Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health

by Toni Weschler

Are you unhappy with your current method of birth control? Or are you demoralized by your quest to have a baby? Do you also experience confusing signs and symptoms at various times in your cycle, but are frustrated by a lack of simple explanations? This invaluable resource will help you find the answer to your questions while giving you amazing insights into your own body. Taking Charge of Your Fertility has helped literally hundreds of thousands of women achieve pregnancy, avoid pregnancy naturally, or simply gain better control of their health and lives. This book thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method, which in only a couple of minutes a day allows you





This expanded new edition

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Parenting, Self Help, Reference, Feminism, Science

504 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Toni Weschler is a nationally respected women's health educator and speaker with a master's degree in Public Health. She founded Fertility Awareness Counseling and Training Seminars (FACTS) in 1986, and has lectured at hospitals, clinics, and universities since 1982. She recently helped develop cycle-tracking software as an adjunct to her book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility. The Ovusoft Fertility Software is available at Ovusoft.com. She is a frequent guest on television, radio, and Internet Web sites, where she continues to advocate the dissemination of Fertility Awareness education as an empowering body of knowledge for all women of reproductive age. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Reviews

[Katherine Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ought to be required reading for everyone in possession of a uterus.

It's totally famous and often recommended. However, I picked this hefty volume up once in B&N, and after leafing through several pages of complicated looking charts and completely gross close-up pictures of what-I-didn't-even-know, I nestled it back on the shelf and said to myself, "Well, I'll read that if I ever have any PROBLEMS with my junk 'down there.'" Fortunately, I happened upon it again in a Half-Price many months later, and the low price convinced me to finally give it a go.

First of all, it is NOT as intimidating or scientifically dense as if appears at first flip through. The author adopts a very laid-back, humorous tone and approach to the whole topic, making it a friendly read for most anyone. Also, the length is not quite what it seems; the latter third is optional appendices for special topics and audiences, and the main portion of the book is filled with quickly-skimmed charts and cartoons.

Second, it is not, as many would think, just a book for those trying to get knocked up. It is about understanding you body, your rhythms, your internal signs and signals, and finally, your potential for fertility (whether you're in the camp who desires it or resents it, it's good to know where/when/what it is). Weschler describes a drug-free birth-control method, a common-sense conception method, troubleshooting for irregular or curious cycle behavior, comfort and control for menopause, and more.

I feel empowered for having read this, but I also felt a tinge of regret that I am only NOW reading this. Women deserve a better relationship, understanding, and view of their bodies than we're granted in the typical sex-ed class or gynecological office. This information is at once simple, accessible, and profound.

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wish they gave out this book instead of pads & tampons in 5th grade. It's ridiculous that I didn't find out how my body works until now, but, better late than not at all!

The book presents sympto-thermal charting in an understandable manner, but mainly focuses on trying to get pregnant rather than trying to avoid pregnancy. The principles can be used the other way around, but this book isn't necessarily a guide for using FAM as birth control, and doesn't contain a lot of info regarding transitioning off of hormonal birth control.

Otherwise, very informative with very clear diagrams and pictures. Even if you're not trying to avoid pregnancy or get pregnant, if you are female or in a relationship with a female, this is as close as you get to an owners manual for a uterus.

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically this book is like my second bible. I first saw a copy next to my cousin's bed and was fascinated by the title, dipped in and then ordered my own copy! Toni Weschler is brilliant. This book literally changed my life and I really can't rate it highly enough. In it, Toni explains the sound scientific Fertility Awareness Method which, for a matter of a couple of minutes a day, can give you an understanding of your body that no biology book or visit to the doctors could possible give you. By using the method, you can:

Practise a completely natural and over 99% effective birth control method (actually, it CAN be higher than this- any failure is down to "user failure"- i.e. non-practise of the method)

Help identify any fertility problems BEFORE running to the doctor and getting involved in invasive diagnostics tests

Know whether you ovulated in any given cycle-or not

Know the best days to get a smear test, and to check for breast lumps

Know if you're period is going to be late, beforehand and without rushing out to get a pregnancy test in panic

Understand all those signs throughout the month that most women are too afraid to ask other women about

Identify when you can get pregnant (and when to use protection!) and even help weigh the odds to male/female. Know that you're pregnant without having to buy a test.

Keep a check on your own health by identifying any warning signs or abnormalities

Accurately predict due dates

KNOW that your cycle, as with those of most women, does not usually conform to the "28 day" model, nor do all women ovulate on day 14! And know that its normal

Used as birth control this method, obviously won't suit all, but it is worth just knowing what's going on in your body.

