What's the symptothermal method of birth control?

By Miriam @ Planned Parenthood | June 23, 2021, 12:05 p.m.

Category: Ask the Experts, Birth Control

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When you use more than 1 fertility awareness method (FAM) together, it’s called the symptothermal method of birth control.

FAMs are ways to track your ovulation so you can prevent pregnancy. The three main FAMs are:

• The Temperature Method: you take your temperature in the morning every day before you get out of bed.

• The Cervical Mucus Method: you check your cervical mucus (vaginal discharge) every day.

• The Calendar Method: you chart your menstrual cycle on a calendar.

Combining 2 or 3 methods into the symptothermal method is the best way to use FAMs to prevent pregnancy. The symptothermal method generally means using both the temperature method and the cervical mucus method. Some people use the calendar method on top of these to double check themselves.

Tags: fertility awareness, birth_control, symptothermal, fam