How to avoid pregnancy using the Rhythm method or the calendar method

A lot of people want to avoid taking the birth control pills or use condoms to avoid pregnancy. For them enjoying a healthy sex life and using the natural methods to prevent pregnancy is a priority. The best way to avoid the pregnancy is to use the calendar method. This is also known as the rhythm method. In this the calendar or even simple diary can be used to keep track of the number of days. This method is based on the basic theory that a woman ovulates 14 days before her menstrual cycle starts. The aim is to avoid the sexual intercourse during the five days when the ovulation happens.

Instructions

1. First step is to mark on the calendar the date when your menstrual cycle starts. Make a note of this date on your chart or calendar.

2. Repeat this tracking of the start of the first day of the menstrual cycle for three or firth months.

3. Calculate the number days between the first day of the first menstrual cycle you kept track of and the first day of the second menstrual cycle you kept track of in the succeeding or the consecutive month. Similarly calculate the number of days between each menstrual period.

4. Once calculated, find the shortest cycle and the longest cycle. From the shortest cycle subtract 14 days and similarly subtract 14 days from the longest cycle. This will give two numbers which signify the number of days after the menstrual cycle starts when you should be avoiding the sexual intercourse or use protection. Let us call them DayA and DayB

5. The basic assumption here is that women ovulate 14 days before the next menstrual cycle. In effect you will ovulate between the days DayA and DayB.

6. To be more careful you should be careful for the earlier five days of the cycle too as the sperm can be active for 3-5 days and that will mean that you should you protection beginning DayA-5 till DayB.