The Effect of Personal Factors on the Use of the Basal Body Temperature Method of Regulating Births

Abstract

502 married couples were surveyed concerning personal factors relati ng to the continuation of use of the basal body temperature (BBT) system of determining fertile and infertile periods. An anonymous questionnaire was completed separately by husband and wife. Of these 410 (82%) were completed by both partners and determined valid for study. Failure rate was inversely related to family size. There were 10.2 pregnancies per 100 woman years among those with 1 child but 0 among those with 5 or more children. Claimed desired family size did not affect the failure rate. 40% of the men and 22% of the women experienced difficulty with the periods of abstinence. There was a 17% failure rate among those who often found abstinence difficult compared with an 8% failure rate among those who did not (p less than .02). The wifes awareness of her husbands difficulties was associated with a higher failure rate (14%) than than when she was not so aware (7%) (p less than .2). The failure rate was 13% whether or not the husband was aware of his wifes difficulties. The husbands feelings usually prevailed with regard to interpreting the temperature charts. There were 16 pregnancies (9%) in 184 cases in which the wife interpreted the chart alone and 36 pregnancies (16%) among the 224 cases in which both interpreted the charts. Love-making during the abstinence period had a variable effect on the failure rate. Over-all attitude towards the method influenced the results. Of the 270 husbands who found the method satisfactory only 8% experienced failure; 23% of those who found the method unsatisfactory failed. Similar results applied to the 308 wives who found the method satisfactory and the 102 who did not. There may be general satisfaction with a method despite personal and interpersonal disadvantages sufficient to affect continuation rates. Studies of contraceptive practices need to assess these factors.