Fertility awareness methods (FAM) vs Injection
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Overview
Rated 4.3
155 reviews
Daily
Frequency
92% - 98%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.9
277 reviews
Every 2-3 months
Frequency
94% - 99+%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
Short term
Effect on fertility
Fertility awareness methods (FAM) ingredients
Injection ingredients
Main hormones in Injection
progestogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive
Endometriosis
Heavy periods
Period pain
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Real life reviews from people like you
Fertility awareness methods (FAM) reviews
155 reviews
Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I've had an entirely positive experience using Natural Cycles. While using the impant I was struggling with acne, mood swings, irregular periods. And since swapping to use Natural Cycles I've felt much better in myself, my periods are very regular, I feel I understand my body and cycle so much more, and my skin has cleared up. In 5 years of using it it's been 100% effective at preventing pregnancy, I'm very careful to measure consistently, and I use the Oura Ring to help get accurate readings. But this small effort seems like a small price to pay in exchange for getting rid of all the nasty side effects of my previous contraception
Very positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 6th Jun 24
I started using Natural Cycles a few years back. I was never on any birth control as a teenager as my mum didn't want my young body being put on hormones. However, once I settled down with my current long-term partner, I wanted to have the peace of mind that I wasn't going to fall pregnant. The first few years of using Natural Cycles were great and empowering, understanding the changes in my body and knowing when I had ovulated was great. What I had failed to understand was it predicted with its algorithm your date of next month's ovulation based on your previous month. Well. I managed to fall pregnant not once, but twice in the space of 8 months. The first time around, I thought it was my fault and I had not taken my temps properly (even though I never had an issue in the past). I had a surgical abortion as I was 3 months pregnant before I actually found out. I was willing to try again and really get to grips with it even though the clinic was very strongly advising me to go on some form of HBC. In the past 6 months, my body has recovered from the abortion and got back into its usual swing of periods and I saw I was ovulating again. This time around I invested in an Oura ring to pair with my NC app to be certain of my temps being taken. All was well, I stuck to my green and red days religiously. I use the pull-out method on red days (if we do have sex). And I trust our pull-out method completely because we definitely know he does not ejaculate inside of me or we tend to stick to oral sex rather than penetrative. I noticed my temperatures lately had been higher than usual and my ovulation was confirmed a bit earlier than usual. I didn't think much of it as I had stuck to our red days and green days as shown. When I went on calendar view, I saw that my fertile window just gone was a lot shorter than 6 days and I had unprotected sex (on a green day) that was 2 days before I ovulated. I did a test and indeed am pregnant yet again. I contacted NC straight away and got them to go through my data, which they did and have taken full responsibility for the muck up with their algorithm. I advise you to check your fertile windows and note any other observations (cervical mucus), because the algorithm cannot be trusted. And from what I now know, ovulation may change throughout different cycles (stress, sleep etc). I will no longer be using them ever again which is sad as I did so enjoy using it.
Somewhat positive mood
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 4th Jun 24
Very positive mood
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
I've had an entirely positive experience using Natural Cycles. While using the impant I was struggling with acne, mood swings, irregular periods. And since swapping to use Natural Cycles I've felt much better in myself, my periods are very regular, I feel I understand my body and cycle so much more, and my skin has cleared up. In 5 years of using it it's been 100% effective at preventing pregnancy, I'm very careful to measure consistently, and I use the Oura Ring to help get accurate readings. But this small effort seems like a small price to pay in exchange for getting rid of all the nasty side effects of my previous contraception
Very positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 6th Jun 24
I started using Natural Cycles a few years back. I was never on any birth control as a teenager as my mum didn't want my young body being put on hormones. However, once I settled down with my current long-term partner, I wanted to have the peace of mind that I wasn't going to fall pregnant. The first few years of using Natural Cycles were great and empowering, understanding the changes in my body and knowing when I had ovulated was great. What I had failed to understand was it predicted with its algorithm your date of next month's ovulation based on your previous month. Well. I managed to fall pregnant not once, but twice in the space of 8 months. The first time around, I thought it was my fault and I had not taken my temps properly (even though I never had an issue in the past). I had a surgical abortion as I was 3 months pregnant before I actually found out. I was willing to try again and really get to grips with it even though the clinic was very strongly advising me to go on some form of HBC. In the past 6 months, my body has recovered from the abortion and got back into its usual swing of periods and I saw I was ovulating again. This time around I invested in an Oura ring to pair with my NC app to be certain of my temps being taken. All was well, I stuck to my green and red days religiously. I use the pull-out method on red days (if we do have sex). And I trust our pull-out method completely because we definitely know he does not ejaculate inside of me or we tend to stick to oral sex rather than penetrative. I noticed my temperatures lately had been higher than usual and my ovulation was confirmed a bit earlier than usual. I didn't think much of it as I had stuck to our red days and green days as shown. When I went on calendar view, I saw that my fertile window just gone was a lot shorter than 6 days and I had unprotected sex (on a green day) that was 2 days before I ovulated. I did a test and indeed am pregnant yet again. I contacted NC straight away and got them to go through my data, which they did and have taken full responsibility for the muck up with their algorithm. I advise you to check your fertile windows and note any other observations (cervical mucus), because the algorithm cannot be trusted. And from what I now know, ovulation may change throughout different cycles (stress, sleep etc). I will no longer be using them ever again which is sad as I did so enjoy using it.
