A woman says that after tracking her menstrual cycle as a form of birth control, she got pregnant.
Helen Hall (@helenleland) posted a TikTok showing her baby bump on July 10. In her video, she says that instead of taking the birth control pill, she used cycle tracking.
“It didn’t work,” Hall wrote in the video’s overlay text. On Thursday, Hall’s video had almost 435,000 views.
@helenleland It’s called kismet look it up #kismet #fate #destiny #pullandpray #cycletracking #29weekspregnant ♬ Originalton – 🫀🏥
Commenters discussed the efficacy of “natural family planning,” or using “biologic markers to identify fertile and infertile days of a [someone’s] reproductive cycle,” and using contraception only on fertile days, as defined by the medical journal Frontiers in Public Health.
“Everyone I know that has preached ‘natural family planning’ has had a surprise pregnancy,” @claireswannn commented.
“I’ve not been on the pill in about 7 years and I have not had any unplanned babies,” @sliknixx wrote. “Natural family planning has worked for me thus far.”
“That’s what we’ve been using for the last 8 years. Or we’re just infertile,” @user7488133930736 commented.
When done “consistently and correctly,” natural family planning can be 99% effective, according to the U.K. National Health Service. Some commenters questioned Hall’s methods.
“Girl did you just count the days since your last period, assume you ovulate on day 14, and call that cycle tracking?” @legallybrunette1876 commented.
“If one actually takes ovulation tests and so on it should work,” @marissa.hannah wrote.
Others said that after seeing Hall’s TikTok, they decided to start or stay on the birth control pill.
“This was my sign to get back on the pill,” @its.kyraslife wrote.
“That’s it I’m staying on the pill,” @emilyygracep commented.
“Give me all the chemicals,” @agrace1127 wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to Hall via email.
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