Teens Are Relying on the Rhythm Method, But Why?

June 3, 2010     Posted in Uncategorized


By Angela

Here’s a little statistic that will make your head spin:
According to a new study, 17 percent of teens have used the rhythm method for birth control, and the number is growing day by day. For those who don’t know, the rhythm method is a form of birth control in which women time when they have sex based on when they’re at their most infertile stages. Apparently, since 2002, the statistic for the rhythm method as a form of birth control has risen a whole 6 percent.

Uh…. wha?!
This is not Juno – this is real life!

According to Joyce Abma, the social scientist at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the rhythm method doesn’t work 25% of the time. That’s one quarter of the time for all you non-math people. So, you try the whole rhythm thing four times and it’s only going to work for three.

Now, those odds aren’t terrible, but why would anyone take a chance on something that is only 75% effective  when there are other very effective forms of birth control, such as condoms and the pill (which have much higher success rates), out there? That’s like wearing a baseball cap to ride a bike instead of opting for a helmet!

I’d understand if condoms and birth control pills weren’t invented and the rhythm method was the only effective form of birth control. But, hello, those were invented! And for a reason, that reason being they work better. Seriously, in a day when teen pregnancies are on the rise, it is crucial to be smart about birth control. And being smart is choosing a birth control option that has a 99% chance of being effective, not one that only has 75% chance.

To me, the rhythm method seems like a game of chance. The problem with knowing when you are or are not ovulating is that there’s a high chance for human errors (we’re not doctors, after all). And with one tiny error, comes one tiny baby.

The resources are out there for proper birth control and they’re not hard to find. Why gamble on your future (and the potential future of a child) when you don’t have to?

18 Comments on "Teens Are Relying on the Rhythm Method, But Why?"

  1. Lisa says:
    Thu, 3rd Jun 20107:29 am 

    I feel like so many girls think that it won't happen to them (pregnancy) or that if it does, it "won't be that bad," like those girls on those tv shows, or Juno, etc. I'm not usually one for blaming the media, but unfortunately, these past few years, we've been getting more and more teen pregnancy coverage, but very little advising against it, or showing how much it can suck.

    Plus, what most girls say as an excuse is that they don't think their parents would help them, or want them having sex ("they'd kill me!") But what they don't realize is that many parents would rather buy their teen condoms/pills rather than have them get pregnant.

  2. James says:
    Thu, 3rd Jun 20108:58 am 

    The 25% failure rate doesn't mean each time.

    It means the percentage of women who get pregnant in a year using a given method.

  3. Syd says:
    Thu, 3rd Jun 20109:12 am 

    There are a lot of reasons.

    1- Obviously, sex ed in schools. I went to a Catholic school, and somehow, both high school AND middle school sex ed were much more comprehensive than what they teach in most of the public schools nearby. Not to mention, most schools teach it too late. If all they're hearing is 'don't ever have sex,' and aren't even told WHY they shouldn't, what are they going to learn? Even saying 'condoms and birth control pills make Jesus CRY' lets them know that they exist.

    2- Teens don't have much money. The most reliable birth control methods can cost anywhere between 15 to 60 dollars every single month. If the teen's family is well off, it's a crap-shoot as to whether the parents will agree to funding it. If the family isn't well off, if they are okay with it, still, that's a lot of money, and 'helping your 15 year old have sex' is way down on the list of priorities when you need to pay rent, buy food, keep the heat on, and the other kid needs more important medication. If the teen is under 16 or otherwise doesn't have a job, she's SOL as far as pills and rings are concerned.

    3- Condoms are cheap, but let's face it: kids are easily embarrassed. A lot of them are too embarrassed to go to Target to buy them, combined with the fact that some places keep them locked up behind a counter (so she can't go 'I want this milk, these light bulbs, this shirt, oh, yeah, and these condoms' all discreet) and in small towns, they might be caught by people who know their parents.

