Cycle tracking is a form of fertility awareness that can help you understand your fertility by observing how the body physically changes due to the natural hormonal changes of the menstruation cycle. It requires a simple daily practice of taking your basal body temperature and checking your vaginal secretions; some people also choose to track the changes of their cervix. By tracking these changes, you can use your natural cycle to understand when you can and cannot get pregnant. It is commonly believed that you can get pregnant any day of your cycle, which is not true.

Fertility awareness and cycle tracking is right for you if…

• You have a uterus and have a menstrual cycle.

• You want to understand your overall health. Your cycle is considered a 5th vital sign and can be used as a diagnostic health tool.

• You want to naturally avoid getting pregnant without needed to take synthetic hormones like the pill, shot, ring, patch, implant, or IUD.

• You want to support your preconception health before trying to get pregnant.

• You want to reduce the it takes to get pregnant, and understand optimal timing of intercourse, insemination, and/or IUI

• You want to discover the root causes of infertility and explore alternative options to IUI/IVF.

• You want to support have health cycles and struggle with symptoms such as irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, PMS or painful periods, PCOS, hypothyroidism, chronic yeast infections, etc.

• You’re postpartum and want a natural form of birth control.

I teach a symptothermal single check method with the option to use a calculation to double check. This method uses reproductive biomarkers (cervical fluid, basal body temperature, cervix position) that teaches people how to identify when they can and cannot get pregnant during their menstrual cycle.

I received training in this method at a 2 year program called The Well: School of Body Literacy. This program is certified by the Association of Fertility Awareness Professionals (AFAP).

This method involves a daily observations of 2 primary signs of fertility: basal body temperature and vaginal secretions. These signs change throughout the menstrual cycle because of the reproductive hormones. So by tracking these changes, a person can identify when in their cycle they are fertile and can get pregnant, and when they can’t.

Correct and consistent use of an STM can be as effective in preventing pregnancy as hormonal methods of contraception. Success with STMs are highly user dependent. Unlike methods such as IUDs, STM’s are affected by motivation, education, confidence, partner(s) support, and behavior during the fertile phase. The science of STM combined with professional instruction and personal commitment can provide a highly effective form of contraception in those for whom it is a good fit.

• 4 classes to learn the method

• Tracking 2-3 cycles to apply the method

• If you are using the method for contraception aka birth control, it is recommended to practice for at least 3 months before using this method as your sole form of birth control

Cycle charting is much more affordable than regular costs of standard contraception or procedures to support fertility. The materials you need are:

• a NON-quick read basal body thermometer (~$12-15)

• A place to track your observation- either a subscription to an app (Read Your Body $15/year) OR monthly paper charts (cost of printing/time to draw your charts)

• cost of classes and support from an educator (variable costs)

That’s it for the rest of your cycling life!

• Four group or individual virtual classes

• 1 private session with me after completion of the course

• self-paced videos and a list of resources emailed to you before each class

• 3 months free of the Read Your Body App

6 hours of live classes online, plus over 5 hours of supplemental videos spread out over the course, with cycle assignments given throughout the training to support integration of the new material.
Once you learn the method is only takes a maximum of 3 minutes a day to track your cycle.

Putting your period into an app and letting an algorithm predict your cycle is not effective for using this method as birth control. There is only 1 predict app that is cleared by the FDA for people to use for contraception and that is Natural Cycles. Natural cycles has a higher annual cost, lacks the body literacy education, and can sometimes be incorrect due. An app cannot always accurately predict how your cycle will be affected by stressors in your daily life. Your cycles are impacted by stress, illness, staying up late, diet, travel, etc., which your app may miss. With cycle charting, you use real time observations to confirm your fertility daily.

Yes! I endorse the Read Your Body app and community. This app is not only female-led and was created by Fertility Awareness Educators, but it provides all the most important aspects that I look for in a cycle charting app.

• data privacy

• inclusive to all charting goals, values, and FABMs

• be user friendly

• non-predictive, which means that you determine when you are in a fertile time of your cycle, rather than an algorithm

• offers unique customization so that you track other important symptoms.

For those who choose to work with me, I can offer 3 months free to see if you like the app.

Yes! I offer payment plans, just reach out to me at maryaline@cyclewisdom.org to discuss different options.