Birth control is undergoing a revolution, thanks to innovations in natural family planning. Technology and contraception have been united to create the revolutionary app, Natural Cycles, the brainchild of physicists and husband and wife team, Dr. Elina Berglund and Dr. Raoul Scherwitzl.

Since hitting the market in 1960, birth control has always been surrounded by controversy. Government regulation, religion, sexism, racism, and accessibility are just some of the issues surrounding the blister packs of pills, including the abhorrent way in which the drug was tested in its infancy.

Factor in side effects and potential long-term consequences of using prescription contraceptives, and almost any woman with first-hand experience will attest to the physical and mental anguish birth control can cause. From depression and anxiety, to bloating and life-threatening blood clots, the residual symptoms run the gamut. Not to mention the inconvenience of needing to take it at the same time every day.

In exchange, however, it does tend to keep unwanted pregnancies at bay when used properly, and is still considered by many a win for women’s reproductive rights.

Yes, there are IUDs, shots, rings, and other methods for administering the hormones without needing a reminder in your calendar, but it’s still a disruptor to your body’s system. 

With that in mind, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Meet physicists Dr. Elina Berglund and her husband, Dr. Raoul Scherwitzl, the couple responsible for creating Natural Cycles–the world’s first app to be certified specifically for contraception.

Dr. Berglund said the idea for the app stemmed from a time when “I was in a happy and stable relationship with my husband and co-founder Raoul. I didn’t want to use hormones anymore and, to be honest, we were not exactly excited about using a condom every time. We looked into natural family planning solutions, but there was nothing out there that made it easy and reliable to use.”

She also notes the pitfalls of typical natural family planning, including human error, the antiquity of the devices on the market, their high cost, and what she calls “simplistic algorithms.”

Dr. Berglund is also credited for being on the team that discovered the Higgs Boson, leading to a Nobel Prize in physics. “When I had achieved that [Higgs Boson], I wanted a new challenge and applied all my knowledge and mathematical skills into developing the algorithm,” she says.

“The app works by entering your basal body temperature every morning, then the algorithm crunches the numbers and instantly gives you the result of your fertility status for the day–red or green day,” says Berglund. “Red means you should use a condom if you do not want to get pregnant, and green that you are ‘good to go.’  Besides temperature, we take into account sperm survival, variation of your cycle length, ovulation day, temperature fluctuations, length of follicular and luteal phase, and gives green days only when ovulation has been detected, and the ‘non-fertile’ phase of the cycle is entered (as the woman’s fertility changes through her cycle).”

In addition to preventing pregnancy, Natural Cycles can also help with detecting infertility (only available in Sweden) and getting pregnant–just ask Dr. Berglund, who says that she and her husband used it to conceive, as well as prevent unplanned pregnancies. “The beautiful thing about Natural Cycles is that it supports a woman through any stage of her life…we also love to see it as a means of getting to know your body,” she says.

And the product isn’t a gimmicky cycle tracker app. It’s got legit science cred. “Tüv Süd, one of the leading notified bodies worldwide, certified Natural Cycles as a class IIb medical device intended to be used for contraception,” notes the press release.

“The certification meant everything for us,” says Berglund. “We always knew our product was effective for contraception, but getting the certification meant that we could tell everyone else about it too. For women, the certification means they have an additional option for contraception to choose from-effective, non-hormonal and non-invasive.”

When compared to prescription birth control, Natural Cycles holds its own. With typical use, the efficacy rate is said to be 93 percent and with perfect use, it’s 99.5 percent. Plus, the app is available for both iOs and iPhone operating systems, and is comparable in cost to, and in some cases less than, prescription birth control at $79.99 per year.  

“Personally, I hope we will soon enter into a new era in which women are much more in control of their bodies than before,” says Berglund. “We see a trend towards this, with lots of other apps like ours entering the market, although we are the only certified one. At the same time, we see access to contraception being stripped away in many parts of the world, so apps like Natural Cycles can help conquer that and enable women to take control of their fertility in new ways.”

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In part one of this series on natural birth control, we explored the toxic perils of the birth control pill. For all the ways that it has liberated women and given birth (no pun intended) to the sexual revolution that began more than forty years ago, it turns out that it’s pretty damn bad for our bodies.

With the recent news that Yasmin (a popular brand of birth control pills for young women) killed 23 women in Canada, it’s even more urgent that we know how to properly protect ourselves — that is, without risk of illness or death.

Birth Control for Monogamists (Serial or Otherwise)

If you’re in a long-term partnership and both of you have been tested for STIs, it’s nice not to have to deal with condoms or other barrier methods, isn’t it? For many years, a multitude of women have automatically opted for the pill after committing to a single sexual partner. Luckily, there are other natural birth control options out there for you monogamous types (even green juice swilling, yoga-practicing, socially conscious ones). If you’ve crossed the threshold into coupledom but aren’t ready for a baby now (or maybe ever) you’re covered.

