User:Mr. Ibrahem/Fertility awareness

Fertility awareness (FA) refers to a set of practices used to determine the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. They may be used to avoid pregnancy, achieve pregnancy, or to monitor reproductive health. When used to avoid pregnancy, about 15% become pregnant per year. With perfect use pregnancy rates varies from 1% to 12% while with typical use they varies from 2% to 34%, depending on the method.

There are no direct side effects; however, they do not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Use may not be suitable for those with irregular periods, irregular sleep, or adolescents. They involve identifying fertility signs (basal body temperature, cervical mucus, and cervical position), tracking menstrual cycle days, or using urine testing strips known as ovulation predictor kits. During the up to 10 day period of fertility, sex is either avoided or another method of birth control is used. Some of these methods are supported by apps or fertility monitors.

Globally, as of 2020, it is used by about 33 million women (3.5% of birth control users). In the United States numbers are similar at about 3.4%. Some knowledge of fertility has been present since antiquity; however, it was not until the 1920s to 1970s that specific methods of pregnancy prevention based on fertility awareness where proposed. They are inexpensive to carry out.