Various fertility indicators are used by natural family planning methods to identify the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle: mucus observations, cycle-day probabilities, basal body temperature readings, and hormonal measures of LH and estrogen. Simplified NFP methods generally make use of a single fertility indicator such as cycle-day probabilities (Standard Days Method) or mucus observations (Billings Ovulation Method). The Couple Bead Method integrates the two simplest fertility indicators, cycle-day probabilities and mucus observations, expanding its applicability to all women, regardless of cycle regularity and length. In determining cycle-day probabilities, the Couple Bead Method relies on a new data set from ultrasound-derived determinants of gestational age that more directly define the day of conception and the fertile window. By using a visual-based system of inexpensive colored beads, the Couple Bead Method can be used by couples of all educational and income levels.
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Accepted version. The Linacre Quarterly, Vol. 83, No. 1 (2016): 69-82. DOI. © 2016 Catholic Medical Association. Used with permission.