Understanding one’s body’s cycles is facilitated by the natural method of contraception known as the symptothermal method of recognizing fertility (SMRF). It offers an alternative to hormonal interventions for achieving or preventing pregnancy by monitoring particular fertility signals.
This approach combines calendar tracking with physical sign observation, such as body temperature and cervical mucus. It provides a safe, environmentally beneficial option for couples looking for natural family planning.
SMRF provides a dependable option for individuals seeking a closer relationship with their bodies, but it demands dedication and meticulous attention to detail.
| Aspect | Description |
| What is SMRF? | A method of natural contraception that helps recognize fertile and infertile phases by tracking body signs like temperature and cervical mucus. |
| How it works | By measuring basal body temperature and observing cervical changes daily, couples can identify when a woman is fertile or infertile. |
| Effectiveness | When used correctly, SMRF can be up to 99% effective, but requires commitment to daily monitoring. |
| Benefits | No hormones or side effects, promotes body awareness, and can be used for family planning or pregnancy avoidance. |
| Challenges | Requires discipline, regular cycles, and may be less reliable during illness or irregular periods. |
What is it?
Unbelievably, sperm was discovered in medicine as early as the 17th century. Furthermore, it took humanity more than fifty years to "get acquainted" with the female reproductive cell, or oocyte or egg. General definitions of concepts like ovulation were not available until the turn of the 20th century. And from that point on, the first antiquated techniques of arranging marriages in accordance with the "marriage calendar" spread widely, suggesting that a woman cannot conceive within the first ten days following menstrual bleeding.
- Menstruation
- Ovulation
- High probability of conception
14 days prior to the beginning of your menstrual cycle, or on the 14th day of a 28-day cycle, is when ovulation takes place. Since there is often variance from the average value, the computation is imprecise.
In addition to using the calendar method, you can check cervical mucus, measure your basal temperature, use special tests or mini-microscopes, and test for progesterone, estrogens, LH, and FSH.
Folliculometry (ultrasound) can undoubtedly be used to determine the day of ovulation.
- Losos, Jonathan B.; Raven, Peter H.; Johnson, George B.; Singer, Susan R. Biology. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 1207-1209.
- Campbell N. A., Reece J. B., Urry L. A. e. a. Biology. 9th ed. — Benjamin Cummings, 2011. — p. 1263
- Tkachenko B. I., Brin V. B., Zakharov Yu. M., Nedospasov V. O., Pyatin V. F. Human Physiology. Compendium / Ed. B. I. Tkachenko. — M.: GEOTAR-Media, 2009. — 496 p.
- https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Овуляция
You see, the approach "let down" and "misfired" a lot. It was soon apparent that more research on the subject of female fertility was required. Doctors of the era proposed that specific physical changes and indicators specific to the fairer sex precede the period of onset of fertility based on their observations of women. This is how the ovulation-based method of family planning came to be. However, it was not precise enough because ovulation can change or not occur at all depending on a number of factors, including age, stress, a cold, and long trips.
The temperature planning method dates back to 1938, when medical professionals discovered that the body’s basal temperature—or core temperature—was influenced by ovulation. A woman could create a graph based on her measurements to determine the start and end of ovulation, but sadly, it provided no indication of the actual start of the fertile period, or the point at which the egg starts to mature.
It took an additional thirty years to integrate the calendar and temperature methods. That’s how an expanded approach to fertility mapping emerged. Women were not satisfied with its accuracy, despite the fact that it was incomparably higher than all previous options.
The Billings method was then developed. For their entire lives, Dr. John Billings and his spouse Evelyn studied family planning-related topics. Their research contributed to our understanding that a woman can only ovulate once a month and that the egg only has a 24-hour lifespan during which it can still become fertile.
Additionally, the married scientists demonstrated how cervical mucus affects spermatozoa behavior. During the fertile phase, the cervix secretes mucus that lowers the vaginal pH and facilitates sperm motility toward the target, the egg. According to the Billings method, the nature of this mucus should be able to tell a woman when it is best to conceive.
Not too long after this discovery, the world was introduced to the symptothermal method of determining fertility, which was created by a female Austrian physician named Dr. Retzer. It integrated the advancements of every one of its forerunners. There were three parts to the SMRP:
- basal temperature indicators;
- monitoring the secretion of the cervix;
- position and condition of the cervix.
Millions of women found new opportunities as a result of the method; even fair-sex representatives with irregular cycles can now accurately determine when their bodies are ready for conception.
It is significant that the technique was the first to show how beneficial it is for nursing moms who are unaware of how long it will take for their cycle to recover if they are breastfeeding after giving birth.
The approach needs a lot of organization on the part of the woman, but it also allows her to know as much as possible about her own reproductive health on a daily basis and to detect diseases and pathologies that affect the menstrual cycle, including some gynecological conditions, early on.
The modern version of the method is known as the Birmingham modification because it was enhanced and supplemented in Birmingham, England, forty years ago. British doctors invented "double confirmation," which increased the accuracy of the symptothermal method of identifying fertility.
The phases of the female cycle were:
- the period of infertility preceding ovulation;
- the period of fertility, when conception is most possible;
- the period of postovulatory infertility, when the egg has already died, and conception is no longer possible for this reason.
