SAFE DAYS ARE NOT SAFE

 Fertility cycle 

'Safe days' is one of the natural method of Family Planning where many couples use since they do not want have prescribed contraceptive pills. It is majorly an observation by women  on the calendar days after their menstruation. Safe days as the term used, when one can have penetrative unprotected sexual intercourse and not getting pregnant.

  

The practise of Safe Days Family Planning method solemly depends on your menstruation cycle. If your average menstrual cycle is 28 days then  ovulation takes place around the 14th day and your most fertile days are days 12, 13 and 14.

And If your average menstrual cycle is 35 days then ovulation happens around day 21 and your most fertile days are day 19, 20 and 21.

This simply means the days before and after the fertility period are your "safe days".  

This method requires one to accurately know their menstruation cycle.  

Safe days method is not a guarantee  not to  conceiving but can be a guarantee to expose you to several Health risks. When one is using safe days method prevent  pregnancy,  they have the privilege to enjoy  Sexual intercourse without using any barrier e.g condom  which means the Male Reproductive organ, an erected penis shall ejaculate inside the vagina which could lead to the following heath risks.

1.Sexual Transmitted infections (STI)

Having unprotected sex could lead to spread of Sexual Transmitted infections from one person to another because of exchange of Reproductive fluids during sex. Majority of STIs are spread by sexual contact. 

STIs include; Genital Herpes, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Genital Warts and among others. Safe days can only prevent pregnancy but not Sexual Transmitted infections.  

      HIV VIRUS CELL

2. EXPOSURE TO HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Is a virus that spreads through unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person.  This Virus weakes the body immune system by replicate its cells into the body and fighting the white blood cells. HIV is not curable  but it is manageable through the use of Antiretroviral Drugs (ARVs). 

According to Kenya Demographic Health survey 25% of the Kenyan  women population aged 17-25 years of age experience  unplanned pregnancy every year due to high levels of misinformation about menstruation and fertility cycle, with most respondents referred to using "safe days" which lead mixed feelings (KDHS, 2018). 

Practise of Safe Days have been proven to be unsafe as they can only prevent pregnancy and not HIV/AIDS and STIs. The calendar method isn’t 100 percent reliable, nor is it an exact science. It’s best to combine it with other methods to stay safe. Practise Safe Sex  by using condoms, getting an STI and HIV tests done with your Patner.