Understanding the perspective of women who use the Billings Ovulation Method®: a focus group study

BMC Women's Health

Table 1 Four rules to avoid pregnancy in the Billings Method [14]

Early Day Rule 1	Avoid intercourse on days of heavy bleeding during menstruation
Early Day Rule 2	Alternate evenings are available for intercourse during the BIP^a
Early Day Rule 3	Any change in the Basic Infertile Pattern in sensation or appearance (including bleeding) wait. If the Peak is identified, apply the Peak Rule. If the Peak is not identified and the BIP returns, wait for three full consecutive days of the BIP, and then intercourse is available on the 4th evening of the BIP. Then Early Day Rule #2 applies
Peak^b Rule	Intercourse is available every day at any time from the morning of the 4^th day after Peak until the end of the cycle

^aBIP Basic infertile pattern is defined as an unchanging pattern in the preovulatory phase. The BIP can be an unchanging pattern of dry (nothing sensed at the vulva/nothing seen) or an unchanging pattern of discharge
^bPeak Criteria is a changing and developing pattern, ending in a slippery sensation with an abrupt change to no longer slippery or wet. The Peak Day is the last day of the slippery sensation in this pattern

ISSN: 1472-6874