Natural Family Planning-The Billings Ovulation Method

The Billings Ovulation Method teaches the woman to identify ovulation (the fertile phase), as well as the infertile phases in her cycle.

But what is ovulation?

When a mature egg is released from the ovary, this is called ovulation.

Note: Each woman is born with millions of immature eggs that are awaiting maturity and be released by the ovary. Normally one egg per cycle can mature and be released. Once released, this is called ovulation. This is why it is very important to known when a woman will ovulate. The sperm can meet the egg can be fertilized. When this happens, conception begins. If not fertilized, the egg is flushed out of the system through menstruation.

Take note of the following:

1. An egg lives only 12-24 hours after leaving the ovary.
2. Ovulation can be affected by stress, illness or disruption of normal routines.
3. Some women may experience some light blood spotting during ovulation.
4. A menstrual period can occur even if ovulation has not occurred.
5. Ovulation can occur even if a menstrual period has not occurred.
6. Some women can feel a bit of pain or aching near the ovaries during ovulation.
7. Another physical clue to ovulation is softened, swollen and slippery vulva (lips of the vagina).

Please note that women have different menstrual cycles. Some women have short cycle (23 days), others have regular cycles (28 days) and others have long cycles (3 months, 6 months or one year).

Within every menstrual cycle, short cycle or long cycle, there is a small window of opportunity of approximately seven (7) days for conception. But this small window lessens as the woman ages until she reaches menopause and she becomes infertile for the rest of her life. Remember, ovulation happens on just one day in each cycle.

Requirement of the Billings Method

The woman must maintain a chart. For convenience and accuracy, use a calendar for the year. Do not mistake the BOM to Rhythm method.

The rhythm method also uses a calendar. But the rhythm method has a fixed date while BOM is finding the precise date of ovulation or when the woman becomes fertile. The rhythm method was ineffective because it did not account for the fact that every woman’s cycle is different; even for one woman, the timing of ovulation (release of a mature egg from the ovary) may vary from cycle to cycle.

What do you chart?

1. Menstrual days including spotting.
2. Discharges after menstruation.
3. The feeling of whether you are wet or dry. Wet means fertile. Dry means infertile.

It is suggested and recommended that the husband chart daily what happens to her wife starting from the first day of menstruation up to the next menstruation cycle. In this way, the husband will also know what is really happening to the wife, her change of mood, her attitude and her stress. This somehow enhances the husband and wife relationship. But if the husband cannot do it for some reason, then the wife should do it. Charting is done during evenings. The success rate depends on the couple’s commitment, the love and respect for each other and to space their children thru the practice of the Billings Ovulation Method which considered THE ONLY WAY.

The Billings method offers no protection against sexually transmitted diseases as it uses no barriers: As such there must be self-control i.e. the relationship must be monogamous (no other partners).

It is advisable to get individual instruction from a trained Billings method teacher for accuracy of interpreting the signs of fertility. Please get in touch with your FLA workers in your respective parishes or you may visit the pro-life office located near the Fatima parish church.

By Maria Theresa L. Acuña
CFC member and FLA facilitator-San Pablo Parish