Somewhat positive mood
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 4th Jun 24
Very positive mood
1 helpful
0 comments
Injection reviews
277 reviews
Used for 1 - 3 mo
39 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
Its a right contraception but it stopped my periods since I was young end now I'm struggling to conceive end I think I'm running out of time and my marriage it's on thin ice here so I don't think that someone can still use it
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Great that it stopped my period completely, only have to remember to have it every 12 weeks
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I’ve only had the injection once and had to come off, I already suffer mental health for years and the depo made my anxiety worse, constant bloated, the bleeding never stopped which led me to constant itch down below due to wearing constant pads, my hair was falling out so so badly, now my baby hairs are growing through and I look awful, not like my self asteem is poor already,
Very negative mood
2 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
39 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
Its a right contraception but it stopped my periods since I was young end now I'm struggling to conceive end I think I'm running out of time and my marriage it's on thin ice here so I don't think that someone can still use it
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
Great that it stopped my period completely, only have to remember to have it every 12 weeks
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
35 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I’ve only had the injection once and had to come off, I already suffer mental health for years and the depo made my anxiety worse, constant bloated, the bleeding never stopped which led me to constant itch down below due to wearing constant pads, my hair was falling out so so badly, now my baby hairs are growing through and I look awful, not like my self asteem is poor already,
Very negative mood
2 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 22nd Nov 24
Eix very terrible,,everything I eat taste very back even the food I love,have terrible headache n my period stopped with my first shot so was thinking I was pregnant,I’ve gained a lot lot of weight 😫😫
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 12th Nov 24
I’ve had a really positive experience with depo. I was on it for around 4 years pre-covid, and have currently been using again for 18 months. Periods have completely stopped and I haven’t experienced side effects (my hair might be slightly thinner, but I’m not sure if I’d just never noticed I have thin hair). After stopping use the first time it did take many months for my periods to return. I’m only thinking about stopping taking it now with the recent studies on links to brain tumours.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 11th Nov 24
I have really enjoyed not having periods and not having to remember my pill as I am very forgetful. I have gained an increased sex drive and I used to get cramps all the time and it stopped most of those. I rarely get migraines. Maybe one every two months. My only major issue was my hair loss. I’ve lost about 50% of my hair and now it’s brittle but after taking calcium supplements and changing my diet it’s a bit more normal. It could be unrelated but around the same time as I started the depo I also got Dyshidrotic eczema on my feet. What makes me think this could be related is I’m also very itchy on my hands, and legs since starting. I could just be getting older and I’ve had issues in the past with my hips but I’ve also pulled my back, and badly sprained my ankle and hip. This has only happened after starting the depo. After a year of being on it everything seems to have leveled out. All bad points above have now become less noticeable and I feel very comfortable. External issues are still an issue like being constantly interrogated like I don’t know what I’m doing in the nurses office as I take my depo every 10 weeks due to bleeding for the last 3 weeks of the cycle. They also seem to want you on the coil I’m not sure what that is about but it’s very annoying. Also depending on who is administering the shot you may feel basically no pain or a ton that could last for a few hours These side effects may not be for some but from my past personal issues I am happy with the contraceptive compared to others I’ve tried
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 23rd Oct 24
Since taking the injection I have experienced severe lower back pain. I sometimes struggle to sleep
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 21st Oct 24
I felt like I was going crazy or losing my mind while on this contraceptive. I was an emotional wreck, I was not doing so well physically either. I had zero sex drive, so it did not make sense for me to be on birth control when I was not even having sex (markedly diminished libido).
Very negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 12th Sep 24
the side effects makes it feel like its not worth it. i cant eat the things i like as much because im gaining weight and dont want to be unhealthy. i feel way more fatigued
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 12th Sep 24
the side effects makes it feel like its not worth it. i cant eat the things i like as much because im gaining weight and dont want to be unhealthy. i feel way more fatigued
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
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