Remarkable. I can vouch for the reliability of this method WHEN USED correctly.

[abigailscupoftea · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this in one sitting— this book was so informative and empowering! i highly recommend!

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I am using this book for its BIRTH CONTROL section, not its seemingly "getting pregnant" aura from the cover. So, that being said, this book was AWESOME! I have been wanting an effective way to get off of hormonal birth control because I believe it is the last puzzle piece in the search to cure my migraines. NOTE: THIS IS NOT THE RHYTHM METHOD WHICH IS A HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE FORM OF NATURAL BIRTH CONTROL!!! THIS IS NOT THE RHYTHM METHOD, I REPEAT. This book is so informative and very easy to read. While it may intimidate some, because it really does look like a textbook, it really isn't that long of a read. Especially because if you want to use it for birth control, you don't need to read the "getting pregnant" or "pre-menopausal" sections and vice versa. Also, a lot of the Appendix sections in the back are merely reference and only apply to certain circumstances. This was such a great book and I know I will reference it for over half of my lifetime. I am also already thinking of giving his book as a gift to some of my female family members.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gearing up for marriage haha! Such a cool book. It’s sad that so many doctors overprescribe and make many women think they have to be on birth control. The fertility awareness method (FAM) is both liberating and effective for whatever your goals are.

One cool thing she kept mentioning was how women are fertile for only ONE day. But, the women’s body works to ensure survival of sperm. This makes fertility a window that is 6 days because sperm could survive for 5 days under the right conditions. Conversely, when a woman is not ovulating, sperm only survive up to 3 hours.

But healthcare can’t make a ton of money off of this, so good luck having a doctor recommend FAM.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I generally reserve 5* for books that change my life. This is one of them.

[Antoinette Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is supposedly the bible of natural family planning and that's a real disservice to women and their partners. The author too often misuses facts, gives wrong information, and believes that anecdotal evidence is an adequate substitute for evidence. Instead of citing studies that might support or refute the effectiveness of the methods outlined in the book, she merely refers to the studies and summarily dismisses the ones that don't support her method and the ones that are more fully supportive of artificial contraception. She indicates that the medical literature is biased against natural family planning. Of course, since she doesn't provide any citations, it's impossible for the reader to make his or her own judgement. She discusses how the failure rates of most contraceptives are higher when you consider typical use (how the average consumer typically uses a particular contraceptive) versus perfect use but glides over the fact that the very much higher typical use failure rate of the methods outlined here may be a major disadvantage to the method. The one positive about this book is that it may encourage women to become more familiar with and comfortable with their bodies but there are other resources that do a better job. A resource on natural family planning and on reproductive health awareness should be a part of every woman's library, but this book shouldn't be it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

just wanted to take a moment to sing this book's praises. i consider myself to have had a pretty good sex education, but this book taught me just how little i actually learned (or, i should say, how little they actually taught me) about the menstrual cycle. this book is a fucking must-keep-by-your-bed-for-handy-reference if you are any bit the female health nerd that i am. you will learn so much about your own cycle, it will knock your socks off. if you are actually in the midst of trying to avoid pregnancy or get pregnant, this book will knock your panties off. it is a gem.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the information that should be shared with girls when they begin to reach puberty. Despite being in my thirties, a Registered Nurse, AND a nurse working in a sexual and reproductive health clinic, I learned a lot, and am continuing to do so as I track my cycles. The appendicies are plenty, and the example charts and tables are very helpful and easy to read. Five stars for the information and putting it out into the world.

Yet, I only rated this book 3 stars? I found the tone of the book INCREDIBLY hard to swallow; it felt like Ms Weschler was hammering into her readers, page after page, that this was the ONLY method of both birth control and pregnancy planning, and, rather than giving statistics or other scientific research, kept sharing stories of her clients who always got pregnant, and always on the first try while using NFA. Rather than feeling empowered, I felt awkward, and at times, a little angry.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I agree with nearly everyone else I know (and reviews from strangers) in that this book should be required reading for women and men regardless of their opinions on sex, pregnancy, etc. And yes, I do think men should read it too. Reproduction is not exactly a one-sided arrangement.

Truly is a great presentation of a lot of information about your reproductive health - from basic cycle patterns, potential problems & how to identify them, understanding the cause & effects of it all, & how to chart successfully whether you're avoiding pregnancy or trying to achieve it. If you're into data as much as this self-proclaimed data-dork is, I recommend charting your own cycles using the methods here. I've learned a lot about my own health, & feel much more informed & able to walk into the doctor's office with a whole lot more knowledge.

