About Natural Family Planning
What Is Modern NFP?
Natural Family Planning is an educational program that helps couples plan the size of their families. It teaches them to observe, record and interpret female body changes related to ovulation. With this knowledge, couples can identify the fertile and infertile phases in the woman's menstrual cycle.
Today's Natural Family Planning methods are accurate and precise. They have been developed by medical researchers who have a comprehensive understanding of human biology and fertility. These fertility awareness methods use the daily observation of signs and symptoms reflecting the hormonal changes within a woman's menstrual cycle. By learning to interpret these signals, couples can avoid, postpone or achieve pregnancy.
Women can use Natural Family Planning during their entire fertile years. These methods work for women with irregular as well as regular menstrual cycles, after childbirth, during breast-feeding and nearing menopause.
The "Natural" In NFP?
Natural Family Planning is medically safe. It does not use potentially harmful drugs, devices or surgeries that alter the reproductive system and can cause dangerous side effects. Natural Family Planning regulates fertility naturally. Natural Family Planning is holistic. It teaches women to tune into their particular body rhythms. Because women become more aware of their normal menstrual cycle with this method, they can also detect irregularities that signal serious medical problems. NFP, in short, empowers couples to take charge of their lives.
Easy Learning Curve
Natural Family Planning is user friendly. The two basic methods - ovulation and sympto-thermal - can be learned over three menstrual cycles. Couples are taught to observe, record and interpret the woman's unique signs of fertility as ovulation approaches. They also learn to recognize those signs that tell the woman she is no longer fertile in each cycle.
A multinational study found that over 95 percent of women can recognize their mucus signs of fertility, irrespective of cultural, educational or economic background. Certified teachers provide individual and classroom instruction throughout the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Effective Method
"Natural Family Planning today compares quite favorably with the actual use of the pill," reports Murph Goodwin, M.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Southern California and director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles. "By any standard it is comparable to or better than condoms, the diaphragm and other barrier methods." According to Dr. Goodwin, Natural Family Planning has a success rate of at least 95 percent when taught by certified teachers and practiced by motivated couples.
"Natural Family Planning is not just a contraceptive method," he points out. "It is getting to understand an important biological process that many women are unaware of. So, basically, it is an educational process." Michael Dixon, M.D., a St. Louis, Missouri, physician in private practice, believes Natural Family Planning has spiritual as well as medical advantages over artificial contraception. "There's nothing unnatural, no synthetic drugs put into one's body and no irreversible operations. But most importantly, Natural Family Planning allows the couple to function in concert with God's will and remain open to life."
Enhances Family Values
Natural Family Planning programs emphasize communication and commitment among couples, qualities necessary also for healthy relationships. The practice of Natural Family Planning fosters the same character strengths necessary for marital fidelity and long-lasting marriage.
What The Church Teaches
For the Catholic Church, Natural Family Planning is much more than a practical tool married couples can use to space births. It is an integral part of the Church's teachings on human sexuality, conjugal love and parenthood. In 1981, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops established a diocesan Natural Family Planning program. Today, most Catholic dioceses in the United States have a coordinator providing Natural Family Planning services.
Cost of Learning NFP
Cost varies according to method and teachers. For a list of local teachers, see the instructors section of our site.
What are the Methods Taught in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles?
Following are the methods of Natural Family Planning taught in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles:
The Sympto-Thermal Method uses both the cervical mucus and body temperature in a cross-checking way to assess a woman's state of fertility. Women record their mucus changes along with changes in their basal body temperature.
The Creighton Fertility Care Model is a technique of famly planning and gynecologic and reproductive health monitoring developed by physicians and medical researchers at Creighton University.
The Ovulation Method was developed by Drs. John and Evelyn Billings of Australia. It is based on a woman's own awareness of changing characteristics of the mucus produced by the cervix. This mucus develops in response to the same hormones that cause ripening of the egg in the ovary.
- Marriage Preparation
- Ministry to the Separated and Divorced
- Ministry to the Widowed
- Natural Family Planning
- About Divorce and Annulments
