Fertility Awareness
(Also known as Natural Family Planning)
Helps you:
- Understand a woman’s biology, her natural cycles of fertility and infertility
- See if the phases of a healthy menstrual cycle are all in place and in balance
- Strengthen communication with your spouse
- Share the responsibility of reproduction between husband and wife
- Achieve or avoid pregnancy
It is:
- Safe, natural, and effective
- Scientifically researched
- Without side-effects
- Inexpensive
Introduction to Natural Family Planning
Wondering which method might be right for you? Here are brief intros to three different methods.
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Natural Family Planning
Resources and Courses
Advantages
FACTS (Fertility Appreciation Collaborative to Teach the Science)
PWHC (Pro Women’s Healthcare Centers)
Archdiocese of Omaha NFP Brochure
Biomarkers of Ovulation and the Fertile Window: A Research Summary
Catholic Women and Couples NFP (Free and Bi-lingual NFP courses)
Couple to Couple League International
Couple to Couple League Facebook
Family of the Americas (Spanish only)
Hormone Genius Podcast With Teresa Kenney (podcast)
Managing Your Fertility (one stop shop for all the main NFP methods)
NFP vs. Contraception YouTube videos
Natural Family Planning Outreach
Our Collaboration with the Body Literacy Collective, Instructors (fabmbase.org)
One More Soul (features a national list of doctors who are pro-life and supportive of NFP)
Whole Mission (Marquette Model Resources)
Medically Safe
Because NFP is 100 percent natural, it is 100 percent safe and has no health risks. NFP does not use potentially harmful birth control drugs or devices.
Increased Health Awareness
Because NFP teaches a woman to become aware of her normal fertility pattern, changes in the pattern can alert her to possible medical problems.
Effectiveness
NFP is 99 percent effective in postponing pregnancy – the same effectiveness range as hormonal methods and more effective than devices, creams and other artificial methods.
Low Cost
NFP costs significantly less than other forms of birth control. After learning it, there are no continuing costs other than nominal fees associated with purchasing charts as might be needed.
Helpful for Achieving Pregnancy
Couples can change their timing as needed. There is no waiting period and no damage to the woman’s fertility, as can happen with some artificial methods.
More Satisfying Marriage
Most couples report NFP has a positive effect on their marriages. They find periodic abstinence helps keep their relationship fresh, improves their communication and gives them a deeper respect for each other. Couples also like having a morally consistent message to give their children about sexuality.
Morally Acceptable
All major religious bodies, including the Catholic Church, accept the use of NFP by married couples when there are just reasons to postpone pregnancy. The Catholic Church, along with some Jewish, Orthodox and Protestant Churches, clearly teach it is wrong to use artificial methods of birth control. Additionally, hormonal birth control can cause very early abortions by preventing new life from implanting in the mother’s uterus.
FACTS is a group of physicians, healthcare professionals and educators working together to provide information about natural or fertility awareness based methods of family planning with the medical community.
The mission of the consortium of Pro Women’s Healthcare Centers (PWHC) is to partner with women to provide comprehensive, convenient, compassionate, high-quality medical services and access to social services that empower them to care for their health.
Infertility
The infertility journey is a difficult cross to bear and you are not alone.
Fertility Treatments
Pregnancy and Infant Loss
Helpful Articles
Fortunately, couples struggling with infertility now have several options to help determine the cause and course for treatment.
Mass of Healing and Hope (Held Annually in October)
Many families struggle with miscarriage, infant loss, infertility, and even abortion. St. Margaret Mary (6116 Dodge St.) welcomes you to a Mass of Healing & Hope to celebrate the brief lives of these children and to pray with families who are currently unable to conceive.
All Embrace
All Embrace is for families who have lost a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death within the first few months after birth. For friends and extended family of parents who have lost a baby in providing resources and education. For religious leaders, medical personal and volunteers in providing education, tools and resources to minister to families. Click here to learn more.
One in 6 couples struggle with infertility so chances are, someone you know may be one of those couples. This article discusses things you should never say to someone experiencing infertility as well as some helpful things you can do.
Infertility in scripture and Catholic prayers.
The Fruitful Hollow (Catholic Infertility Resource)
NFP-Only Doctors
These doctors can offer guidance on NFP.