Your cycle is not a mystery to be feared, but a language to be learned-- listen and it will guide you.

The Justisse Method of menstrual cycle charting is one of the many versions of Fertility awareness. It uses 3 main biomarkers: cervical mucus, basal body temperature and cervical position to help you identify ovulation– then you and your partner decide what to do with that information (i.e. try for a baby or take precautions to avoid pregnancy). If your body is not ovulating, it is a huge red flag that something is wrong, and it has shut down the possibility of pregnancy because it is already struggling in some way to sustain you. Whether or not you are trying to conceive, ovulation is a sign of a healthy body!

Cycle charting gives you a window into your overall health! Cycle charting can align with any intention the charter has, such as:

• An effective, safe and hormone-free birth control method that does not interfere with the body’s natural process… this can be great during the postpartum and breastfeeding stages, after discontinuing hormonal birth control when the body is returning to its natural cycles, in the perimenopausal years when fluctuations are normal, or during the first years of cycling when a young woman’s ovaries are just developing

• A timely pregnancy if you wish to have a baby

• Early detection and management of menstrual cycle disorders such as irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, long or short cycles, PCOS, anovulation and many more

• A way to be empowered and informed about your reproductive and sexual health

• A natural diagnostic tool that can help identify the root cause of reproductive health concerns, and a way to monitor whether or not any treatments you are receiving are beneficial

What do you call people who use the rhythm method for birth control? Parents. The Justisse Method is NOT that. The rhythm method goes off the assumption that every woman ovulates on day 14 of her cycle, and forgets the myriad of ways that her cycle can vary from cycle to cycle. Ovulation can be delayed because of stress, travel, illness, and many other things that cannot be predicted. The Justisse Method is science backed and uses direct observation every day to determine the state of your fertility in real-time.

The Justisse Method is 99.6% effective at preventing pregnancy with perfect use…this rivals the efficacy rates of hormonal contraceptives without all the icky side effects! Perfect use means that you follow the rules of this method, which involve avoiding genital contact during your fertile window (alternative sex practices that do not involve genital contact are totally safe). If you choose to use a barrier method during your fertile window (i.e. condom, diaphragm, cervical cap, etc.) or withdrawal, it takes efficacy rates down to about 70-80% because you are no longer relying on the efficacy of the Justisse Method, you’re relying on the efficacy of the condom, or on your partner’s pull-out skills. If you choose to use a barrier method during your fertile window, you can improve efficacy by pairing it with withdrawal!

Yes, 100 times over! Menstrual cycle charting can help you pinpoint exactly when in each cycle you’ll be most likely to conceive. Not only can this help you achieve pregnancy faster, you’ll also be able to confirm a pregnancy earlier; you’ll be able to see the pregnancy reflected on your chart in real-time. Charting can even help you identify miscarriages that may have been written off as a late period, or assist you in getting to the root of any hormonal imbalances that might be preventing you from achieving or maintaining a healthy pregnancy!

Using any kind of Fertility Awareness Method as a means of natural birth control does come with some risk depending on your level of personal responsibility, discipline, and self-control. It requires a strict dedication to the rules of whatever method you choose. I assure you, the skills you will learn here are simple to weave into your everyday routine, and once they are embedded in your brain, you have this skill for the rest of your life. You can still use the Justisse Method for charting your cycles, and choose to use a barrier method and/or withdrawal during your fertile window. There are wearable Basal Body Thermometers (like the TempDrop) that take your temperature automatically so you don’t have to wake up at the same time every day. You can even use the Justisse Method without taking your temperature all together if that suits you! The beauty of this method is that anyone can learn it, and once you have the knowledge, it can serve your health in countless ways.

Because I have undergone rigorous training on how to teach, interpret charts (normal and abnormal), and counsel women through this process. Whatever method of Fertility Awareness you choose to use, I highly suggest working with a professional who teaches that specific method. It is a one time cost for a lifetime benefit! Learning with a skilled professional will drastically increase the effectiveness of the method you choose, and you will feel much more confident having someone to ask questions about your chart, and receive personalized feedback from. A book cannot provide that.

Absolutely, and I might argue that you will benefit from this information the most. Whether you have long or short cycles, limited cervical mucus, PCOS, heavy bleeding, breakthrough bleeding or haven’t even seen your period in years… learning how to chart can help you figure out the root cause of all kinds of hormonal imbalances, and help you work with your body to get back to a state of health. I’ll say it again, louder for the women in the back: The health of your menstrual cycles is a direct reflection of the state of your overall health! 🙂