to the general acceptance of contraception as a concept. Pre-tested structured questionnaires were administered to women of childbearing age in households properly numbered for primary healthcare activities. The level of awareness of natural family planning methods was significantly less than awareness for modern methods of contraception. The awareness rate for rhythm method, lactational amenorrhoea method and coitus interruptus was 50.7%, 42.1% and 36.1%, respectively. For all three national family planning methods, there is a steady decline between awareness, correct description of method and utilisation, a difference that was statistically significant in all cases. The sociodemographic factors of the responders had varying influence on utilisation of all three natural family planning methods studied. Rural dwellers practised the lactational amenorrhoea method significantly more often than urban dwellers. Significantly more Muslims than Christians with four children or more practised coitus interruptus or the rhythm method, while the use of lactational amenorrhoea method was significantly increased with the number of living children in both religious groups. There is a relatively low level of awareness of natural family planning methods in the study population, poor utilisation and wrong use of methods. Therefore, improving the correct level of information on natural family planning methods is likely to improve the use of both natural family planning and modern contraceptive methods.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Natural methods of family planning.

Reliable indicators to detect the fertile and infertile phases in the menstrual cycle are now available, largely due to the intensive scientific research into fertility over the past decade. This means that couples who follow the rules of the different NFP methodologies have a highly effective means of birth control, without the introduction of hormones, chemicals or devices into the body. New scientific techniques can be expected within the next couple of years which will simplify the detection of the fertile phase and hopefully help to elucidate the grey area of the early fertile days, where most of the unplanned pregnancies occur. Fertility awareness by both partners is an important positive contribution to the whole sexual relationship and emphasizes that NFP is an educational delivery system rather than a technological one. The modification of sexual behaviour and the motivation of both partners for the successful use of NFP may initially present a problem to some couples. On the other hand, many partners find the discipline enhances their sexual relationship and dialogue. Whatever the motivation, today more and more couples are happier to be in autonomous control of their bodies and their fertility.

Body Temperature↗
PubMed1991

Is the lactational amenorrhea method a part of natural family planning? Biology and policy.

The lactational amenorrhea method is a natural method of family planning for women who breastfeed their infants. The underlying physiology results in a natural suppression of ovulation, and the concomitant amenorrhea, induced by exclusive (or almost exclusive) breastfeeding. This in addition to the infant's age of 6 months or less and specific feeding pattern are the parameters used to identify the possible return of fertility. The lactational amenorrhea method provides at least 98% protection against pregnancy. Data from a recent multicenter study of breastfeeding support the use of the lactational amenorrhea method as a natural family planning method. The lactational amenorrhea method can be incorporated into natural family planning programs and teaching.

Amenorrhea↗
PubMed1996

Field trial of billings ovulation method of natural family planning.

There are couples with unmet family planning needs and couples who do not use any modern method, yet they desire to space or avoid pregnancies. Many of them look for safe and effective options like the natural family planning methods. The Billings Ovulation Method based on single index cervical mucus parameter is one such option. The present multicentre trial conducted in India has shown an encouraging use-effectiveness of the method, indicating method failure as low as 1.5 +/- 0.3 and use-failure 15.9 +/- 0.8 per 100 users at 21 months. The method continuation rates have also been as high as 88.3/100 users at 6 months and 52.0/100 users at 21 months.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The natural family planning--lactational amenorrhea method interface: observations from a prospective study of breastfeeding users of natural family planning.

Methods of natural family planning are sometimes difficult for women to use during lactation. When this is so, the lactational amenorrhea method may prove useful. Researchers agree that a fully breastfeeding woman who is amenorrheic is 98% protected from pregnancy for up to 6 months after delivery. The fertility status of 74 users of natural family planning during the time they would have been protected by the lactational amenorrhea method is examined. Underlying hormonal profiles show that there was little ovarian activity during this time. Eight ovulatory events occurred during the period of protection by the lactational amenorrhea method, of which four fulfilled minimum criteria for adequacy; there were no pregnancies during this period. However, some women did report experiencing fertile mucus symptoms during this time that were often unrelated to estrogen production. Using the lactational amenorrhea method rather than natural family planning allows them to avoid unnecessary abstinence.

Amenorrhea↗
PubMed1981

A randomized prospective study of the use-effectiveness of two methods of natural family planning.

The final results of a prospective comparative study of two methods of natural family planning indicate a significant difference in the 12 month net cumulative pregnancy rates between the ovulation and symptothermal methods. These differences are on the order of two to one in favor of the symptothermal method. Pearl pregnancy rates confirm similar differentials between the two methods. Dropout rates for both methods were high. Lack of interest or dissatisfaction with the method was the major reason for dropout training while pregnancy or desire for pregnancy were the major reasons for dropout during the formal phase of the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Post-partum contraception.