    It's pretty easy to be in a place that's got twenty dollar birth control at the Health Center, free condoms laying around everywhere, surrounded by thousands of people who don't care what you do or how you do it, and fliers all over your dorm giving you directions to the nearest Planned Parenthoods and which ones have free birth control, and think 'why are teens doing this???' But really, I'm glad I waited until college, because in high school, it seems pretty hard to be safe, at least if you're looking at it through the lens of an awkward, uneducated, no-cash-having teen. The change needs to be in the society first.

  4. Meg says:
    Thu, 3rd Jun 201010:05 am 

    The rhythm method, along with the other forms of NFP are mostly prone to user failure because our bodies are designed for baby making, so at the peak of our fertility we are the horniest. And going simply based off a supposed ovulation date every month doesn't work, you have to get down and dirty and be really aware of cervical mucus, as that is the real indicator of fertility. The method I have used successfully (in tandem with condoms because I'm not daft) requires you to test (ie touch, it's so nasty) your mucus before and after you pee (again with with uber gross, also why I use condoms haha) to determine fertility. It's a difficult method and it requires a lot of patience and definitely closes the doors for spontaneous sex as you're limited (and can't have sex two days in a row if the man cums inside.) BUT if you're dedicated it's a way to prevent pregnancy without any artificial means.

  5. Guy says:
    Thu, 3rd Jun 20104:30 pm 

    Just a math correction, if something has a 3/4 probability it and you do it 4 times the results will not be 3 and 1. Rather for each isolated event its a 3/4 probability. You would have to multiply 3/4 * 3/4 * 3/4 * 3/4 to get 81/256, or the probability of not getting pregnant on all four occasions. Thus the probability of getting pregnant is 175/256 or 68.3%, which is way worse.

    You need to know your math when playing with probability.

  6. Rai says:
    Thu, 3rd Jun 201010:16 pm 

    I don't know how anyone could rely on that method, I still have a little panic after and I use the pill and condoms!

  7. Liz says:
    Fri, 4th Jun 201011:45 am 

    Personally, I always refuse to buy condoms. I'll chip in, certainly, but I will not actually make the purchase. Why?

    Somewhat legitimate reasons:

    1. The cashier at one of the drugstores near me is my mother's best friend. She is almost always working. The cashier at the other drugstore is my grandmother's best friend.

    2. I look kind of young. My current boyfriend and most recent ex look decidedly older than me. Even though our ages difference is four years (and only two before), it can look like twelve on a bad day. While few people think twice selling condoms to a bearded man in a nice shirt and dress pants who looks about 28, there's plenty of judgement for what looks like a sixteen year old girl. Even if said customers actually 23 and 19.

    Not even kind of legitimate reasons:

    1. It's easier.

    2. I get away with it.

    So: embarrassment, judgement (close connection, but different), ease, and availability. Add back in the factor that was inconsequential to me (price) and you have five pretty solid reasons for choosing the rhythm method over any other.

  8. the violator says:
    Mon, 7th Jun 20108:23 am 

    i know of 2 couples who practiced the rythm method. they are both parents now.

    those who practice this damned method are idiots. if the girl really does not want to get pregnant, she should opt for anal. no pills or worrying if or when she is on/off whatever cycle.

    most girls who give it a go find that if they lube up and take their time, they like it quite a bit.

  9. emily says:
    Mon, 7th Jun 20102:23 pm 

    sorry but if you're too embarrassed to go buy condoms then you aren't old enough to be having sex. it's not a big deal. if you have friends or whatever working at one drug store, here's a thought GO TO ANOTHER!

    seriously. not only is this method irresponsible in terms of prengancy but it offers ZERO protection against STDs, which in my opinion, can be worse than the threat of pregnancy. about 1 in 4 people in the US have herpes. sorry but "being embarrassed" is so not worth a lifetime disease.

    and most name brand birth controls offer generic brands that aren't over $10. i pay $5 a month for mine, i have a friend that pays $7 for hers.

    if you can't be responsible enough to use the protection out there then in no way are you responsible enough to be having sex in the first place.

  10. sara says:
    Mon, 7th Jun 20104:44 pm 

    I pay $2.50 a month for mine, its generic Necon 777 and with our health insurance its super cheap.

