Developing
and Testing the TwoDay Method
More than 96% effective, the TwoDay Method (TDM)
is a symptom-based method of family planning that
uses cervical secretions as the indicator of fertility.
This method is appropriate for women with any
cycle length and who are willing to monitor their
secretions daily.
If a woman notices secretions today or yesterday,
pregnancy is likely today. If she does not notice
secretions today and yesterday (two consecutive
dry days), pregnancy is unlikely today. To determine
the TwoDay method’s theoretical efficacy,
Institute researchers used several large data
sets including data from a World Health Organization
study and from a multi-center European study.
This analysis determined that the theoretical
efficacy of the method compared very well with
the efficacy of other widely used family planning
methods and that the fertile phase of the cycle
would average 12 days. Results of the pilot study
revealed that providers were able to learn and
teach the method to their clients, clients were
able to learn and use it correctly and that the
method was well accepted by both clients and providers.
Given the positive results, the Institute embarked
on a clinical trial that followed 450 women for
up to 13 cycles of method use in Guatemala, Peru,
and the Philippines. The clinical study revealed
a first-year pregnancy rate of 3.5% when the method
was used correctly. Much like the Standard Days
Method, results suggest that the TDM’s effectiveness
is comparable to a number of other widely used
methods of family planning.
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