10 Myths about FAM and the FACTS that disprove them
10 myths you have probably heard or thought about charting your cycle for birth control.
| Myths | Facts |
| A woman can become pregnant anytime during her menstrual cycle. | Women are only fertile for a short time during their cycle! A woman’s egg can survive up to 24 hours, and sperm can live for up to 5 days which is why in FAM we say that the fertile window is about a week. |
| Fertility Awareness Method has a high failure rate | FAM is based in science. It will work as well as the method you use during your fertile window- check out the stats here. |
| I should only partake in FAM when trying to conceive | WRONG! Learning the Fertility Awareness Method and beginning to chart is a great way to learn more about your health; and you can learn to use FAM as a natural birth control OR to conceive. |
| When you are on hormonal birth control you still have a “period.” | While on hormonal birth control the “period” women experience is actually breakthrough bleeding. You do not ovulate and therefore do not have a true bleed. |
| Fertility Awareness Method is the Calendar Method | Fertility Awareness teaches the user to understand their cycle- not base it on an unrealistic always-28-day-cycle! |
| When on HBC, your body thinks that it is pregnant. | False, being on HBC overloads your body with synthetic hormones overriding its natural cycle. It’s nowhere close to “thinking it’s pregnant.” |
| The Fertility Awareness Method ONLY works if you have regular cycles | Since FAM is used to chart what is currently happening in your cycle and not predicting based on past charts (like most tracking apps), you chart along with your cycle and interpret the information you have yourself. |
| Your period (menses) is the main focus of your menstrual cycle | Absolutely not! The main event of your menstrual cycle is whether or not ovulation occurs. Knowing if ovulation happens helps you understand if your body is functioning properly or not. |
| It’s too complicated to learn and use properly. | It IS true that learning and using a FABM is a commitment. However, it’s nothing that you are not capable of! Women have the right to know how their bodies work and this is an amazing way to understand your body. |
| The Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is the same thing as Natural Family Planning (NFP) | While FAM is very similar to NFP; NFP is based in the Catholic religion and requires abstinence during the fertile window. FAM, however, allows you to engage in sex during the fertile window with the cautionary advice to remember that if trying to avoid pregnancy, you’re only as good as your birth control method during your fertile window. |