Behavioral Methods

Continuous Abstinence is not having sex play. The advantages of Continuous Abstinence are:

• no medical or hormonal side effects
• there isn’t a chance of getting a sexually transmitted infection

Outer Course is sex play without vaginal intercourse

The advantages of Outer Course are:

• no medical or hormonal side effects
• increase trust and intimacy between partners
• may make sex play last longer
• can be used when no other birth control is available

Fertility Awareness Methods is methods of contraception that depend on charting your fertility pattern. Methods used in Fertility Awareness are:

• temperature method - need to take your temperature every morning before getting out of bed
• cervical mucus method - observe the change in your cervical mucus
• calendar method - chart your menstrual cycles on a calendar
• standard days method - this predict fertile days without calculations, detailed record keeping, physical self-exams, or months of practice

• 100 couples who use any of these methods for one year, 20 will become pregnant with typical use
• 100 couples who use temperature method for one year with perfect use, 2 will become pregnant
• 100 couples who use cervical mucus method for one year with perfect use, 3 will become pregnant
• 100 couples who use calendar method for one year with perfect use, 9 will become pregnant

Withdrawal is when a man pulls his penis out of the vagina before ejaculation. The advantages of withdrawal are:

• no side effects
• safe, simple, and convenient
• no medical or hormonal side effects
• no prescription

• out of 100 women whose partners use withdrawal 4 will become pregnant each year if they always do it correctly
• out of 100 women whose partners use withdrawal 27 will become pregnant each year if they don’t always do it correctly.

Continuous Breastfeeding can postpone ovulation. It stimulates the hormone prolactin, which is necessary for milk production, and it inhibits the release of another hormone, necessary for ovulation. The advantages of continuous breastfeeding are:

• doesn’t affect a woman’s natural hormone balance
• immediately effective
• no prescription necessary
• inexpensive

• of 100 women who use continuous breastfeeding 2 will become pregnant in the first six months with typical use. Less than 1 will become pregnant with perfect use

Click here for Behavioral Methods Fact Sheet - English

Click here for Behavioral Methods Fact Sheet - Spanish