'Fertility Awareness-Based Methods' and subfertility: a systematic review

Author affiliations (2)
  • Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Martelarenlaan 42, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium.
  • Genk Institute for Fertility Technology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Schiepse Bos 6, 3600 Genk, Belgium. ; Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt Univ...

Facts, Views & Vision in ObGyn, 6(3), 113-123, 2014

DOI 10.5334/fvob.105 PMID 25374654 Source

Abstract

Fertility awareness based methods (FABMs) can be used to ameliorate the likelihood to conceive. A literature search was performed to evaluate the relationship of cervical mucus monitoring (CMM) and the day-specific -pregnancy rate, in case of subfertility. A MEDLINE search revealed a total of 3331 articles. After excluding articles based on their relevance, 10 studies and were selected. The observed studies demonstrated that the cervical mucus monitoring (CMM) can identify the days with the highest pregnancy rate. According to the literature, the quality of the vaginal discharge correlates well with the cycle-specific probability of pregnancy in normally fertile couples but less in subfertile couples. The results indicate an urgent need for more prospective randomised trials and -prospective cohort studies on CMM in a subfertile population to evaluate the effectiveness of CMM in the subfertile couple.

Topics

fertility awareness-based methods subfertility, cervical mucus monitoring conception, day-specific pregnancy rate, natural family planning infertility management, FABM systematic review fertility, cervical mucus monitoring fecundability, timed intercourse cervical mucus, fertility awareness subfertile couples, natural conception optimization methods, Billings ovulation method pregnancy rates
PMID 25374654 25374654 DOI 10.5334/fvob.105 10.5334/fvob.105

Cite this article

Thijssen, A., Meier, A. S., Panis, K., & Ombelet, W. (2014). 'Fertility Awareness-Based Methods' and subfertility: a systematic review. *Facts, views & vision in ObGyn*, *6*(3), 113-123. https://doi.org/10.5334/fvob.105

Related articles