Teaching & Healing Through Fertility Awareness Charting
By: Andrea Rice
Director’s Note: April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In this compelling interview, Miranda* shares a deeply personal testimony involving the healing role of FABMs in her own life as a victim of child sexual assault. Implementing FABMs has helped her come to a healthy understanding of sexuality and sex boundaries. Andrea Rice, a former FACTS elective participant conducted this interview and noted that despite the challenges that FABMs can present, charting with these methods can also bring empowerment and transformational healing.
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Miranda* had decided that hormonal birth control wasn’t for her, but what was the alternative? She had some underlying health concerns and knew she didn’t want to take oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) after witnessing several family members with similar issues experience side effects. Internet resources were still limited at the time, and she quickly arrived at a dead end in her search for a more natural approach to family planning. It wasn’t until a few years later that she overheard a conversation about natural family planning (NFP) at her church and realized there was another option. She soon found a book about natural methods but found the information too confusing and complicated to use in real life. However, after the birth of her first child, she felt the need to try formally learning a fertility awareness-based method (FABM) of family planning.
This time, Miranda’s Internet search was more fruitful. She decided to take a course through SymptoPro, an American company teaching a Sympto-Thermal method adapted from the Sensi-Plan method developed in Europe. This method utilizes cervical mucus monitoring in combination with daily temperature readings. The method includes two different ways to evaluate cervical mucus: by tissue paper evaluation or by sensation. This cervical mucus evaluation is cross-checked with temperature recordings taken upon waking before 7:30 a.m. SymptoPro also has protocols for different life situations. For instance, users working a night shift are instructed to take the temperature reading at a specified time, and the method is adjusted to rely more heavily on the cervical mucus pattern.
Miranda liked the SymptoPro method so much that she eventually trained to become an instructor. However, she has experienced several challenges with teaching the method. First, learning the method requires a significant commitment: three classes over the course of a month with monthly follow-ups for the next six cycles. The time commitment posed a challenge for some clients who signed up to learn the method. Many of Miranda’s clients did not return after the initial month of classes, and it was nearly impossible to get them to follow up to ensure they correctly understood and utilized the method. It was also challenging to spread the word about her services, and she soon realized that being an FABM instructor meant not just teaching clients but also running a small business. Presently, Miranda is pursuing continued education in other areas and hopes to incorporate her skills as an FABM instructor in the future.
The flexibility of SymptoPro is what Miranda loves most about the method. She explained that a user could choose a simpler protocol during hectic times or opt for a more detailed approach if charting due to health concerns or to achieve or avoid pregnancy.
The flexibility of SymptoPro is what Miranda loves most about the method.
“I can track what I need to track depending on my lifestyle at the moment,” Miranda said.
As a busy mom, this helps her adhere to the method throughout the continually changing seasons of motherhood.
“The most difficult part of using SymptoPro was during the postpartum period, but this is an issue with every FABM,” Miranda explained.
During postpartum, the transition from breastfeeding to the return of menses can make it challenging to identify typical biomarkers of fertility. After having her third child, Miranda has now become very confident with SymptoPro. Over the years, she has even begun to recognize how certain dietary changes, getting enough rest, and breastfeeding regularly make her biomarkers more clear. This familiarity with the method — and with her own body — didn’t happen overnight though.
“Like most new moms, I didn’t know how to take care of myself,” she said.
Over the years, she has even begun to recognize how certain dietary changes, getting enough rest, and breastfeeding regularly make her biomarkers more clear.
Miranda’s story sheds light on some of the benefits of FABMs for family planning, but also highlights where the current medical system falls short for new parents. There seems to be little attention given to the needs of mothers with new babies — and little support for these women beyond postpartum doulas. Miranda wishes that more doctors would begin asking parents about their own well-being, as well as that of their new babies. What are they doing to take care of themselves? What support do they have at home? What help do they need?
Starting conversation about FABMs presents another difficulty: many women using FABMs struggle to talk to their doctors about FABMs or find doctors who are supportive of their use of these methods. Miranda expressed a desire for resources that FABM users can bring to doctor’s appointments to help bridge this knowledge gap.** For doctors who are already familiar with FABMs, she also noted that making connections with local FABM instructors would be hugely beneficial in order to make referrals for patients.
Many women using FABMs struggle to talk to their doctors about FABMs or find doctors who are supportive of their use of these methods.
Miranda also wishes that more people knew about FABMs, especially that “it isn’t just about birth control.” Whether a teenager just starting her cycle, a woman married with a family, or a single person interested in her health, any woman can use FABMs to track vital biomarkers and find empowerment in understanding her fertility. These methods can be used to achieve pregnancy, better determine due dates, diagnose health issues, help teens predict their periods, and aid athletes in monitoring their health.
Beyond these applications, learning about FABMs has also impacted Miranda’s life in a deeply personal way. As a child, she was a victim of sexual assault and struggled in her young adult years with unhealthy behaviors and hypersexuality.
“Periodic abstinence gave me the ability to say no,” Miranda shared. “It taught me how to set boundaries and what healthy sexuality is.”
While FABMs might be more challenging and inconvenient than taking a pill or having a device inserted, there are empowering and transformational benefits that can come with the consistent daily effort FABMs require. In Miranda’s experience, it is more than worth the effort.
*Names have been changed to respect the privacy of the interviewee. All information is shared with permission.
**These resources are here! Share our article, Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Women’s Health and Family Planning, with your physicians or health care professionals as it provides a detailed summary of the science supporting these methods. Explore the FACTS “What is Charting?” webpage for more information about fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) and the many methods and biomarkers. PDFs are available in both English and Spanish.
Plus, check out our online shop for dozens of resources for patients, educators, and medical professionals. Our Physician Guide Brochure is a great resource to give your healthcare professional at the next visit! Or, for more specific information about the different methods, check out our “What are FABMs?” summary sheet and Patient Brochure for a practical tool outlining family planning and medical management applications. All of these and more are available at the FACTS Shop!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrea Rice
Andrea Rice is a fourth-year medical student at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine who is passionate about women’s health and LGBTQ+ care. She will be specializing in family medicine during her residency after graduating from medical school and plans to practice full-spectrum medicine in underserved rural areas. She is a firm believer in empowering patients to take charge of their health and make the healthcare decisions they feel are right for them. She first became interested in reproductive health through her involvement with Medical Students for Choice and is glad to round out her education with the electives offered by FACTS. She is also the mother of 5, an avid jigsaw puzzler, and a dog park enthusiast.