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From about the age of fifty most women are infertile. The change from fertility to infertility is usually gradual, occurring over a number of years. During this time menstrual cycles often become extremely variable in length and mucus episodes less frequent.

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If you've stopped hormonal contraception you may not show signs of fertility for some weeks or months until your own hormones return to normal function. You may have regular bleeds but not observe the normal mucus changes indicating fertility.

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After giving birth, most women experience a period of natural infertility that can last for many months if you breastfeed. The Billings Ovulation Method® enables you to recognise the months of infertility. So you can enjoy your sexual relationship without worrying about the effects on your milk and your baby of the synthetic hormones in chemical contraceptives.

Ovulation may occur before your first bleed, so it's important to be aware of any mucus that might signal ovulation.

When your baby starts sleeping through the night or other food is introduced you may notice a change in your Basic Infertile Pattern before fertility finally returns. For example, you may be dry for some months, then experience an unchanging pattern of discharge in the following months, until eventually, patches of mucus signal that fertility is returning. For some women this return of fertility may not happen until weaning is complete.

If you're not breastfeeding your baby, or you've suffered a miscarriage, you can use your mucus signals to recognise the shift from infertility to possible fertility. Fertility usually returns within six weeks of the birth if your baby is not breastfed.

Your Billings Ovulation Method® tutor can help you interpret your pattern of infertility and returning fertility after you've had a baby and while you're breastfeeding.