FAM101 - Part 2 - What We Chart
FAM101 - Part 2 - What We Chart
In Part 1 of my blog series FAM101, we looked at gathering the tools you'll need to perform the fertility awareness method with a high degree of accuracy.
In Part 2 we'll cover what we chart in the fertility awareness method. This includes your 3 primary fertility signs, as well as secondary fertility signs, and other health data of your choosing.
The FAM 101 series has four parts:
Part One: Tools of Fertility Awareness
Part Two: What We Chart & The Fertility Signs
Part Three: Charting Your Data Accurately
Part Four: Interpreting Your Data
Fertility awareness is an umbrella term. There are many types of fertility awareness methods. The most reliable fertility awareness methods are those which use corroborating fertility signs, that is signs that overlap to determine the fertile window, which changes month to month. It cannot be predicted, only observed & confirmed.
The method of fertility awareness I use is called the sympto-thermal method because it combines cervical observations along with waking body temperature to identify the fertile window.
The sympto-thermal method has tested on par to the effectiveness rate of most hormonal birth controls. It is 99.4% efficacy when used properly. [1] [2]
What are the 3 primary fertility signs covered in the fertility awareness method?
Cervical Mucus - Sometimes called cervical fluid, cervical mucus is our most reliable diagnostic fertility sign. When we feel wet quality cervical fluid, we have a good indication that we are currently fertile. The fertility window with cervical fluid is typically around 6 days. The first day you observe cervical fluid in the cycle is considered the beginning of the fertile window. Most people have only been taught about 'vaginal discharge' and have never been told that we have a cycling of cervical fluid that is a major indicator of our fertility status. There are several ways to check your cervical mucus, including exterior vulva checks, toilet tissue checks, and underwear observations.
How To Chart It - During the day, and while you use the bathroom, observe your cervical fluid. Does it feel/look sticky, creamy, wet, or stretch in your hands? Do you feel it flowing out during the day or in your underwear? Or does your vulva feel dry & is there nothing on your toilet tissue? Record in your chart.
Waking Body Temperature - The hormonal event of ovulation releases progesterone. Progesterone is a thyroid stimulating hormone which raises your temperature after ovulation. In fertility awareness we call this rise in temperature a thermal shift. When a thermal shift is observed, this is the conclusion of the fertile window, and your temperature will remain high until the end of the cycle. Your temperature confirms when it is safe to resume unprotected sex without chance of pregnancy. More than 18 days of high temperatures indicates a pregnancy.
How To Chart It - Every morning before you rise out of bed - take your waking temperature & record it in your chart. Put your thermometer over your phone so you reach for it first. This takes a few weeks to master, but sooner than you know, you'll be doing it without thinking. Your temperature is most accurate when taken in the same window of time every day, though you do not need to set an alarm or take it at the exact same time, as long as you are still at rest & haven't gotten up out of bed yet.
Cervical Position - Cervical position is an optional, corroborating sign that you can use to identify the fertile window. The cervix is usually located low in the vagina, it is hard like cartilage on the tip of your nose, and it's opening is closed & plugged with impenetrable cervical mucus. When you become fertile, the cervix rises higher in the vagina, becomes softer like your lips, and it opens as the mucus plug dissolves and production of wet quality cervical fluid begins.
How To Chart It - When you’re relaxed in bed, find a comfortable position to observe your cervix. Use one or two fingers to feel for the disc like structure at the top of the vagina. Does it feel hard, like your nose, and is it sitting low in the vagina? Or does it feel high, like it’s hard to reach, soft like your lips, and open? Record in your chart.
With these 3 signs, you can corroborate your fertile window, and identify when you become infertile again accurately.
What are some secondary fertility signs that can be observed in the fertility awareness method?
As you become more acquainted with your primary fertility signs, you may notice that other bodily changes correlate with the fertile window. Use the notes or tag section of an app to record these throughout the cycle.
Ovulation Pain - Some people (around 35% of menstruators) can observe the egg burst from the ovarian follicle by a mild twinge of pain felt in the abdomen.
Libido - During the fertile window, testosterone rises along with estrogen, resulting in increased libido.
Mood - You may feel more confident, more competitive, and more assertive during the fertile window.
Energy - You generally have more energy before ovulation. After ovulation progesterone calms GABA receptors in the brain & results in more sleepiness as you approach your next menstruation.
Ovulatory Spotting - Before ovulation occurs, estrogen reaches its peak and begins to drop. If progesterone doesn't rise fast enough post-ovulation, you may see some pink spotting. This is another reliable corroboration that ovulation occurred.
Skin & Hair - Clear, glowing skin, and shiny hair with strong follicles are a result of regular ovulation.
Charting For Body Literacy
Yes, fertility awareness is an incredible tool for understanding the menstrual cycle and your fertility. But the menstrual cycle is a barometer of overall health, fertility is just a benefit of having a healthy body. Being able to see the whole picture - the connections between body, mind, and spirit - is the goal of this charting work.
In the FAM world, we call this body literacy [3]
Most charting apps have a feature where you can add categories or tags to your daily observations. If you use paper journals, you can also set your charts to observe your unique biomarkers.
Identifying patterns can be very useful for understanding your health and making informed healthcare decisions. These patterns can even help your practitioners.
Sexual Activity - Mark any kind of sexual activity you want. Make sure to specify if sex was unprotected, protected, withdrawal, or if spermicide was used.
Supplements or Medication - Specify which herbs, supplements, or medication you take for later review.
Exercise - Use the menstrual cycle to track your exercise habits & when you observe periods of rest.
Travel - Ovulation can be particularly sensitive to travel, especially when time zones are crossed. Use your chart to track your travel & how it can delay ovulation.
Digestion - Many reproductive health issues such as endometriosis have a connection to the gut microbiome. By tracking digestion, you can understand what foods are inflammatory for you, and how to direct your whole body healing.
Mental Health - We know there is a physiological component to mental health. Use charting to get more informed about your physical health and where you need support.
Chronic Pain or Sickness - See how your chronic condition is connected to your menstrual cycle. Supplementation at the right phase of the cycle may be an important step towards healing. Many people dealing with chronic pain or sickness also suffer with their mental health by dealing with inadequate care. The chart is part journal as well.
I can think of several more examples of body literacy signs! For example, I track my chronic migraines in my chart to see how my regimen is working for me. The best part about this chart is that it is yours alone. Your unique data can inform you to so much about yourself and how to best approach your healing. The more data you have, the more patterns you can identify.
Those struggling with health issues, reproductive or not, can make the most out of this method by tracking these patterns in their charts. They will have all the knowledge of the fertility signs which are a non-invasive way of measuring your hormones, plus the additional information they provide over time.
When you put all of this together, you have a lot of information gathered about yourself. Being able to understand and analyze it is an invaluable tool for your health and your autonomy over making healthcare decisions that work for you.
Thanks for reading FAM101 - Part 2 - What We Chart!
In Part 3 - Charting Your Data Accurately, I'll go over how to make sure the information you observe makes it into your chart properly, and how to begin to identify your cycle's patterns.
Citations
[3] Geraldine Matus and Laura Wershler, 2005