FAQ

Why is there no charge to learn the Billings Ovulation Method®?

Our association believes that every woman has a right to know this information and that cost should not be a barrier. We rely on charitable donations to fund the programs we provide.

What is the effectiveness rate for the Billings Ovulation Method®?

The Billings Ovulation Method® is taught and used in over 120 countries around the world. Trials of the effectiveness of the method for postponing and achieving pregnancy are ongoing.

In China, a study of 992 couples following the Billings Ovulation Method® guidelines for avoiding pregnancy for one year. There were five pregnancies in the study which were classified as people who did not listen to the information and therefore did not follow the guidelines. These were classified as Teaching Related Pregnancies. Method Related Pregnancies was 0%. As of 2005 there were close to 4 million Chinese couples using the Billings Ovulation Method®.

In Indonesia, a trial done from 1978 – 1982 involved 1331 couples during a 42 month program and concluded a method effectiveness rate of 99%.

In India, there were 2059 couples following the Billings Ovulation Method® for 21 months. The method effectiveness was 99.15%.

Click here to learn more on the effectiveness, science and methodology of the Billings Ovulation Method®.

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Is the Billings Ovulation Method® an “outdated” method?

The Billings Ovulation Method® was first developed in the 1950s by Drs. John and Lynn Billings. 

The method was found to be highly effective (98.5% for postponing pregnancy) independently by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the 1970s. 

Research of the method has never ceased and continues today to be studied and refined world wide, with the focal point of research being done by the Ovulation Method Research and Reference Centre of Australia.

Other natural methods that were developed later, that used the Billings Ovulation Method® as a base are not improvements on the Billings Ovulation Method® rather they are just different methods.  They use different methodologies and may or may not be as well studied and/or effective.

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Is the Billings Ovulation Method® natural?

Yes, a woman’s natural state of fertility Billings Ovulation Method® protected through the use of the Billings Ovulation Method. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are ever used. Women appreciate the freedom in using the Billings Method and the increased knowledge they have of their own bodies. Men often comment that they have a greater understanding of their wife.

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Can the Billings Ovulation Method® be used to postpone pregnancy?

Yes. In the average cycle, there is only a window of fertility. Without the use of drugs and devices, couples using the Billings Ovulation Method® can confidently identify times when pregnancy is impossible. Couples using the Billings Ovulation Method® simply abstain during times of possible fertility. There are three rules to follow before ovulation (if pregnancy is to be postponed) and one rule after ovulation. Once couples understand the woman’s cycle and how to apply the rules, they can use this method until the woman reaches menopause.

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I am breastfeeding. Can I use the Billings Ovulation Method?

Yes. During breastfeeding a woman may experience a time of natural infertility. This time, however, is variable for every woman and for every pregnancy. This time of infertility depends upon the inter-relationship of many factors including the baby and mother’s needs, and the style and frequency of feeding. With the help of a certified Billings Ovulation Method® teacher, a breastfeeding woman can determine her pattern of infertility after two weeks of charting.

Because the Billings Ovulation Method® only has four rules for postponing/avoiding pregnancy, couples simply apply those rules according to where the woman is in her cycle. 

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