Cycle Beads for Natural Contraception: Effectiveness & Information

Question
I no longer feel like being poisoned by synthetic means of birth control. After realizing disillusioning truths about traditional western gynelogical medicine, I have made a decision to be organic about contraception. I have heard of a thing called cycle beads, which are supposed to be 95% successful in avoiding pregnancy. Is this statistic true? And could you please tell me more about this method and/or advice about organic birth-control methods?

Answer
Congratulations!  I wish more women would realize what they are doing to their bodies with artificial birth control.  The only method I recommend is Natural Family Planning.  NFP is a method that teaches you how to be aware of your body and what it's doing so you can work with it and not against it.  It is 99% effective and you have excellent information about your health and fertility that helps you make decisions.

Cycle beads are being marketed as a way of practicing NFP however they are more akin to the old style Calendar Rhythm.  If your cycles are not very regular it will not be very accurate.  NFP using the symptoms of your body to indicate fertility is much more effective and helpful.  

You learn to take your temperature in the morning before you get out of bed and interpret the pattern of temperature rising which occurs at ovulation.  You can also combine that symptom with a check if the cervix and/or the quality and quantity of mucus discharge from the vagina.  There are good teaching books and courses you can take to learn with the help of others who have expertise.

I recommend checking out this website for more information and to locate a teaching couple who give classes:  www.ccli.org