The IUD

If you’re opting out of hormonal birth control, luckily there’s a relatively safe, effective, and less wasteful option – the IUD, or intrauterine-device. You may have heard some very scary stories about the IUD. That’s because in the late seventies there was defective, dangerous brand called the Daklon Shield – which is luckily long off the market. Today’s IUD is a whole different ballgame.

Although you’ll need a visit to your gynecologist to get your IUD inserted, it lasts for a very sustainable twelve years, and is often covered by health insurance. The non-hormonal version employs a small amount of plastic and copper wire, which interferes with sperm transport.  It doesn’t interfere with future fertility and has few side effects. Note that insertion can be a bit painful and some experience PID after insertion. The IUD can be ideal if you have only one sexual partner and you’re both disease free, but it’s not for everyone, so have a conversation with your doctor about whether it works for you.

The Fertility Awareness Method (It’s NOT the rhythm method)

Although not nearly as foolproof as the IUD, the Fertility Awareness Method (or Natural Family Planning) is the right choice for some women – usually those for whom getting pregnant would not be the worst disaster in the world. If there is any question about whether you are ready for a baby now, stick with the IUD or a barrier method. But for the green-inclined and baby-friendly, fertility awareness is indeed the most non-invasive, holistic, and truly natural way to prevent pregnancy. With NFP, you learn how to recognize the signals of ovulation – by observing BBT (basal body temperature), cervical mucus, and cervical position.

The amazing Red Tent Sisters, two holistically-inclined sex educators from Canada, introduced me to the Justisse Method  of fertility awareness, which I now believe is the best way for women to learn how to manage pregnancy prevention without the aid of devices or chemicals.

Permanent Birth Control

Finally, there’s the permanent solution – getting the snip. If you’re in the ranks of the growing child-free movement, or are in a long-term relationship in which the threat of STIs isn’t an issue, there is vasectomy (for men) and transabdominal sterilization (tubal ligation) or getting your tubes tied, for women. A one-time operation, it rarely causes complications and can be a great solution if you know you don’t want puppies – or if you’ve already created your brood.

Got Lovers? Casual Sex and the Single Girl

You’re having non-monogamous sex (and you like it like that). Nobody’s judging you, but your particular category of birth control is more complicated than it is for your friends in long-term, monogamous relationships. That’s because you run the pesky risk of STIs (sexually transmitted infections). Pregnancy is something you clearly want to avoid, but since you’re not about to get tested with every new partner you take home, you, darling, require a barrier method.

In the universe of condoms, there are endless choices, and we’re not talking ribbed or flavored – some are definitely more sustainable than others.

Green gals and boys should avoid polyurethane. As an eco-conscious person, this is already on your list of no-nos because it’s derived from petroleum, and you don’t want to cause any more drilling (except the fun kind!) or add any more carbon to the atmosphere. You’re heating things up enough as it is. Polyurethane condoms are also thick, stiff, uncomfortable, and not biodegradable.

The next variety of condom you’ll want to leave on the shelf is lambskin. Firstly, because you’re already conscious (possibly vegan or vegetarian) and not interested contributing to the slaughter of sweet little lambs, or creating any additional agricultural runoff. And secondly, because lambskin condoms DO NOT protect you from STIs.

Now that you know what to avoid, let’s get down to the business of your pre-coital to-do list. If you don’t have a latex allergy (more on that in a bit) you’ll want to go with a vegan, latex condom. (Surprising fact: most condoms on the market contain casein, a milk-derivative.) Latex is all kinds of green  — the tree grows quickly and sustainably, often in Malaysia (so no, it’s not locally sourced).

Latex itself is a biodegradable material, but condoms made from it require stabilizers, hardening agents and preservatives that unfortunately render them less likely to be used as compost any time soon. Do remember this: always wrap used condoms in a recycled tissue and put them in the garbage. NEVER flush them. In our waterways, condoms are a serious menace to aquatic life, and latex will never decompose in water.

My go-to condom brand is Sir Richard’s Condom Company.  Since 2010, Sir Richard’s, based in Colorado, has produced the most stylish, sustainable condoms on the market. I like to call them the Tom’s Shoes of contraception — for every condom bought in the U.S., they donate one to a developing country. They have a strong relationship to Partners in Health in Haiti and donated thousands of condoms to them earlier in the spring of 2012. This young, conscious company is sex-positive, progressive and has the most brilliant, creative condom marketing I’ve ever seen. Their sexy VW condom van, Lucy, tools around the country covered in green and black plaid, spreading the gospel of condom-usage. Their motto: “Doing good never felt better.” Because they use only paraben- and glycerine-free lube, they won’t irritate you or your partner. Another bonus: they’re available at Whole Foods, so pick up a few packs next time you stop in for some hemp milk.

