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Fertility Awareness Fertility Awareness (FA) refers to basic knowledge on the male and female reproductive systems, as it relates to fertility. It is knowledge about the signs, symptoms and patterns of fertility throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle, the male reproductive potential, and combined male and female fertility. Why is Fertility Awareness important? Enhances women and men’s understanding about female and male fertility Explains in simple terms the signs and symptoms that indicate when a woman is fertile Enables women to recognize the signs and symptoms of fertility and identify the fertile days Helps children and adolescents understand their changing bodies Empowers women, men and youth with the information and skills to protect their reproductive health. How does fertility awareness help women, men, and youth protect their reproductive health?

FA and Youth: New initiatives Fertility Awareness-Based Methods Resources

• Teaches how to identify what is healthy and normal throughout the life cycle;
• Helps identify signs and symptoms that may indicate a need to seek health care;
• Contributes to practicing behaviors that have a positive effect on reproductive health;
• Influences the development of communication and self-advocacy skills to deal effectively with partners and health care providers about reproductive health.

Fertility Awareness and Youth: New Institute Initiative

Many parents, schools, youth organizations, and religious institutions are often ill-prepared to help young people understand and prepare for puberty. Thus, young people often lack skills and information to deal with the many physical, social, and emotional changes associated with this time of rapid change. When young people are better aware of how their bodies work and what changes to expect, as they become adults, they are much better prepared to deal with sexual and reproductive health issue and challenges.

While many excellent curricula on reproductive health for youth exist, few address the information and skill-building inherent to fertility awareness education. Furthermore, more research is needed to build the evidence base regarding strategies to address the reproductive health needs of youth ages 10 to 14. In response to this, the Institute for Reproductive Health, in collaboration with Family Health International, developed My Changing Body: Fertility Awareness for Young People, a manual designed to teach girls and boys ages 10 to 14 about their fertility and the changes they experience as they approach puberty. In addition, the Institute, with funding from the United States Agency for International Developed, will lead research to determine whether a fertility awareness information and skills intervention for younger adolescents will:

• Increase their knowledge about the body, fertility and the changes they experience as they approach puberty
• Build their negotiation and communication skills regarding reproductive health issues
• Improve the ability of parents, teachers, and other stakeholders to communicate with and support positive sexual and reproductive health behaviors of younger adolescents.

For more information on this project, contact Aysa Saleh-Ramirez at as596@georgetown.edu.

What are Fertility Awareness-based methods?

Also known as natural methods, Fertility Awareness-based methods help individuals achieve their reproductive goals to either prevent or achieve pregnancy by

• Tracking the menstrual cycle and avoiding unprotected intercourse on an identified fertile window as with the Standard Days Method; or
• Observing and tracking a woman’s fertility signs and avoiding unprotected intercourse on her fertile days as with the TwoDay Method.

Fertility Awareness Resources

The following are a list of materials developed by the Institute in collaboration with other organizations:

Fertility and Sexuality Self-Care for Adolescents: Guide for Facilitators.
A manual developed in cooperation with the Ecuadorian organization, Centro Medico de Orientacion y Planificacion Familiar (CEMOPLAF). It is intended for teachers, parents, and health professionals who work with adolescents (especially those for 14 - 16 years of age). It addresses such topics as communication, fertility, self-esteem, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS, and family planning. The manual enables teachers to develop class activities based on its content. Each of its main modules is arranged according to theme, objectives, basic concepts, timeframe, materials, activities and evaluation. The manual is available in Spanish and can be obtained from CEMOPLAF (Fax: 593-2-233713 or e-mail: cemoplaf@uio.satnet.net)

Reproductive Health Awareness for Young Adults: A Manual for Educators and Counselors.
Developed in collaboration with the Fundacion Mexicana para la Planeacion Familiar (MEXFAM), this manual serves as a resource for teachers and others who work with youth. It is organized into six educational sessions, each of which consists of exercises and content. Manual is available in Spanish from MEXFAM (Fax: 525-573-23-18 or e-mail: director@mexfam.org.mx).

Health Promoter's Guide to Body Awareness and Self-care
A resource developed by Asociacion Benefica PRISMA, a Peruvian NGO.Designed for health workers, it addresses the following issues: understanding sexuality; anatomy and physiology of the reproductive systems; observing and feeling the changes in life; planning our families;staying healthy; preventing STDs and HIV/AIDS; and improving communication. Each chapter begins with an outline of the chapter's major concepts and is full of illustrations. Available in Spanish. Contact: PRISMA (fax: 511-4-452-9758 or e-mail: diegofc@prisma.org.pe)