Barbara Kass-Annese - Natural Birth Control Made Simple

The book is excellent. There is no other like it. Health Care Counselor, Family Planning Clinic, Decatur, Illinois

I am happy to finally see a book on NFP/FAM that is simple enough for a high school student to understand and yet comprehensive enough to adequately explain what is involved in the method. I also appreciate the authors encouragement for people to attend a class by a certified instructor. R.N., Family Planning Clinic, Stockton, California

I love it! I have read every book on the subject and think it is unquestionably the best book on NFP ever written. I plan to use it for my classes at Planned Parenthood. Instructor, Planned Parenthood

This is an excellent resource. The best weve seen in quite some time. Health Educator, Health Department, Sumter, South Carolina

Enjoyed chapter on history. Book is simply written and very easily understood. Of all the books Ive read, this is the first one that makes sense. R.N., Family Planning Clinic, Dover, New Hampshire

Your book is truly excellent. It is the best book on the subject. Professor, Womens Studies, Northeastern Illinois University

Fills a need and does it admirably. We are using it in our clinic as an extension of all birth control information. It is a must for all women. Counselor, Family Planning Clinic, Cincinnati, Ohio

I feel that the information was clearly and concisely explained. My clients have told me the book was easy to follow and the charts helpful to read. Fertility Awareness Instructor, Family Planning

Probably the best book on fertility awareness Ive seen for the public. RNP, Family Planning Clinic, Laramie, Wyoming

Very excellent book on fertility. Wonderful educational drawings and text was clear and easily understandable, yet contained essential and interesting details. Thank you for this book.

R.N., Center for Men, Arcata, California

IMPORTANT NOTE

The material in this book is intended to provide an overview of fertility awareness and the use of natural family planning and fertility awareness methods for pregnancy prevention and achievement. Although this book has been prepared by experts in the field of fertility awareness, it does not purport to take the place of qualified medical advice and treatment when appropriate.

The author, editors, reviewers, and publishers cannot be held responsible for any error, omission, professional disagreement, outdated material, or adverse outcomes that derive from use of any of these treatments in a program of self-care or under the care of a licensed practitioner. Please contact your doctor and/or a fertility awareness instructor regarding medical matters and problems related to natural family planning and fertility awareness methods.

It is also important to note that, while this method of family planning is effective in preventing pregnancy, it provides absolutely no protection against sexually-transmitted diseases.

Made Simple

Barbara Kass-Annese, RN, CNP, MSN
and Hal C. Danzer, MD

Copyright 2003, 1992, 1990, 1986, 1981 by Barbara Kass-Annese and Hal Danzer

Previous editions published as Patterns, The Fertility Awareness Workbook, and The Fertility Awareness Handbook by Patterns Publishing, G. P. Putnams Sons, Printed Matter, Inc., and Hunter House Inc., Publishers.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. Brief quotations may be used in reviews prepared for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or for broadcast. For further information please contact:

Hunter House Inc., Publishers
PO Box 2914
Alameda CA 94501-0914

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Kass-Annese, Barbara.
Natural birth control made simple / Barbara Kass-Annese and Hal C. Danzer.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-89793-403-9 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-89793-404-6 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-89793-403-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-89793-404-0 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Natural family planningPopular works. I. Danzer, Hal. II. Title.

RG136.5 .K373 2003
613.9434dc21

2002151933

PROJECT CREDITS

Original illustrations by Tom Rachel, revised by Sparrow Fraenkel
Cover Design: Brian Dittmar Graphic Design
Book Production: Hunter House
Copy Editor: Ashley Chase
Proofreader: John David Marion
Indexer: Nancy D. Peterson
Acquisitions Editor: Jeanne Brondino
Editor: Alexandra Mummery
Publicity Coordinator: Earlita K. Chenault
Sales & Marketing Coordinator: Jo Anne Retzlaff
Customer Service Manager: Christina Sverdrup
Order Fulfillment: Lakdhon Lama
Administrator: Theresa Nelson
Computer Support: Peter Eichelberger
Publisher: Kiran S. Rana

Manufactured in the United States of America

7 6 5 4 37th Edition10 11 12 13

The authors express their thanks to:

John Altamura

Bart Andrews

Joe Bectol

Dana Chalberg

Blake Conway

Gareth Esersky

Michelle Martino

H. Roy Matlen

F. Clyde Petersen

Kiran Rana

Sherri Robb

Barbara S. Rollins

who made Natural Birth Control Made Simple and its predecessors, The Fertility Awareness Handbook, The Fertility Awareness Workbook, and Patterns, possible.

Natural Birth Control Made Simple was written for several reasons:

to offer you the most accurate and up-to-date information about reproduction and fertility;

to give you easy, step-by-step instructions on how to use natural, safe, and very effective choices for pregnancy prevention; and

to give you extremely vital information that will help you conceive if you trying to become pregnant now or planning a pregnancy in the future.

It was also written to help you learn what is normal for you. If you use the information for this reason and no other, you are helping yourself in a very special way because you will be better prepared to meet your own health-care needs.

This book is entitled Natural Birth Control Made Simple for a very important reason: It is written to get the word out that there are ways to prevent pregnancy naturally and simply! Natural birth control, also commonly known nowadays as Natural Family Planning (NFP), is based on the natural changes in fertility that take place in a woman every month. These changes can be tracked using indicators called fertility signs, so that a woman can determine the days during each menstrual cycle when she is fertile and can become pregnant or is infertile and cannot become pregnant. When a couple wants to use NFP methods for pregnancy prevention, they choose to abstain from intercourse on the womans fertile days.