How safe is the first 5 days rule?

[RaraAvis]

I've been charting for over 2 years now, with no problems (TTA, obvi) but we've also been SUPER strict (only DTD after confirmed O).  We took advantage of the first 5 days rule for the first time this month, and I'm worrying a little.  My shortest ever cycle has been 26 days, and my earliest O was CD14 (until THIS MONTH, when it looks like it's CD 12 or 13)  My DH has "the healthiest prostate his doctor has ever seen" and I'm worrying that his super sperm are going to survive the 6-7 days (I was totally dry for a few days after we did it, so I'm being silly?) Just looking for a little reassurance  THANKS, ladies!

[FaithHopeLove29]

By my limited understanding of NFP, the "last dry day rule" applies here - because you were dry the day you DTD and you were dry for several days following, you should be ok. I've been learning with the CTA ladies, so one of the "experts" from that thread might have a more complete answer. :-)

[trauerweidchen]

I think a pregnancy is extremely unlikely in this case. Since you didn't have fertile CM on CD 5, it's next to impossible that your DH's sperm could have survived a full week; my understanding is that sperm dies pretty quickly (within a few hours?) if there isn't any fertile CM to protect it. In those cases where women have conceived with nearly week old sperm, they must have had fertile CM that allowed the sperm to survive long enough for the egg to be released.

I know it's nerve-wracking, though, especially when deviating from your usual conservative CTA habits. We've been there in the past too, though my cycles tend to be more like 35 days, which made for a LOT of unsafe days every month when waiting until after O to be safe.

So while there are no guarantees and I'm afraid you'll have to wait another week to find out for sure, I would try not to worry. I think you are almost certainly "safe" based on your chart.

[RaraAvis]

Thanks for the responses -- I finally caved and did a $store test (hey, it was going to expire in January anyway) and it came back BFN at 12 dpo.  Can I sort of rest on that? Or is 12 dpo too early to trust it?  My kids had a stomach virus last week, so I'm trying not to freak out that I'm feeling kind of nauseaous myself. 

What is the EARLIEST I can test and trust it's not a false negative?  (sorry, sort of freaking -- if I wasn't worrying I wouldn't necessarily expect AF for another day or two.

[annie2186]

Hey Rara! Long time no see =)

I looked at this chart several times back in the day - and according to it you have about a 12.3% chance of still being pregnant with a BFN on 12dpo. (this is with 15dpo being expected period).

http://www.babymed.com/pregnancy-testing/negative-home-pregnancy-test-hpt-could-i-still-be-pregnant

Hope this helps - I'm sure your fine!

p.s. if I remember correctly - the first 5 days rule is pretty conservative BUT you have to have had a temp rise AND a certain length of a luteal phase (can't remember how long, but I think it was 12 days) from the cycle before.

[RaraAvis]

Aw, hi Annie!   I hardly ever see anyone from the old CTA board -- everyone's having babies instead.  I guess it's cyclical -- I'm hoping to hop back in the gene pool next year ;)

I think you have to have no cycles shorter than 26 days, and a temp shift from the last cycle. <-- Definitely meet all those criteria!  But it IS the earliest O I've ever had (of COURSE the first time in more than 2 YEARS I decide to DTD pre-O)  So I'm just jumpy ( I hope) :) I think if it doesn't come by tomorrow morning I'll test with FMU -- 14 dpo should be fairly airtight. 

[jodi5]

I think you look pretty safe.  We are pretty conservative as well and I get nervous myself so I don't blame you for being nervous, but I think it looks okay for you for this cycle. 

[RaraAvis]

AF is here! Hurrah, indeed.  I don't know WHY I always do this to myself.  Thanks for being here, ladies!!

[JMJ]

For future reference, CD 5 is estimated to yield one pregnancy per 200 woman years with cycles no less than 23 days, and CD 6 one pregnancy per 100 woman years with cycles no less than 26 days.

Reference: The Art of Natural Family Planning 4th Edition by John and Sheila Kippley

[Eresh]

Hi Raravis and Annie. Nice seeing ladies from the old cta threads . I'll probably be dropping back in there in a couple of months when my fertility returns