[jko · Rating 5 out of 5]

though she attempts to demonstrate objectivity, she definitely puts her pom-poms behind this method of birth control (which, i think she would like me to point out, is not the rhythm method!).

this is an essential, comprehensive, and empowering guide for anyone who wants to understand the gross physiology of being female and/or who wants to decrease or increase the potential for becoming pregnant without the inconveniences of pills, needles, latex, medical invasions, etc.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The value of that information in this book was eclipsed by the dated, repetitive, and often demeaning tone. I got so sick of reading the little italicized case studies: "Bob and Sue had been trying to conceive for years and saw every fertility specialist in the phone book. And then they started charting Sue's cycles and the very next month they conceived! Nine months later their charming son Bob, Jr. was born. If only they'd used my method from the start, they could have saved thousands of dollars and avoided years of suffering!" I found it so off-putting that I had trouble finishing the book. And I'm all for open discussion of reproductive health, but I really did not need to read about MaryJo putting eggwhites up her you-know-what (also: THAT CANNOT WORK. No way.) And the names attached to all the sample charts and case studies! Really, I understand that you're changing names for privacy reasons, but do they all to be obviously fabricated pseudo-names like Amberlyn and BobbySue?

With that being said, the actual information in the book was nothing short of illuminating. My anxiety over my own very long cycles is diminished and I feel so much more educated about all things involved in reproducing (or not reproducing). If someone would take the actual useful information in this book and put it into a less infuriating format it'd be five stars.

[Rori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently picked up this book. Being a nurse and having worked in maternity with a long-running interest in women's health I considered myself to be quite knowledgeable of the subject matter, but I was amazed while reading this to realize how much I was ignorant of!

As another reviewer stated, I feel like this should be mandatory reading for all those in posession of a uterus (and perhaps all people in general). That talk you got in 6th grade barely scratched the surface! Having watched people struggle with both effective pregnancy avoidance and pregnancy attainment I realize how little we know about what's up "down there"! Once again I've realized how much science and medicine has tried to boil the body down to a precise mechanism when it is truly anything but. And yet with some simple awareness of how things are supposed to work both on the part of the woman and the medical provider (I'm willing to bet many of them are largely ignorant of the information herein, as was I) there would be much more productive conversations that would lead to more satisfactory outcomes (regardless of the outcome you're seeking!).

Despite the thickness of this book it's actually quite a quick read. The information is clear and in depth, yet the conversational tone Weschler uses makes it accessible without being dry. The anecdotes interspersed throughout keep it from being too clinical. There are sections which you can skip over if they don't pertain to your space in life (natural family planning, infertility, menopause, etc.), but keeps it all in one book for when life might change and you'll be wanting those other chapters. Highly recommend this!

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's pretty obvious what this book is about. Personally, I think it's a good one, and I give the software that comes with it four stars. It would be five stars, but it is pink and purple, and that diminishes it a bit.

I am an (usually rather quiet-ish) advocate of natural birth control, childbirth, and so on. I really like this book, although it is sometimes a bit overwhelming with the vast amount of information! Definitely a useful guide for any woman who would like to know a bit (or everything!) more about how her body works.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could give two and a half stars, because "liked it" is a little too strong for my mixed emotions about this book. Pros: great charts and pictures and very user-friendly, and a wonderful resource for learning more about your fertility. Cons: Fertility awareness seems like a perfectly good method for *getting* knocked up, but not preventing it, and I'm hesitant to recommend a book that actually promotes it as a method of birth control. Also, the non-informational writing is really cheesy and apparently targeted towards women with neanderthal husbands?

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot take: this should be required reading for everyone.


Update: Instructions were unclear. Pregnant immediately.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to share a link to a website I just found which is an AWESOME resource for infertility and is completely natural: http://www.fertilitycare.org/infertil...

Now, about the book:
It is a basic description of NFP, but there are several books on NFP, many that are more
detailed and have more scientific data rather than anecdotes. I disliked the sometimes
condescending tone that seemed to insult my intelligence, and all woman's intelligence, by reiterating things that were very basic. Some of the facts were things I've known since I was about 16 years old. It said things that could even be hurtful, like telling women to start having children in their 20s, don't wait until their 30s...but many women who read books on fertility are entering their 30s and are desperate to preserve their fertility. It even had the nerve to say something about birth defects and chromosome disorders in babies born to older mothers. This is a widespread myth anyway, because 80% of babies with Down's Syndrome are born to women in their 20s. The reason the myth got started is because in the past when the studies were first done, fewer babies were born to older mothers, so the pool in that category was smaller, so when a baby did have a birth defect, it appeared as if the odds were huge, but it was not so. Age doesn't cause birth defects, probability does. If the book had done more legitimate research, it would have said that.
The title is a misnomer because it says the time a woman is most fertile, but does not give suggestions on how to preserve fertility, if there are ways. Also natural birth control is not always effective, if not used very carefully. I don't think the book said that.
It talks about miscarriage but does not explain about how someone should get their hormone levels checked to possibly prevent a miscarriage. I know a woman in her 20s who lost her first child to
miscarriage because her body was not producing progesterone. Then, with her second pregnancy she received progesterone shots and now has 3 healthy children. This book seems to repeat the tired old generalized misinformation that all young women are perfectly healthy and can afford to be complacent about their fertility. That is simply not true.

