Study shows birth control pills may be unsafe, what are some other methods?

A Danish study revealed last month that some birth control pills are safer than others. Which pills are the safest? Well any pill using a second generation of progesterone, such as levonorgestrel or norgestrel, or low dose estrogen.

The risks associated with pills that utilize higher levels of progesterone and estrogen are deep vein thrombosis and cancer. Now although researchers are saying this risk is relatively low it is one they urge women not to ignore. So what are some alternatives to oral contraceptives?

One method that seems to be regaining popularity among women is cycle tracking. This method is a classic one that employs knowing one's menstrual cylce in order to avoid pregnancy. With this method a woman must become very intimate with her days of ovulation in order to avoid any mishaps during the 'fertile' times of the month.

So does this actually work? There seems to be a mix crowd when it comes to this question; while there are women who report positive results with this method there are still many crying fowl. So here are some things to consider if you chose to venture down this path

Track it first. Yes, your menstruation does work on a cylce, however you must become familiar with what your cycle is. A cycle begins on the first day of your period and typically last anywhere between 28 to 32 days with ovulation occurring on day 14 (plus or minus 4 days). To have a more accurate picture of when ovulation occurs for you, purchase an ovulation tester, much like a home pregnancy test it will tell you whether you are ovulating or not. Begin using it around ten days after your period and daily following.

Get it Consistent. The real culprit wellness practitioners have found with women using this method is that their cylce is not consistent. There are many reasons why this could be so one of which is diet and lifestyle (mainly stress). In any case you will want to your practitioner to explore ways in which to bring your cylce back into harmony before you attempt to track it for birth control methods.
For more info: You can contact Andrea at aogardiner@yahoo.com or follow her blog at Hartford Wellness and Weight Management.