Have You Heard of the Justisse Method? Part 1

You're likely familiar with a wide range of birth control options from oral contraceptives to intrauterine systems. But have you heard of Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) like the Justisse Method of Fertility Management. According to experts, the method is over 99% effective when used correctly, and not only preserves your health and fertility but enhances it by pointing you towards your own health needs and providing a means of monitoring improvement.

I had the opportunity to chat with the Rent Tent Sisters about reproductive health awareness and the Justisse method to learn more about their work and this health-focused approach to birth control. Check out the interview below and if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.

What inspired you to create awareness around fertility and reproductive health?

Amy: My work is inspired by my own health journey. As a teenager I had very, very heavy periods and irregular cycles. I had terrible pain and cramping with my period that would often cause me to miss school. I was put on the pill in high school to help “manage” my periods. It wasn’t until I came off the pill in my late twenties to get pregnant that I realized it had simply been masking my symptoms and I still had a host of menstrual health issues that needed addressing.

After I had my daughter I had another scare with hormonal birth control. My daughter started screaming every time I tried to breastfeed her. It turned out the birth control pill I was taking, which was mainly synthetic progesterone, was increasing my milk supply to the point where my daughter was choking when she tried to feed.

These two experiences led me to explore natural birth control options. As I learned more about my body and menstrual health, I realized how intricately connected our menstrual cycles are with our sexuality, our diet, our lifestyles and our stress levels. I feel passionately that everyone should know how their fertility works, and how our everyday decisions impact our hormonal health.

2. What is the Justisse method?

Amy: The Justisse Method is a fertility awareness method (FAM), which means it looks at multiple “biomarkers” or physiological indicators that tell us what is happening in our menstrual cycle at any given time. These biomarkers are menstruation, cervical mucus (which occurs leading up to ovulation under the influence of estrogen), a shift in core temperature (called a BBT shift) and changes in the cervix itself. By charting some combination of these biomarkers, we can accurately identify times of fertility and infertility, and thus make decisions about achieving or avoiding pregnancy. When used correctly, FAM can be as high as 99.4% effective for avoiding pregnancy.

Part 2 continued here...