Billings ovulation method

The Billings ovulation method is a method in which women use their vaginal mucus to determine their fertility.<ref name=Dub2010>Template:Cite book</ref> It does not rely on the presence of ovulation, but identifies patterns of potential and obvious infertility within the cycle. Its effectiveness is not very clear.<ref name=Dub2010/>

Evidence

Evidence of effectiveness is not very clear.<ref name=Dub2010/> Typical use of this method is associated with a pregnancy rate of 1 to 22%.<ref name=Pal2009/> A World Health Organization study found that 15% is caused by a conscious departure from method rules.<ref name=Pal2009/> The percentage of people who stop using the method after a year is 1–24%.<ref name=Pal2009/> Perfect use has been estimated to result in pregnancy in 0.5–3%.<ref name=Pal2009>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=Hat2007>Template:Cite book</ref> Some studies of perfect use excluded those who could not detect secretions that represented fertility.<ref name=Pal2009/>

Fertility

File:Billings Ovulation Method - Observation Chart - en.svg

An observation chart

File:Cervical mucus1.jpg

• A woman ovulates at only one time during her cycle, and an unfertilised ovum can survive for only 12–24 hours.Template:Citation needed
• Cervical mucus enabling healthy sperm cells to navigate the genital tract is necessary for fertility.
• Most commonly, spermatozoa live only one to three days in the presence of fertile mucus, with survival up to five days being rare. The possibility of pregnancy from sperm survival longer than five days has been compared to "the chances of winning a huge lottery."<ref name="kippley">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Menstruation will occur about 2 weeks after ovulation.
• A ten-year study of 45,280 subfertile couples in China found that 32.1% of women were able to achieve pregnancy and live birth through the use of Billings.<ref>China Successfully Launching Billings Method Template:Webarchive: Dr. Shao-Zhen Qian</ref>

Function

In the days leading up to ovulation the cervix responds to oestrogen by producing mucus capable of sustaining sperm survival. This mucus leaves the vagina as the woman is in an upright position. The mucus is observed through the sensation at the vulva and by looking at any cervical secretions. Daily charting of these observations will reveal either an unchanging pattern indicating infertility or a changing pattern of sensation and discharge indicating fertility. Both of these patterns follow the hormonal patterns which control sperm survival and conception.<ref name="cervix">Teaching the Billings Ovulation Method, Dr E. L. Billings AM, MB BS, DCH (London), 2001.</ref>

History

The first recorded observations of the relationship between cervical mucus and survival of spermatozoa come from the mid-19th century. The topic was not systematically studied, however, for almost another century. In 1948, Erik Odeblad was studying mycoplasms in the female genital tract. During the course of his studies, he noticed that cervical mucus changed in a predictable pattern through the course of a woman's cycle. He continued his study of the cervix.<ref name="mucus">Template:Cite journal</ref>

John Billings (1918–2007) was involved with the development of the Billings ovulation method.<ref name="quest">Template:Cite journal</ref>

External links

• Official site of the Billings Ovulation Method
• The Performance of Fertility Awareness-based Method Apps Marketed to Avoid Pregnancy
• Fertility Awareness-based Method Apps for the Billings Method