using opks for birth control?

[Zeri]

So I've bern using opks and doing fertility charts for a while now (to ttc my DD and DS), so am quite familiar with my fertile signs. I peed on an opk the other day, one because I missed peeing on things and also because I wanted to see if I was anywhere close to ovulating (my DS is 3 mths and I'm not on bc yet, but DH and I haven't been active), and I started to think, "why can't I use opks for birth control?"

I'm not on bc yet because I haven't decided what bc would be best. I don't want anything hormonal due to past issues with the pill; DH doesn't like condoms, and I'm not sure I like the idea of something invasive like an IUD, and I keep hearing horror stories about them too. I figure the opk would be cheap and pretty easy to take- I would start taking opks abt 5-7 days before expected ovulation, then abstain for those days leading up and through ovulation, and a few days after- or maybe use condoms during that time. For the record- I think we're done with children,but having a third wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. ( DH wouldn't be open to a vasec nor me to tubal ligation).

Thoughts? Anyone already on this fertility/rhythm type of bc?

 

[Itsychik]

Funny that you posted this, as I'm currently doing exactly this. My DD is 10 months now and we DO want a number 3, but I would prefer to wait a year but DH is ready now. So to compromise we're sort of 'NTNP' but I just bought a ton of cheapie OPK's on Amazon (my ovulation day changed from when TTC my first child to second child, so I'm not totally sure yet around which day it is now) but I'm basically also avoiding DTD for a good 10 days at least to try and avoid the fertile window.

This is just our second month with this method so I have no idea if/how long it will work. It's frustrating though as right around ovulation date is when I actually have a libido (which was entirely absent for more than a year) so we'll see how long we hold out

Good luck though!

 

[Zeri]

Yeah, I know what you mean about the libido thing! That's pretty much the only time in the month I feel like doing it- so abstaining at that time doesn't feel natural. That's the only drawback I see, really. But there's always condoms, right?

 

[MindUtopia]

I think the only problem would be that opks only really tell you when you're ovulating, they don't necessarily tell you that you are about to, at least not far enough in advance to truly avoid pregnancy. If you are charting and also paying attention to your temp or your cervical mucus (CM was a much better indicator that ovulation was approaching than anything else) and just using opks to confirm you were right about ovulation, which helps you to pick up on a pattern that's the same every month, then yeah, I think it can be effective. But sometimes you can ovulate at random times and if you are just relying on opks, then you might know you are ovulating today or tomorrow, but that won't prevent pregnancy if you already had sex the night before and didn't expect it to happen. If you are super regular though, and you can try it for several months to know that you are, you'll probably be fine, but there's always a chance. Maybe combine it with checking cervical mucus too? That way you'll at least have several days notice that ovulation is likely to happen and you can avoid sex. That said, if you are someone who likes to have regular sex, it might suck to avoid it for, say, 7 extra days every month (if you want to be really conservative and not take any chances). It was hard enough to remember to chart when I was actually TTC (and I only did it 2 months). Not sure I'd personally want to do it all the time now.

 

[Zeri]

Agreed. My opks usually fade in predictably, though, so I usually have an idea of when I'm gearing up to ovulate. I know it's still risky, though.
I'm checking cervical mucus at the moment, too.

 

[mrs_park]

Ds1 was conceived while avoiding DTD during my fertile window or the 'window of bubortunity' as DH calls it

 

[Zeri]

Hmmmmm....wow. I do know someone too who conceived with BD on the last day of her AF. (cd 7/8).

 

[MrsKChicago]

A lot of women use some version of cycle tracking to avoid pregnancy. There are really three factors to consider. Are you very regular? Are you ok with an accidental pregnancy? And will you actually keep up with constant tracking? Google Natural Family Planning and you'll find a lot of information.

As others have pointed out, sperm stick around for awhile, so relying on just OPKs could still lead to pregnancy. But, combining them with temping, keeping an eye on cervical mucus, and so on, if you're regular, you'll get a very good idea of when you're coming into your fertile period.

There's still a risk that you'll be off by a couple days or something, though, and end up with a surprise baby. Of course, that can happen with hormonal birth control and condoms, too, but I think it's a little easier to slip up if you're just tracking cycles (I know at least one "Oops, I forgot to check my CM" baby). How effective it is is really up to how vigilant you are.

Also don't forget that you're fertile before you get your first post-baby period, so you'd have to find some way to track for that first fertile period if AF hasn't already returned.

 

[seoj]

Long as your OK if you did end up prego- then do what works hun.

I was on the pill for months and loved it- still be on it tbh, if my mind hadn't gone! LOL. I kept forgetting to take it- and although I've got fertility issues- we don't want anymore and not worth the risk. So I sucked it up and got the IUD. TBH- I thought about it for MONTHS before- and really never thought I would. It was a tough thing for me to do- but it's been totally fine since. I won't lie- the fitting sucked (but I was on the extreme end and NOT common at all)- but since, no issues at all. My periods are just a bit of spotting for 4-5dys. No cramps. No bloating. I'm still hormonal the week prior- go figure. But, it's been awesome! I had the Merena- so there are hormones, but they stay local by the IUD (not in your blood stream like the pill). Just my experience