In the English modification, double signs are required to verify the start and finish of each of these intervals.
Russia has been teaching the Birmingham modified symptothermal method since 2002. Currently, more than 100 nations use it.
Normally skeptical of non-hormonal and non-barrier birth control, the World Health Organization was forced to acknowledge the findings of a study indicating up to 98% method accuracy.
Furthermore, the WHO acknowledged that many couples who had been diagnosed with established infertility were still able to conceive and give birth as a result of the SMRT.
A natural method of birth control called the symptothermal method of recognizing fertility (SMRF) uses changes in body temperature, cervical mucus, and other physical indicators to help people monitor their fertility. With this method, couples can determine which days are fertile and which are not without the use of drugs or other gadgets. It is a non-invasive, hormone-free method of family planning that calls for consistent observation and knowledge of the body’s natural cycles.
How it works?
It is best for a woman to attend specialized classes before choosing to use this method. These classes will cover topics such as conception, the laws of the menstrual cycle, and the fundamentals of female physiology taught by experienced SMRT teachers. Additionally, the woman will learn to pay close attention to her body’s cues and document any signs that might help her determine whether or not to become pregnant.
The truth is that during a single cycle, a woman is fertile only during the day. Her egg is alive during these same days. The ovulatory phase, which is when follicles in the ovaries mature, starts after menstruation. The woman’s hormonal background will suppress the others, allowing one to become dominant and grow.
A mature egg is released into the wide ampullar section of the fallopian tube by the follicle during the middle of the menstrual cycle. They will be able to fertilize it if there are viable sperm in the genital tract at this time (even if sexual activity was done 3–4 days prior to ovulation). It is also very likely that conception will occur if sexual activity takes place on the day of ovulation. The likelihood of conception will be low if sex happens soon after ovulation because the egg will have already died.
Knowing the precise start and end of the fertile window with the symptothermal method is helpful for both individuals who are protected and those who are planning a pregnancy.
To understand the characteristics of her own cycle, a woman must watch the telltale signs of her fertility every day for several cycles (usually at least three), as cycles can last up to 30 days or longer, ovulation may not occur consistently, etc. Monitoring is necessary for the following indicators: basal temperature, cervical mucus condition, and cervix position. The data should be entered by a woman in a designated table.
The anus, vagina, and sublingual space are the locations where blood vessels pass when measuring basal temperature. It is thought that taking temperature in the vagina and rectum yields more accurate results. A few guidelines should be followed when measuring.
- The measurement location should not change. If a woman chooses the rectum, then she should take all subsequent measurements only in it, without changing the place on the vagina.
- The thermometer should be constant. Different thermometers may have errors, and for the accuracy of diagnosis everything is important – up to a tenth of a degree. It is better to use a mercury thermometer, it is more accurate than an electronic one.
- Measurements should always be taken at the same time, convenient for the woman. You cannot measure today at 7 am, and tomorrow at 10. Measurements are taken immediately after waking up, before the woman gets out of bed and goes to the toilet and bathroom. It is important that waking up is facilitated by a full night"s sleep (at least 3 hours of sleep in extreme cases).
Many women confess that self-discipline can be challenging at first. However, taking your basal temperature then becomes as natural as having to use the restroom and brush your teeth when you wake up. It’s crucial to record the thermometer readings right away in a unique chart.
A sudden rise in temperature to subfebrile levels will be seen on the graph you receive during the cycle, indicating whether or not ovulation occurred at all. The body responds to high progesterone levels in this way. The graph will display whether there are enough hormones to plan a pregnancy as well as how well the ovaries function during the second half of the female cycle.
A high basal temperature (above 37.2 degrees) during the second phase of the cycle, following ovulation, can be an indicator of conception.
There are only two occasions when the temperature will drop by one day: just before ovulation and right before the baby is inserted into the uterus’ endometrium. The temperature will rise once more after this.
Cervical examinations are performed with the knowledge that the cervix responds to estrogen, a female sex hormone that is equally significant as progesterone. The egg matures due to the influence of estrogen. Consequently, cervical mucus will liquefy over time, increasing in viscosity and quantity. Women frequently liken it to eating raw egg white on the day of menstruation.
The cervix is positioned to rise, soften, and open slightly with the start of the fertile window. The cervical canal’s glands get busy and start to thin the mucus. The period is the time when the amount of clear mucus peaks. Progesterone production starts as soon as the egg exits the follicle, or during ovulation, and the cervix returns to its initial position.
Using clean hands, the woman examines her own cervix by carefully putting two fingers into the vagina and putting them beneath the cervix, closer to the anus. In addition to being taught in specialized courses, self-study is an option. You can learn how to accurately identify and correlate signs of fertility by watching any one of the many comprehensive and easily accessible video tutorials available on the Internet.
Couples can learn about their fertility naturally and effectively with the help of the symptothermal method. Through monitoring body temperature and other physiological indicators, it enables people to make knowledgeable decisions regarding family planning.
This method’s absence of side effects makes it a healthy substitute for hormonal contraception, which is one of its main advantages. To succeed, though, you need dedication and keen observation.
The symptothermal method can be a useful choice for people seeking a natural method of contraception. Both family planning and general reproductive health can be supported with the right information and care.
