Fertility Awareness: Learning with a Certified Instructor vs. AI, Apps, and Social Media

Stepping into the world of fertility awareness is an exciting time filled with “aha moments,” growth and self-awareness. 

But how you learn fertility awareness matters. To put it bluntly: Will you master it well enough to confidently prevent or achieve pregnancy, naturally? Will this become a fun, supportive (reproductive) lifelong tool or will you stop charting because it feels overwhelming? Your approach to learning makes all the difference.

Point # 1 

Did you know that there are many types of fertility awareness based methods (FABM)? So first things first: choose the right method for you.

The method that I’ve used since 2015 (after I had my Mirena IUD removed) is called the SymptoThermal method of fertility awareness. This is just one out of the many types of fertility awareness based methods.

Here’s what SymptoThermal means in a nutshell: Sympto (the signs your body is producing, namely cervical fluid or mucus) and Thermal (the basal body temperature changes which occur in ovulatory menstrual cycles). 

It's my method of choice because it has two biomarkers to help me understand my fertility and hormonal health, as opposed to being a basal body temperature only method, for example (such as Natural Cycles app or the Oura Ring).

This makes SymptoThermal one of the most highly effective fertility awareness based methods at 99% effective* as natural contraception.

Point # 2

Second, how do you learn best? Research* shows that the physical act of hand writing, pen to paper, deepens understanding, memory and retention. This is why when first learning a fertility awareness method, working with paper charts during your first three menstrual cycles is highly recommended. It helps women:

• thoroughly grasp the framework of fertility awareness methods
• interpret their fertility signs and categorize types of cervical fluid
• accurately apply the rules of natural contraception, or understanding the nuances of timing if conception is your goal

With fertility awareness, you're learning to observe both the subtle and obvious physical changes, connect them to your cycle patterns, and apply rules to meet your reproductive goals.

This is why working with paper charts during your initial learning phase, guided by an instructor, gives you a solid foundation. Picking up bits and pieces through apps, social media, and various websites is not a recipe for success. 

Point # 3

Third, there are usually nuances when it comes to understanding your first few menstrual cycle charts.

For example, each woman’s cervical fluid pattern, which is the number one fertility sign to track everyday, will look unique to her, and it may change from cycle to cycle. This is a learning curve to most, but quickly becomes second nature. 

Most women have never been taught about their cervical fluid, for years thinking something was "wrong" and too embarrassed to ask about it, so it's completely a new concept to most!

It’s helpful to have a certified instructor walking you through the variety of healthy cervical fluid secretions that women have. And equally as important-- what if there is no cervical fluid or mucus present? It’s worth its weight in gold to have a real person mentoring you through your first few menstrual cycles and charts.

Learning fertility awareness is an investment in understanding your body for years to come—through natural birth control, pregnancy achievement, and navigating every phase of your reproductive life. How you learn this skill-set will shape your entire practice. While apps and social media can be helpful, nothing replaces the personalized guidance of working one-on-one with a certified instructor who can help you interpret your unique patterns and build confidence in your practice.

As a certified SymptoThermal instructor, I've walked this path myself and now help women build the skills and confidence to use this method effectively.

If you're ready to learn the SymptoThermal method, I'd love to support you.

You can work with me here.

Sources Cited:

Duane, M., Stanford, J. B., Porucznik, C. A., & Vigil, P. (2022). Fertility awareness-based methods for women’s health and Family Planning. Frontiers in Medicine, 9. doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.858977

Frank-Herrmann, P., Heil, J., Gnoth, C., Toledo, E., Baur, S., Pyper, C., … Freundl, G. (2007). The effectiveness of a fertility awareness based method to avoid pregnancy in relation to a couple’s sexual behaviour during the fertile time: A prospective longitudinal study. Human Reproduction, 22(5), 1310–1319. doi:10.1093/humrep/dem003

Pinet, Svetlana, and Marieke Longcamp. “Commentary: Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: A high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 15, 8 Jan. 2025, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1517235.