    I could see how this method might work for the first two or three days after a period ends, or while on your period… but that would be the only time I'd ever think to try it but I would be way too nervous to risk it. Plus, the other downside to this method that isn't mentioned yet is HELLO you can only have sex for what, a week out of the entire month?

    And I agree, if you are too embarassed about buying a condom you are most likely not responsible enough to be having sex. While having parent's friends working etc. seems like a legit excuse, just go to a different drug store! Not difficult! I had to get a Plan B pill and you bet I drove to a drug store half an hour away for that!

  11. Shocked At My Peers Stupidity. says:
    Fri, 11th Jun 20108:17 am 

    Meg said….. “you have to get down and dirty and be really aware of cervical mucus, as that is the real indicator

    of fertility. The method I have used successfully (in tandem with condoms because I’m not daft) requires you

    to test (ie touch, it’s so nasty) your mucus before and after you pee (again with with uber gross, also why I use

    condoms haha)”…

    There are so many things wrong with your statement I don’t know where to start. First of all, Mucosial

    viscosity is NOT the “real indicator of fertility”, it is only a unreliable sign. You must monitor your periods,

    calculate your possible period of fertility(PPF), and take your temperature a week (FIRST thing in the

    morning, BEFORE you get up.)before, during and after your PPF. This MUST be done a MINIMUM of three

    months so that you know when you ovulate, and it is still best to continue to do it if you use rhythm

    method(due to many factors, ovulation can and often does fluctuate.) There are kits available to assist you

    with this. If you are ready to have sex, using, amongst other things, this method, you should be ready to take

    the time to research the method you are using and be willing to pay for the devices that will help you do it

    properly, otherwise you shouldn’t be having sex; unless of course, you want to end up pregnant and/or

    infected(condoms don’t protect against genital warts or herpes, both life long diseases, and there are MANY

    other stds/stis’ the general public doesn’t think about. All repulsive and much more “gross” and “nasty” than

    vaginal secretions. Research, for Christ’s sake!).

    Secondly, you said, “definitely closes the doors for spontaneous sex as you’re limited (and can’t have sex two

    days in a row if the man cums inside.)…” I don’t know where you heard that, but it is completely false. Sperm

    lives inside your body for at the very least five days. Once it’s there, It’s there, so more than once doesn’t really

    matter(unless 8 days min before PPF), especially if you’ve been stupid enough to let him do that within your

    fertility window, and in the first place(GOD, haven’t you heard of disease and how babies are born? I hope you

    get every single partner blood tested BEFORE you FU@K them, and have a considerable amount of money

    put aside to raise your baby and get a paternity test; or, if you’re one of those sick fu@ks that believes in killing

    unborn children, enough money to cover several legalized murders until your common sense kicks in.)

    Lastly, you describe your secretions and the process of touching them as “Down and dirty,” “Nasty,” and Uber

    gross.” As you have so little respect for your body, are so disgusted and apparently afraid of what it does

    naturally, have not bothered to properly research and educate yourself on such a important and potentially life

    changing activity(i.e – sex – and the requisite mature knowledge and love of your body) you have introduced

    into your life, and lastly are “gross”ly misinformed as to birth control, I firmly believe you are not ready to

    have sex. A woman needs to CARE FOR, APPRECIATE, LOVE, VALUE and RESPECT herself and her body

    before she has sex as well as be mature enough to deal with all sex entails or she is nothing more than a

    garbage can for sperm. I suggest you mature some more in this area before you engage in everything a sexual

    life requires. Otherwise I think you’re well overdue for a pregnancy.

    Post Script: It is very irresponsible to be posting erroneous information as you have on birth control. Once

    again, research before you post, or as the old saying goes, think before you speak. Good luck.

