The Billings Ovulation Method was created in the 1950s by Dr. John Billings after extensive research into the relationship between cervical mucous and fertility. Studies showed that it is possible to determine ovulation by observing changes to the vulva and cervical secretions. This knowledge is empowering for a woman because it means she can plan or prevent pregnancy once she has identified her risk day (ovulation) and safe days.
At the time, Billings was working at the Catholic Family Planning Bureau in Melbourne, Australia, and in line with his religion, he wanted to find a more accessible method of natural family planning that all women could share. The initial trials were successful and by the late 1960s the ‘rules’ behind the method had been established.
Pros and Cons of the Billings Ovulation Method
Natural family planning is effective and easy to learn. In the trials, most women said that they could identify their fertile days within the first month of keeping a record. You don't have to take artificial hormones, which can affect your mood and lower libido. It also encourages intimacy and communication because you are sharing responsibility for contraception. Many men prefer not to use condoms, and as this method isn’t compatible with barrier methods, sex can be spontaneous on your 'safe' days. No temperature charting is required – simpiy observe cervical secretions and how your vagina feels day-to-day and note down any changes.
All women can learn how to read their fertility cycle even if it's irregular because of breastfeeding or perimenopause. It does require discipline and abstinence at certain times of your cycle, but it’s a case of using your imagination and being intimate in other ways on those days. This can be a positive thing as it makes you less reliant on intercourse.
How to Do It
Register your details on the Billings website to get started. This gives you full information about the method and access to an online chart, which you use for 10 days to record your observations. Don’t have sex during this time so that any secretions are your own. There will be subtle changes in your hormonal patterns, so note down any discharge or sensation, no matter how small. Do you sweat more when you are close to ovulation? Does your vulva feel more sensitive and swollen at certain times of the month? Are you thinking about sex more often than usual?
Once you’ve filled in the chart, submit it to the database and you will be assigned a tutor who will help you to pinpoint ovulation. Face to face tuition is also available locally. The aim is to get you up and running so you feel confident about going it alone.
The Four-Day Rule
Billings created a four-day rule, which runs as follows:
- Avoid intercourse during your period (some women ovulate during their period).
- One you’ve identified your infertile days (days post-period when the vulva and vagina are dry), it’s ok to have sex in the evenings on alternate days until you reach your peak day, i.e. ovulation. The evening rule applies because the cervix needs time and gravity to secrete mucous, so if you have sex first thing in the morning you won’t be aware of it. Your peak day is the final day of discharge when the mucous is stringy and clear and comes off your fingers easily. You identify it retrospectively, as your vagina will be dry the following day.
- No sex for four days after peak day. After this time, your cervix will have closed, meaning that sperm can’t pass through it.
Around half of your cycle is infertile, so once you work out when the safe days are, you are free to enjoy unprotected sex.
Does It Work?
Yes, it has been widely researched, and studies have shown it’s 99% effective in preventing pregnancy (the same rate as other hormonal methods of birth control). In a 10-year study of 45,280 sub-fertile couples in China, 32.1% were able to get pregnant using BOM (1). A recent trial compared 992 couples using BOM to 662 couples using an IUD. The rate of pregnancy with BOM was nil, and the total pregnancy rate was 0.5% (2).
NFP isn't the quickest or easiest method of birth control, but it is good for the body and empowering for a couple to work together on this. It teaches a man how a woman’s body functions making him more sensitive to her natural rhythm and libido cycle. Once you are familiar with the method you may feel more relaxed about having sex before the four days are up – these guidelines are designed to ensure maximum protection. An egg is released once per cycle (ovulation or peak day) and survives for around 12 hours. Sperm live for 1-5 days but it’s thought there is very little chance of conception from sperm older than three days.
References
- Trials of the Billings Ovulation Method. The Billings Method. Dr. Evelyn Billings and Ann Westmore, 2000, pg 215.
- Evaluation of the effect of a natural fertility regulation programme in China.
Resources
Woomb International (find an accredited teacher)
Billingsmentor.org (computer based learning)
Nicci Talbot - Nicci Talbot is a journalist and author specialising in sex, health & wellbeing. She edits Rude Magazine, an online resource for better ...
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