Fertility Awareness Methods

Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) are natural family planning strategies that women can use to help prevent pregnancy.

Sterilization:

Tubal Ligation

Cost: $1,500-6,000

Pros:

• Infertile as soon as surgery occurs 

Cons:

• No protection from STI’s

• Not easy to reverse

• Major surgical procedure 

• 1-3 weeks of recovery time 

Vasectomy

Cost: $350-1,000

Pros:

• Not a major surgery!!

• Reversible

• Cheaper than a tubal ligation

Cons:

• No protection from STI’s

• Not immediately sterile. Any sperm which may have traveled past the vas deferens must be flushed out/die over time

Sources: Crooks and Baur. Our Sexuality. 12th Edition; Planned Parenthood