    Liz said…. “Personally, I always refuse to buy condoms. I’ll chip in, certainly, but I will not actually make the

    purchase.”, “Somewhat legitimate reasons:…..”, and “2. I get away with it.”. – Another foolish poster. As with

    Meg, if you are idiotic enough to think that way, stay away from sex until you grow up. There are NO

    legitimate reasons for not taking care of your sexual health and life. The only thing you’re getting away with is

    the idea you’re getting away with something. With your attitude, you’ll probably COME DOWN with

    something – HIV suprise, anybody? This generation seems to be dumbing down to the lowest common

    denominator. Thank god not all of us think(or not.) as so many like you do.

  12. A Brit says:
    Fri, 11th Jun 201012:49 pm 

    Even though the brits have painfully high numbers of teen pregnancies, I think they got one thing right with free contraceptives. They kinda just shower us with free condoms (they're cheap, but it's better than nothing), free pills prescribed by the doctor (given periodically), free hormonal treatments… it's just incredibly easy to get these things. The statistics may protest against their use, but then a surprising amount of teens are having sex to begin with.

    I think Shocked certainly needs a good overdose of maturity. There's no reason for that kind of disrespect.

  13. Desiree says:
    Sat, 12th Jun 20105:14 pm 

    To "Shocked At My Peers Stupidity", when meg was talking about the "mucus test", that is one way to tell if you are at your peak fertility or not. The days that you are, the mucus tends to be more slippery rather than sticky. She wasn't stupid for saying that, I learned this in a Family and Marriage class at a major university, I doubt they were just making it up without unsupported facts. Also, your statement about sperm staying in your body for eight days was biased. Although I cannot tell you exactly how long it may stay in your body, it only "lives" for around two days unless its fertilizes an egg. If fertilization doesnt happen, the sperm is no longer any good. So maybe you should recheck your facts before you so harshly criticize others?

  14. thehatingexpert says:
    Sat, 12th Jun 201010:45 pm 

    Most teenagers can't even manage to use birth control pills correctly. I highly doubt their ability to keep track of their cycles.

    http://thehatingexpert.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/s…

  15. Alanna says:
    Mon, 26th Jul 20103:28 am 

    I'm a 16 year old female and I think I've found the most effective way of not having babys…… Not having sex. No I'm not some girl locked in my room with no life. I have a boyfriend whose been with me for a year and almost all of my friends are having sex.

    Although birth control is "effective" the water purifying companies [my dads the manager of one] can not get it out of our water systems.due to this inability to get the pill out of our water people like me who don't even want it are being forced into ingesting it. It's not like I can just stop using water.

    Now the nasty side effect of it being in our water is that this is what's causing so many men and women to be infertile. My side theory being related to this is the overwhelming percentage of autistic children [I have worked at special olympics, these kids are some of the friendliest, most helpful kids ever. Seeing them accomplish the little things and being happy with themselves gave me a new respect for my own life.] could very well be related to the mass use of the pill.

    I'm certainly not saying that using the pill for medical reasons like having to get your period in line b/c it's visiting me every other week is bad. But using it so you can go get drunk at the bar and have sex with out realizing that it might just result in a baby is bad. Due to that sence of reasoning we have the infertile side effect.

  16. Tamara says:
    Mon, 26th Jul 20104:37 am 

    Girl, if you don't wanna have sex or use the pill is super fine, nobody's forcing you. But that thing about the water is just crazy!!!!!What does the pill have to do with water? Why should it even be in "the water" in the first place? Sorry, but until you find a serious source for that (and a serious source is not "my dad says so"), I advice not to say stuff like that on the internet.

    Even if the water was "polluted with contraception" (I can even believe the absurdity of that phrase), there's no relationship between the pill and infertility. I mean, of course you can't have babies while you're on it (it's sort of the point), but it doesn't leave infertility sequels; and even if it was on the water, the dosis would be to small to make it actually contraceptive. Have a little common sense: your dad is tricking you into not taking it or not having sex for some reason.

    Oh, and the last paragraph: it's funny that you accuse girls who are on the pill because they don't wanna have babies of being irresponsible. Contraception is the way for responsible sex. Until you have a good argument against it (god knows the crazy water thing is not), stop the bashing and the irresponsible comments.

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