The choice of a post-partum contraceptive method depends on many factors, including the need for a temporary versus a permanent method, the infant feeding choice and the extent to which informed consent is made prior to delivery. For maximum protection, the non-breast-feeding woman should be protected from the fourth week post-partum, even if that means using a temporary method, such as condoms or spermicides, until her method of choice is procured. Combined oestrogen/progestin methods should be avoided by all women for 2-3 weeks to avoid elevating the risk of thromboembolism. Preparations containing oestrogen should be avoided altogether during lactation because they have been associated with a reduction in milk production. POPs, implants and injectables are appropriate regardless of infant feeding choice. They can be administered immediately post-partum in bottle-feeding women, but should ideally be postponed for 6 weeks in breast-feeding women. It is best to insert IUDs within 10 minutes of delivery of the placenta, in order to minimize the risk of IUD expulsion. Insertion immediately after expulsion of the placenta requires special training, and expulsion rates are reduced with the insertion experience of the practitioner. Breast-feeding is not associated with an increase in IUD expulsion or uterine perforation, and it is associated with fewer removals for bleeding or pain. Tubal sterilization is safe, convenient and cost-effective when performed immediately after delivery, but it requires extensive counselling and fully informed consent prior to the onset of labour to avoid potential regret over post-partum tubal ligation. If the procedure is performed immediately, any effect on the establishment of lactation may be minimized. LAM is a method that can only be used by breast-feeding women. It may prove to be a useful way to time the commencement of a second, less temporary contraceptive method. Natural family planning methods require a period of abstinence for the establishment and identification of the new symptoms of fertility. When LAM is used during this interval, the need for abstinence may be reduced significantly for breast-feeding women. Breast-feeding provides health benefits for the woman and her infant, as well as the best possible nutrition for the baby. The International Planned Parenthood Federation (1990) (among others) recommends that, 'As far as is practicable, all women should be advised and encouraged to breastfeed fully'. The infant feeding decision affects the choice of a contraceptive method, and this is an important reason for the woman's physician to be interested in her infant feeding choice.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1998

[Prospective study of the efficacity of a recent symptomatic-thermal method of natural family planning].

UNLABELLED: A Belgian pilot-study conducted in the framework of the prospective European multi-center study (University of Düsseldorf) tried to establish the use-effectiveness (a sine qua non condition for its acceptance in Europe) of natural family planning. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 84 participants provided data (sympto-thermal chart and related information) on 1,750 cycles where family planning intention was to avoid a pregnancy. The average age of the women was 32 years. A contraceptive method (mainly oral contraceptives) was employed previously by 61% of them. The sympto-thermal method used by the test group highlights the beginning and the end of the menstrual cycle's fertile period by a double check. As to the start of the fertile period, the criteria are: a calculation on the length of the previous twelve cycles and the first sign of mucus at either the vulva or the cervix. Indicators of the end of this phase are: the third day of high temperature and the fourth evening after either the peak mucus day or the peak cervix day. 75% of the women involved generally use the cervical auto-palpation. RESULTS: No method failure at all has been detected. Two unplanned pregnancies occurred due to user failure. The total Pearl index for the study was 1.4. When examining only those cycles (85% of the reported cycles) where no protected sexual intercourse occurred during the fertile phase, practical efficacy of the method analysed was 1.8 according to Pearl index. Furthermore, taking into account protected and unprotected sexual intercourse occurred during the fertile phase, we observed that sexual abstinence was practised during the "risk" period of 75% of the cycles. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this test study demonstrate the practical efficiency of a modern natural family planning method. The high level of cycles during which periodic abstinence was employed testify to the acceptability of the method used.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

The importance of user compliance on the effectiveness of natural family planning programs.

Nowadays, there is an increasing interest in natural family planning methods. The biological basis for the application of natural family planning methods is the recognition of ovulation and, more extensively, of the fertile period. Several studies in the past decade have shown the efficacy of these methods and that the main cause of failure was either a conscious departure from the rules of the method or erroneous application of the method. Another problem affecting natural family planning that has been highlighted is the relatively high discontinuation rate. These features are probably due to low compliance in applying the natural family planning rules, which may be too demanding for a number of couples. In this review, there are comments on the application of natural family planning methods, the discontinuation rates and the failure of the method due to mistakes in the studies carried out in the past 15 years. Steps that can be taken to limit mistakes and discontinuity are also addressed.

Family Planning Services↗
PubMed1980

Comparative evaluation of two methods of natural family planning in Columbia.

Results of a comparative study of the ovulation method (OM) and symptothermal method (STM) of natural family planning in Colombia are presented. Recruitment of volunteer couples began in August, 1976, and continued through December, 1978, during which time 566 couples were randomly assigned to one or the other of the two methods. The study included 3 to 5 months of training in the method assigned, after which the couples entered the follow-up phase of the study. They remained in follow-up until (1) they dropped out or (2) the study closed in June, 1979. Total dropout rates were high for both methods of natural family planning. One year after entry into the follow-up phase of the study, net pregnancy rates were 24.2% for OM users and 19.8% for STM users. Gross pregnancy rates were 29.2% for OM and 26.1% for STM. Differences in pregnancy rates between the two methods were not statistically significant.

Adolescent↗