Ovulation Tests To Avoid Pregnancy

[AquaTorfanaa]

For many reasons, I've decided to come off birth control but DH and I are not ready for more children. I was going to use ovulation tests to track my ovulation and avoid sex or use extra protection during the high risk periods. Obviously since I've been on birth control for 12 years now and had no periods I have no idea of my cycle naturally so I'm going to take the cheap ovulation tests every day so I have more of an idea.

I mentioned this to my sister who I am very close with and she told me I'm an idiot who will be pregnant by the end of the year. I don't think I'm being an idiot if I know when ovulation happens and avoid three days either side of the peak. Has anyone tried this method successfully?

AIBU to think this is going to work and be fine or should I just keep suffering the side effects from the birth control?

So as not to drip feed, I've been on the implant, the mini pill, the combined pill, the injection and had a mirena coil. All have prevented pregnancy but have not suited my body in different ways. I am tired of it. Mid thirties.

Your sister is correct. You're an idiot. Use condoms at the very least!

Your sister is right. There are umpteen threads on here by women who fell pregnant using this 'method'.

Your husband can use condoms. They don't require any input from you or you putting anything in your body.

Unless you don't mind having another child, I wouldn't use this "method".

You've been taking responsibility for birth control for years. Your DH can now step up and either (a) use condoms or (b) get a vasectomy.

A vasectomy isn't an option as we may want another child in the next year or two so it'll have to be condoms. My doctor suggested this method and said it's 99% effective when used properly.

I would combine temping with ovulation strips to make it more accurate. Your body can produce an early or late LH surge that may falsely indicate ovulation, which then actually occurs at another time. Temping will give you a much more accurate picture. It would also be difficult to avoid sex 3 days before the peak since you don’t know when the peak will actually occur.

I used a Persona all through my fertile years and only got pregnant when I wanted to.
I was diligent in it's use and religiously avoided fertile days.
It can work for sure.

I wouldn't use ovulation tests on their own because you can have an LH surge but not actually ovulate. You need to track your basal body temperature and not have sex until you've had three high temperatures in a row and confirmed ovulation. I also wouldn't use it as your sole method of contraception until you've had a few cycles off the pill, or if you definitely don't want any more children and would have an abortion if you got pregnant.

We used this method successfully between children but I'm not sure I'd want to risk it if we definitely didn't want any more.

‘When used properly’…I think human error is really the issue here. Sex drive goes up at ovulation. Also I did once get pregnant (on purpose) from sex five days before ovulation (DH was away with work so we knew). I’m sure it can work but there is a level of risk.

How do you avoid sex 'either side' of ovulation with this method? You won't know you're ovulating until the day before or day of - you might have had sex the day before that!

This method doesn't work especially if you don't know your cycle.

Persona! We used it very successfully for 2 years.
Interpret instructions carefully. We never had sex in the morning till I had first tested my urine even though the instructions said it was ok.
This was some years ago so they may have updated them. https://uk.clearblue.com/contraception/persona-monitor

It’d be more like avoiding sex for five days before ovulation and one day after, rather than three each side.

Just use condoms all the time if you don’t want to get pregnant - much more reliable

Persona builds up a picture over time so you get lots of red days in the first few months then they reduce.