A birth control or contraceptive method or procedure whereby the time of the month of greatest fertility is determined by careful observation of a woman’s menstrual cycle over an 8-month period and sexual intercourse is avoided during this time. When conception is desired, this method may be helpful in determining the best time for coitus and for fertilization of the ovum to take place.
A contraception technique, also known as the rhythm method, involves refraining from sexual intercourse during the estimated time of ovulation when an egg is released from a woman’s ovary. This timeframe is determined based on the length of her previous menstrual cycles. However, the calendar method is considered unreliable due to the potential variation in a woman’s menstrual cycle. Nowadays, there are more scientifically advanced and effective contraceptive methods available in this category.