Note: for all you condom-haters out there, I assure you that after test-driving Sir Richard’s Ultra Thin, you will not be able to use the “I can’t feel anything” excuse. They truly are ultra-thin.

If you have a latex allergy, the best current condom alternative seems to be polyisoprene. Since 2008, Lifestyle has been manufacturing condoms made from this non-latex technology under the SKYN brand. I’ve never been able to get the company to reveal what’s actually in these condoms, which is a bit concerning. The positive is that although it’s a synthetic, chemical compound, it is not derived from oil.

And if you’re using lube, just remember – no oil-based lubricant should ever be used with a latex condom.

Now go forth and have fun (with your trusty birth control, you will not be multiplying, at least for now).

Stefanie Iris Weiss is the author of Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable (Ten Speed Press/Crown Publishing, 2010) and eight other books. Stefanie keeps her carbon footprint small in New York City, where she writes about sustainability, sexuality, reproductive rights, dating and relationships, politics, fashion, beauty, and more for many publications. Learn more at ecosex.net and follow her on Twitter: @ecosexuality.

Image: Dustin J McClure

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From STIs to unwanted children, protect ourselves we must. For the sustainability-inclined, natural birth control can be a complex maze to navigate. Eco-conscious people aren’t simply thinking about how an unwanted child might affect their own lives – they’re considering the broader implications of overpopulation, planetary wellness, and health. Since I know you’d rather skip the research and just get to getting busy, I’m going to break it all down for you.

Spring is in the air in the Northern Hemisphere: the ritual shedding of clothing has already begun. I’m not just talking about bikini-season here. Getting naked is good for you – experts say that sex has measurable health benefits, and hell, it definitely beats spin class. But for all its pleasure-inducing and blood-pressure-reducing side effects, copulation has definite consequences.

Contraception is a Human Right

For the last few years we’ve been dealing with a very real War on Women and a massive, retrograde assault on reproductive rights – in states all over the U.S., the pendulum has already begun to swing back to the 1950s. This is, in part, why it’s such an important moment for us to carefully assess the reproductive options we still have – and we must fight to keep them all. No matter what path to protecting yourself you end up choosing, remember that access to contraception is a human right.

Here is where it gets complicated – take the birth control pill. It revolutionized the lives of millions of women when it first became available in 1960, and for that, it’s worth celebrating. But if you care about the health of your body and the planet, you’ll want to closely examine what is actually in hormonal birth control, and what it does to the ecosystem of your body. It seems like hormonal contraception is a no-brainer for women in monogamous, heterosexual relationships. Your biggest concern is avoiding pregnancy, and you don’t want to have to think about barrier methods. Right? Perhaps not.

Hormonal contraceptives prevent pregnancy by tricking a woman’s body into a kind of chemical menopause. That, in itself, has consequences – it’s pretty clear that nature designed our bodies to menstruate for a reason. Aside from the laundry list of short-term dangers included on the package insert provided by Big Pharma (migraines, water retention, high blood pressure, breast swelling, spotting) use of the pill is linked with risk for strokes, breast and cervical cancer, and long-term infertility. Not to mention anecdotal evidence that it ironically lowers your sex drive – what is the point of birth control that makes you less libidinous? If that’s not enough for you, consider what hormonal contraceptives may be doing to the environment.

The endocrine-disrupting-chemicals (EDCs) in hormonal contraceptives leach into our water systems in a variety of ways. Women excrete them in their urine and unused packs end up in landfills. Synthetic estrogen, when dumped into the ecosystem, has similar properties to pesticides – it feminizes aquatic animals. Large-scale UK studies have shown that even low levels of estrogen in waterways caused reduced fertility in male fish. While pesticides from industrial agriculture remain the greatest threat to the environment, the very personal choice of birth control matters – both to your body and to the planet.

Although I believe that condoms are a terrific birth control method for people with multiple partners (those that don’t need to worry about STIs) unless you’re buying the right brand, you may be loading up landfills with waste that won’t biodegrade. Not to mention, many condom manufacturers use irritating, toxic lubricant.

In part two of this series, we’ll look at safer, healthier ways to make sure that your natural birth control choices are as green as your makeup routine.

Stefanie Iris Weiss is the author of Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable (Ten Speed Press/Crown Publishing, 2010) and eight other books. Stefanie keeps her carbon footprint small in New York City, where she writes about sustainability, sexuality, reproductive rights, dating and relationships, politics, fashion, beauty, and more for many publications. Learn more at ecosex.net and follow her on Twitter: @ecosexuality.

Image: starbooze

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