CycleBeads are an easy way for a woman to track her cycle and clearly identify the days she could become pregnant and the days when pregnancy is most unlikely. They are based on a method of family planning that is more than 95% effective when used correctly. Fertility Awareness To use CycleBeads a woman simply moves a black ring over a series of color-coded beads that represent her fertile and low fertility days. CycleBeads help women understand how their bodies work and know when they can get pregnant and when pregnancy is most unlikely. They cause no side effects because the user never puts anything into her body.

Use CycleBeads for Birth Control or to Plan a Pregnancy

Highly Effective Family Planning

CycleBeads are easy to use, inexpensive, and they enable women to manage their fertility.

How CycleBeads Work

The day a woman starts her period she puts the rubber ring on the red bead. Each day she moves the ring one bead, always in the direction of the arrow. When the ring is on the red bead or a dark bead, there is very low likelihood of pregnancy, so she can have intercourse on these days without getting pregnant. When the ring is on a white bead - Days 8 through 19 - there is a high likelihood of getting pregnant if a woman has unprotected intercourse.

Please note, the Standard Days Method, on which CycleBeads are based, works best for women with regular menstrual cycles that are between 26 and 32 days long. Women with cycles outside this range should use a different method of family planning.

Q. How can I determine if my cycle length is between 26 and 32 days?

• Do my periods usually come about when I expect them?
• When did my last period start
• When do I think my next period will start?
• How many days are there between the day my last period started and the day I think my next period will start?

If you can tell by answering these questions that your cycles are likely to be between 26 and 32 days long, you can use CycleBeads. If you are still not sure, it would be a good idea for you to use the CycleBeads or a calendar for two or three cycles just to keep track of your cycle lengths. But you should not rely on this as a way to prevent pregnancy until you are sure your cycles are usually between 26 and 32 days long.

The Scientific Basis for the Standard Days Method, which CycleBeads is Based On

The probability of pregnancy increases from 4% five days before ovulation to almost 30% just before ovulation, and decreases again to 8% on the day of ovulation. The probability of pregnancy is then virtually zero for the rest of the cycle.

Implications

Taking Charge of Your Fertility * Learn how to "read" your body to maximize chance of conception * The MUST Have book for women who are seriously trying to conceive.