Natural family planning with and without barrier method use in the fertile phase: efficacy in relation to sexual behavior: a German prospective long-term study

P. Frank-Herrmann; G. Freundl; Ch. Gnoth; E. Godehardt; J. Kunert; S. Baur; U. Sottong

doi:10.1023/a:1006551921219

Fertility Awareness Effectiveness

Natural family planning with and without barrier method use in the fertile phase: efficacy in relation to sexual behavior: a German prospective long-term study

Frank-Herrmann P, Freundl G, Gnoth C, Godehardt E, Kunert J, Baur S, Sottong U

Advances in contraception : the official journal of the Society for the Advancement of Contraception, 1997

DOI 10.1023/a:1006551921219 PMID 9288336

Abstract

A large prospective long-term study with users of natural family planning (NFP) methods has been conducted to analyze the relation between unintended pregnancy rates and sexual behavior with special reference to barrier method use in the fertile phase. Seven hundred and fifty eight NFP beginners, 19-45 years of age, 14870 cycles, 28 unintended pregnancies were studied. Of the couples, 54.2% use NFP only or predominantly and 45.9% use mixed methods (additional barrier method use in the fertile phase in 55.7% of the cycles). The overall pregnancy rate after 12 cycles of exposure is 2.2% according to the actuarial method. There is no significant difference between NFP users and mixed methods users and also no significant effect of duration of use in the first 5 years of exposure. During "perfect use" the pregnancy rate at 12 months is 0.63%. When only protected intercourse takes place in the fertile phase the pregnancy rate is 0.45%. The symptothermal method of NFP is most unforgiving for imperfect use (unprotected intercourse in the fertile phase). However, it is extremely effective when either abstinence or protected intercourse is used in the fertile phase.

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Fertility Awareness Methods Compared

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Fertility Awareness Effectiveness Typical and Perfect Use

Fertility Awareness › Effectiveness › Typical and Perfect Use

Ch. Gnoth

C Gnoth

PMID 9288336 9288336 DOI 10.1023/a:1006551921219 10.1023/a:1006551921219 Frank-Herrmann et al. 1997, Frank-Herrmann 1997

Natural family planning with and without barrier method use in the fertile phase: efficacy in relation to sexual behavior: a German prospective long-term study

Abstract

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