The book seemed to use the goofiest specimens ("I thought I had yeast infection every month")
to make the book and its sources look smarter. That was annoying.
Also, the photos of the mucus were freaking disgusting. Did we really need to see that?

This book just made me mad in many ways. It's just full of anecdotal and generalized junk that women worry about too much already, and those things overshadow the meager NFP information. Find another book.

[Annalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think mostly women come across this book as a resource for infertility, which is a shame because what they teach you in your elementary maturation class doesn't tell you much about your body. Have you ever questioned any abnormality about your cycle? Do you know when you ovulate? Do you know why specific symptoms occur in relation to your cycle and what they mean? Do you truly understand how your body works? I didn't and sadly I didn't think I needed to know or rather I wasn't aware there was such basic information I didn't know that didn't require medical school to understand. It shouldn't be about whether you're trying to get pregnant or avoid it. It should be about you wanting to know how your body functions so you understand why things happen and what they mean.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating and really useful read. Although not all the chapters were necessarily relevant to me at this point in time (or hopefully ever), I feel like I learned so much about my body that I was never taught in school. It will no doubt be an invaluable resource for me going forward.

[Hayley Abdo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since coming off of hormonal birth control in August, this book has been instrumental in my journey. Since starting this book, I have continually felt empowered as a woman as I grow in deeper understanding of my body, and am left with a heightened awe towards my Creator and the way He has created women to function.
This book is incredibly detailed and is a must-read for anyone desiring to gain information on how to naturally avoid pregnancy, achieve pregnancy or gain knowledge on women’s health as a whole.
This is a book I will continue to refer back to for years to come.

[Tashaodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by my female doctor. While in nursing school I lent this book to one of my instructors who used the pictures to show the class about cervical fluids and what not. Amazing that most of those women in my class had no idea that cervical fluid had any relation to fertility! I would highly recommend this book to any female of menses age. The more women know about their bodies, the more empowered we become.

[Sarah Van Kuiken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not pregnant, just learning. Leave me alone. 😂

[Erika RS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before trying to get pregnant, it seemed appropriate to learn more about how female fertility works. For that, I chose this book.

The first, and perhaps most important, thing to know about this book is that it is a book every woman should read. Whether you want to get pregnant or avoid pregnancy, whether you're taking birth control pills or attempting more manual methods of contraception, if you're a woman who cares about how her body actually works, you should read this book. (Note: I use "you" and "your" throughout this review because it's more conversational. I acknowledge that this may a bit awkward for any men reading this. Consider it an exercise in what it's like being in a situation whose "you" is not, in fact, you.)

It amazed me, when I started reading this book, how little I knew about my own fertility. While I think that birth control pills were the right contraceptive option for me during the years I wanted to avoid pregnancy — my ovulation cycle has always been much too irregular to depend on my physical signals — I am, in retrospect, sad that I spent a over a decade taking a drug without understanding the system it was regulating. Now that I am trying to become pregnant and having a hard time, I regret accepting the explanation from my doctor that the pill would "fix" my extremely irregular cycles. Yes, it suppressed the symptoms, but now that I actually want to get pregnant, I still have the same issues and no more knowledge of them than I did as a teen. (By the way, Weschler also wrote a book targeted at teens, which I haven't read.)

Now to the book itself. This book is centered around the Fertility Awareness Method. This can be seen as a natural birth control method or a technique for helping achieve pregnancy. I see it as a way to understand how your own body works. Part one discusses these different perspectives and encourages women to take charge of their own fertility. Part two contains background on a women's reproductive anatomy, menstrual cycle, primary fertility signs, and various types of irregular cycles. Parts three and four apply knowledge of the primary fertility signals to, respectively, birth control and pregnancy achievement. Part five discusses other practical benefits of charting your cycle, even if you don't care about the other two.

