NFP - What is Natural Family Planning?
What is Natural Family Planning (NFP)?
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is an umbrella term for certain methods used to achieve and avoid pregnancies. These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. It is 100 % natural -- no drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. And, when practiced correctly, it is 99.6% effective. (That’s higher than any method of simple contraception, according to the World Health Organization.)
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Click here for a recent scientific study showing its effectiveness in the prevention of pregnancy.
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Click here for another study, with statistics from the World Health Organization. Coming Soon
Couples using NFP to postpone or avoid pregnancy select days of infertility for intercourse. Couples who wish to achieve a pregnancy select days of fertility for intercourse. Because it allows couples to adjust their behavior to the naturally occurring cycles of fertility and infertility in the woman's body, (men are always fertile) NFP is not a contraceptive. It does nothing to work against conception. As such, it is wholly endorsed by the Catholic Church.
NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child. By respecting the love-giving and life-giving nature of marriage, NFP has been shown to enrich the bond between husband and wife.
NFP is
completely different
than the "Rhythm Method."
The Rhythm (or Calendar) method was
developed in the 1930s. It was based on the
theory that the time of ovulation could be
determined by calculating previous menstrual
cycles. This method often proved inaccurate
because of the unique nature of each woman's
menstrual cycle: some women have very
irregular cycles and almost all women have a
cycle of unusual length once in a while.
The effectiveness rates of the modern NFP methods skyrocket to 99% in postponing or planning a pregnancy because it is based on the observation of biological markers of fertility, not on the length of cycle as used in the Rhythm method. .
NFP helps those who are experiencing infertility
Many couples who have experienced infertility difficulties have overcome them, primarily through close observation of the woman's cycles. NFP can significantly raise the odds that you’ll conceive.
NFP is for everyone!
NFP works for women of any age, and even for women with irregular cycles.
How does it work?
To better understand how natural family planning
works, it is helpful to review basic
reproductive anatomy.
The male reproductive cell is the sperm and the female reproductive cell is the egg or ovum. A new human life begin at conception, when sperm and egg unite. Conception occurs within the fallopian tube and the new baby begins growing and developing immediately.
But first, in order for pregnancy to occur, a number of conditions must be present. These conditions are healthy sperm, healthy eggs and the presence of cervical mucus.
1. Healthy Sperm
Sperm are produced in the testicles; and during intercourse, millions of sperm cells are released in the vagina. A healthy male produces sperm continuously throughout his life.
2. Healthy egg
Women, on the other hand, are born with hundreds of thousands of eggs. During a woman's menstrual cycle, one or more of these eggs will develop within the ovary. Ovulation is when a fully developed egg ruptures from the follicle and is released from the ovary. Usually only one egg is released during a woman's cycle. The mature egg, once released, will only live for approximately 12 - 24 hours.
3. Cervical mucus
Sperm need cervical
mucus to survive. Sperm, in the absence of good
mucus, will die literally within hours or even
minutes when placed into the vagina. The vagina
which is mostly acidic, is actually a poor
environment for sperm. However, at certain times
in a woman's monthly cycle, she produces a fluid
called cervical mucus, that actually
changes the chemical nature of the vagina and
allows the sperm to survive longer. When
cervical mucus is present, sperm can survive
from 3 to 5 days.
Thus, for a woman to become pregnant, three factors are critical: healthy sperm, healthy egg, and cervical mucus (for sperm survival); and a healthy egg.
Monitoring Fertility and Infertility
There are three phases of a woman's
menstrual cycle:
1. Pre-ovulation (the time before the egg is released)
2. Ovulation (the time the egg is actually released by the ovary)
3. Post-ovulation (the time after the egg is released)
Pre-Ovulation
This phase of a
woman's cycle begins on the first day of her
bleeding, and ends on the day of ovulation. In
the pre-ovulation phase, a chemical messenger
from the brain signals an egg to develop. The
follicle, which is where the egg develops,
produces the reproductive hormone, estrogen.
Estrogen helps prepare the inside of the vagina
for sperm, and the uterus for pregnancy. Since
hormone levels vary, the length of the woman's
pre-ovulation phase can change from cycle to
cycle.
In fact, research
indicates that many factors can affect the
length of the woman's cycle, including:
breastfeeding, weight loss, stress, illness, and
diet. Despite this, the time of fertility can be
known with clarity, because of the signs the
woman's body produces, that help her identify
when the window of fertility begins ... and when
it ends.
Ovulation.
This is the optimal time of fertility. A woman
has hundreds of thousands of eggs, contained in
two symmetric organs, called ovaries.
Ovulation occurs when a hormone signals the
ovary to release a mature egg from the ovary.
During ovulation, the cervix (the organ at the
base of the uterus) changes by rising in the
pelvic cavity, opening and softens. The
cervix also assists in pregnancy by producing
the cervical mucus which neutralizes the acidic
nature of the vagina, allowing sperm to survive
and move through the uterus, into the
fallopian tubes. Finally, during
ovulation, the inside of the uterus prepares to
sustain a pregnancy by building a nutrient-rich
lining ("endometrium").
Post-Ovulation.
