Frequently Asked Questions
- Following menstruation, a sensation of dryness, with no mucus, indicates infertility.
- A discharge which continues without change day after day in the early days of each cycle, or for more than two weeks, also indicates infertility.
- Mucus which differs from either of these patterns suggests an altered level of fertility. If the mucus feels slippery and wet, and perhaps forms clear strings like raw egg-white, you are probably at your most fertile time.
Keeping a daily record will show how the mucus changes from time to time. The pattern is the best way to recognise both fertility and infertility. Every woman’s pattern is a little different, but she quickly learns to recognise it herself.
How do I find the mucus?
The mucus will make its presence felt at the vulva around the vaginal opening. You do not need to touch the vulva or feel inside the vagina: this will merely confuse you because the vagina is always moist. Be alert to the sensations at the vulva and notice any visible mucus in the normal course of caring for your personal hygiene. Tuning in to your fertility will soon become second nature to you. There is no need to touch the vulval area with the fingers, simply be aware of the sensation at the vulva as you are going about your normal daily activities.
How many days in a cycle is the average couple fertile?
The changing, developing pattern of mucus may last 3-5 days until the Peak is recognised. Then you need to wait a further 3 days past the Peak if you do not wish to conceive (see Peak Rule). Scientific studies show that the egg lives for about twelve hours, and sperm can maintain their fertilising capacity for three to five days in the presence of the mucus.
You say that sperm can live for up to five days. What if I don’t have five days of fertility to warn me that ovulation is approaching?
Sperm cannot pass through the cervix or maintain their fertilising capacity without mucus, because the vaginal environment is hostile to them. So, if you are fertile for only two days, or even half a day of the cycle, sperm vitality will be reduced correspondingly. However many days you are aware of the mucus, you will always have sufficient warning of the approach of ovulation by the change from your infertile pattern.
You need to be up and moving around for a few hours so that the mucus can flow down from the cervix to the vulva and make itself felt and seen. Intercourse upon waking in the morning would not enable you to be aware if the mucus had started during the night, indicating potential fertility, and so a pregnancy may result. Once you have recognised the Peak, and waited for three days, intercourse is available on any day at any time until the beginning of the following menstruation.
Why do you advise waiting as soon as there is a change from the infertile pattern?
It is impossible to predict in any cycle just when ovulation will occur. As soon as a change from the Basic Infertile Pattern is recognised, you are potentially fertile, because the mucus enables sperm to enter the uterus and maintains sperm vitality for up to five days. The rule to avoid intercourse when fertile signs become apparent ensures that there are no sperm cells present when ovulation occurs.
Many women find after using the Method for some time that they can enjoy more freedom for intercourse than the guidelines recommend and still avoid pregnancy. The guidelines have been laid down for maximum security and contain a built-in safety margin. However, couples who adopt a more flexible approach should be prepared for the possibility of a pregnancy.
There are accredited tutors of the Billings Ovulation Method™ available in many countries around the world where you can obtain individual, confidential assistance. This is best done face-to-face, but can also be successfully achieved via our telephone counselling service or internet teaching service. Details of your nearest teaching centre are available by contacting us from the form at the bottom of the page.
- Some tranquillisers, eg Largactil, by causing raised prolactin resulting in delayed ovulation. However, when ovulation does occur it will be recognised by the familiar mucus pattern.
- Hormones, for example progesterone and oestrogens, by interfering with the woman’s normal hormonal levels will change the mucus pattern.
- Antihistamines – some women only are affected. Individual charting will soon determine this.
- Cytotoxic drugs used in the treatment of cancer. These prevent mucus production by a direct action on the ovaries.
- Antibiotics – women taking antibiotics for a severe illness sometimes notice a change in the mucus pattern. This is an effect induced by the stress of the illness and not the drug. Women on prolonged antibiotic treatment for chronic illness can interpret their mucus pattern successfully.Do vaginal sprays and douches alter the mucus pattern?
Yes – by producing an artificial wetness which may confuse your interpretations of the mucus. They may also cause an allergic reaction or inflammation, resulting in an infective discharge which alters the mucus pattern. While cleanliness is essential to good health and an important consideration in a sexual relationship, it is unnecessary and inadvisable to use these preparations to clean the vagina. The vagina is self-cleansing and external washing is quite adequate.
For conception to occur, it is essential that some mucus is produced because without it sperm cannot survive. Some women find that only after they start paying attention and keeping a daily chart do they realise just how much mucus they are producing. Some women produce very little visible signs of mucus, but they are aware of the change in sensation. This pattern is normal for the individual and she can manage her fertility very well using the Billings Ovulation Method™. If you are completely dry throughout the cycle your fertility may be impaired. This may occur if you have only recently ceased taking chemcial contraception, in which case it will likely improve with time and patience. However, if there is no obvious explanation, or if the situation persists, you should consult a doctor.
A friend of mine says she conceived after making love during her period. Is this possible?
It is possible to conceive during menstruation, particularly if your cycles are very short. The shorter your cycle the earlier you ovulate. Ovulation will always be preceded by the changing mucus pattern, however if the bleed is sufficient to mask the presence of mucus you would not notice that you are already fertile. This is why the first rule of the Billings Ovulation Method™ calls for avoidance of intercourse on days of heavy bleeding during menstruation if the couple wishes to avoid pregnancy.
Is it necessary to maintain abstinence during menstruation if over a long time of charting you have never had a short cycle?
There is no guarantee that your body will always follow the same pattern. For example, often the onset of pre-menopause is marked by shorter cycles when ovulation occurs much earlier in the cycle than was previously the case. If you have intercourse when menstrual bleeding may obscure the mucus you have to accept the possibility of pregnancy.
Can the Billings Ovulation Method™ be used to choose the sex of my baby?
The scientific evidence on this is controversial, however anecdotal evidence tends to indicate that an act of intercourse early in the development of the characteristic mucus (when the sensation first becomes slippery) is more likely to result in a girl, while an act of intercourse on the Peak day or the day after is more likely to result in a boy. A study in Nigeria appeared to confirm this tendency: success in pre-selection of a boy was achieved by 310 couples, failure in pre-selection of a boy occurred in four couples. Success in pre-selection of a girl was achieved in 90 couples, failure in pre-selection of a girl occurred in two couples. Pre-determination of the sex of a baby is never likely to be 100 percent reliable.