As a final note, if avoiding pregnancy is absolutely vital for you, I cannot recommend the Fertility Awareness Method as a standalone method of birth control. Even if you're extremely regular normally, stress, sickness, alcohol, and other life factors can make your signals less reliable. But I still recommend reading the book.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to agree with another reviewer and simply say that this book changed my life, and after reading it for the first time a few years ago I'm surprised that I waited so long to review it. I can't remember exactly how I came upon it but it was literally a lifesaver for me when I was at a very depressing time in my life as I struggled with infertility. Though not only for those trying to conceive, it's hands down the best and IMO the only book women who are in the early stages of fertility issues should read. Living up to it's title it actually gives you something you and only you can do to "take charge" of your situation and find answers that oftentimes will be more revealing and telling than what a doctor, biology book, or pregnancy test can tell you.

While TAKING CHARGE does outline the scientific Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), or basal body temperature charting and all the ins and outs of using the method, it's super easy to understand and follow. The method requires only an oral thermometer and a minute every morning to take your temperature, daily monitoring of your cervical fluid and a chart to record your observations. I used my charts to pinpoint exactly what day I would be ovulating, which turned out to be much later in my cycle than average. Not coincidentally a few months after charting consistently I got pregnant. For that reason alone I cannot recommend this book heartily enough. But it's equally about headache-free natural birth control methods, detecting delays in menstruation/ovulation, and detecting hormone imbalances and the onset of menopause as it is about successful pregnancy achievement (before a positive test is reliable), impending menstruation, and a probable miscarriage (before any spotting). So bottom line even if you're not trying to conceive at this point in your life, please read this book, you will not be disappointed.

[M. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I'd had this information years ago when I first started menstruating. So many myths and conundrums might so easily have been sorted out. For instance, I had no idea that ovulation can be significantly delayed but that the postovulatory (luteal) phase, the time between ovulation and menstruation, is almost always the same for any individual woman (i.e. Mae's phase is 12 days long, Erika's is 11 days long, Nelly's phase is 15 days long). As a teenager I regularly suspected I had yeast infections, turns out it was completely normal cervical fluid. Also turns out it's virtually impossible to become pregnant if you don't have wet-quality cervical fluid. I could go on and on.


Better than general education on reproductive cycles Toni Weschler teaches how to use that knowledge to intimately know your own cycle - in practical terms this means you know if you are ovulating in your cycles, if you have yet ovulated in a particular cycle, when to time intercourse for pregnancy, when unprotected sex won't result in a pregnancy, whether you have a long enough luteal phase for implantation, and so on. Every woman, and couple, ought to know this information (and psst. Weschler's written a book specifically geared to teenagers, Cycle Savvy).

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains all the information we should have learned in health class in school. I couldn't believe how ignorant of my own body I was until I started reading this book. I've learned so much with it, and use it as a reference quite often.

If you are squeamish about your own body, then you will definitely not be comfortable reading it, but honestly, it's necessary. I now feel much more prepared to visit my doctor when I need to, and I feel more in control of my own body (or at least more knowledgeable). Even if you don't use the birth control or pregnancy achievement steps in this book, it's good for understanding how things work and why certain things happen. In addition, if you following the tracking Toni Weschler recommends, it can help identify when things are not working as they should be.

All in all, every woman should read this book. Toni has written another book for teenaged girls, and I fully intend to buy it if/when I have a baby girl. I feel cheated from not having learned about my own body, which is sad.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The OG book on the Fertility Awareness Method. I’ve been meaning to read this for over 10 years, so it was fitting I read the 20th anniversary edition. It’s a classic in helping people who menstruate understand what’s going on in their bodies, and how they can monitor external signs to understand what is going on in their cycle.

Good info on the menstrual cycle, common health issues like PCOS and endometriosis, and infertility treatments.

Weirdly gender-role oriented (felt outdated), totally cis-gendered, extremely heteronormative language and concepts, tropes that people who menstruate dislike healthy food and exercise (why is this a thing?), and a complete misunderstanding of what we now know about the clitoris. A random discussion of a basic yet presented as earth shattering sex position. Also some forays into woo woo territory not supported by research - vitex, acupuncture, etc.

It’s a classic, but honestly you can find the same info online without the boomer undertones.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource book for ANY woman, not just those that are trying to get pregnant. I think I learned more about my body from this book than I ever did in Health Class! If you are interested in what is happening to your body and why your body does what it does, then you should get this book! It also has an entire chapter on women and Menopause.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea that the things I thought were weird and gross about my body were totally natural. I'm reading this book because I want to get pregnant. Let's just say that thanks to this book, I have my husband charting my daily temperature on a graph on the fridge. It's just too cute.