The third phase of a woman's cycle begins
after ovulation and ends the day before
her next period. It is very stable in length
and has a range of 9-16 days. After ovulation
occurs the hormone progesterone
increases in the body. Progesterone has three
critical functions: (1) stimulates cervical
cells to produce a thick mucus so that the sperm
can not penetrate the cervix. If fertilization
did not occur earlier in the cycle, progesterone
levels decrease and the uterus lining sheds. (2)
Most importantly, progesterone prepares the
lining of the uterus for possible implantation
of a new life. The uterus will keep the new life
safe & nourished for the next 9 months; (3)
During ovulation, Progesterone elevates the
woman's body temperature about four to six
tenths (4/10 - 6/10) of one degree (F).
This increase can be detected by taking daily
waking temperatures, called Basal Body
Temperature (BBT). This daily temperature
reading is one of the key signs a couple can use
to monitor where the woman is at in her
fertility cycle. (The other key sign is the
presence of cervical mucus.)
Natural Family Planning is as simple as learning the basics of the woman's ovulation cycle, and tracking her fertility on any given day. By careful monitoring the signs of ovulation (I.e. Basal Body Temperature, Cervical Mucus), and tracking any changes, a couple can know with confidence if the woman is in the ovulation phase or not. As such, they can plan accordingly to either achieve or avoid / postpone pregnancy, depending upon their intentions.
Remember: These are only the basics, most of your learning about monitoring fertility will come during follow-up sessions.
Source: USCCB - An Introduction to Natural Family Planning
NFP Models in the
Archdiocese of New York
The
Archdiocese of New York offers several different
NFP courses
every month!
Just like there are different models of vehicles
(ie Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler), there are
different models of NFP for you to choose
from:
Thermal-reading Methods: These NFP methods rely upon charting of "multiple signs & symptoms"; mucus, Basal Body Temperature (BBT) and palpation of the cervix.
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Archdiocesan Sympto-Thermal: Effective “one rule” method. Simple and straightforward curriculum offered in a classroom setting.
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CCL's Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) www.ccli.org:
CCL’s Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) - is based on daily fertility awareness; a couple charts the wife's signs of fertility day by day and uses that information to determine her fertile and infertile times. It can be used both to achieve and to avoid or postpone pregnancy. CCL's curriculum also incorporates the teachings of Bl. John Paul II's Theology of the Body, and helps couples recognize true marital love and responsible parenthood. Classes are taught by couples who discuss the effects that using NFP has had on their marriage and relationship.
Key features of Thermal-reading methods: Both Sympto-thermal methods (CCL and Archdiocesan methods) add a level of crosschecking that some couples find helpful. Archdiocesan method is "more simplified" and the CCL is a "more quantified" method.
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Mucus-based (Ovulatory) Methods: These
NFP methods involve observation & charting
of "signs & symptoms" of fertility &
infertility observable at the vulva,
particularly "mucus
secretions".
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Billings Ovulation Method: www.boma-usa.org: "Billings" does not use any form of rhythm counting, temperature taking, etc. Instead, there are four simple rules that are applied -- whether the couple wishes to achieve or avoid pregnancy. As such, Billings is one of the most simplified NFP methods. (That is not to say the others are more / too complicated, only different.) The Billings method is used in more than 120 countries, with 3.6 million couples in China, and is popular in the US as well as in many under-developed countries. Also offered in Spanish.
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Creighton Method FertilityCare®: www.popepaulvi.com or www.augustinefoundation.com: Overall health-oriented private instruction. Affiliated with the Pope Paul VI Institute’s National Center for Women’s Health, specializing in gynecological or infertility issues. The Creighton Model FertilityCare SystemTM teaches women to observe certain biological signs to identify times of fertility & infertility. These signs (including cervical mucus and bleeding patterns) are charted daily to give a picture of the woman's individual cycle.
The Creighton Model FertilityCare(tm) System (CrMS) is a modification of the Billings Ovulation Method. The versatility of CrMS is one of its strongest features. Like Billings, it too monitors mucus at the vulva. The events leading up to ovulation are "quantified " in a more detailed manner, thus recognizing times of fertility & infertility in a definitive, "day-by-day" fashion. As such, previously difficult cases, such as long and irregular cycles, breastfeeding, coming off of contraceptive pills, and ovulatory states in the pre-menopause, all can now be brought into focus readily through this data.
Key
Features of the Mucus-based Methods:
Both Billings & Creighton involve
monitoring of mucus. A large appeal of
Billings could be summarized as
"simplicity". Billings is
more simplified
than Creighton, in that it involves
daily charting and "four
simple rules"
related to fertility.
The appeal of Creighton is that it offers the couple more data on a 'day-by-day' basis. Over a number of cycles, this additional data could be instrumental in dealing with various issues (mentioned above). Also, there are "Creighton practitioners" (including MD's) who can provide medical support for the couple within this method. In sum, Creighton is like Billings, but "gathers and quantifies" more specific / technical data about the symptoms. As such, it requires more nuanced recording of data, etc. Billings requires less recording of data, but is nonetheless effective. Based upon couples' fertility & needs, either the "simplicity" of Billings; or additional information of Creighton may be preferred.
Creighton is used in conjunction with Naprotechnology. Naprotechnology specializes in gynecological (PMS, polycystic ovaries, endometriosis) infertility and miscarriage issues. Naprotechnology works cooperatively with a woman's cycle to treat the underlying cause of the problem. Visit www.Naprotechnology.com for more information.
Natural Family Planning Coordinator
Virginia Corbett
nfpinfo@archny.org
646.794.3197
