What is Fertility Awareness?
Fertility Awareness (also known as Natural Family Planning/NFP) “is the general title for the scientific, natural, and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancy.
“NFP methods are based on the observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.
Since the methods of NFP respect the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal act, they support God’s design for married love!
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Natural Family Planning benefits couples by:
- Being safe, natural and based on scientific research
- Increasing couple communication
- Providing understanding of a woman’s biology and natural cycles of fertility/infertility
- Being used to space pregnancies
- Being used to help become pregnant amidst difficulty
- Identifying abnormalities in reproductive or menstrual health
Couple to Couple League
Symptothermal Method
The Couple to Couple League (CCL) is an international, Catholic, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and teaching fertility awareness (natural family planning) to married and engaged couples. Services are provided by professionally trained volunteers who are supported by CCL Staff, including local chapters consisting of certified teaching couples and promoters, along with other supportive members.
Website
ccli.org
Creighton FertilityCare™& NaPro Technology
The Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System (CrMS) and the health science of NaPro Technology relies upon the standardized observation and charting of biological markers that tell the couple when they are naturally fertile and infertile, allowing the couple to use the system either to achieve or to avoid pregnancy. These biomarkers also telegraph abnormalities in a woman’s health. The CrMS allows a woman to unravel the mysteries of the menstrual cycle.
Website
popepaulvi.com
Marquette Model
The Marquette Model of NFP was discovered by a research team at Marquette University, compromised of doctors and nurses, developed this innovative method to monitor fertility while utilizing the technological advances of the time. The ability to use the ClearBlue Fertility Monitor in conjunction with either other markers of fertility (i.e. cervical mucus or temperature) or a scientifically-based algorithm, provides women and couples with a 21st century option to optimize their NFP experience.
Website
femininegeniusministries.com
BOMA-USA
The Billings Ovulation Method®
BOMA-USA teaches the Billings Ovulation Method®, an effective, yet simple way to postpone or achieve pregnancy and monitor reproductive health without drugs or devices. The Billings Ovulation Method® can work effectively for women whether they are coming off hormonal contraceptives, breastfeeding, weaning or approaching menopause. Its effectiveness has been published in numerous medical journals including, Lancet, Contraception, Fertility and Sterility, British Medical Journal, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and by the World Health Organization.
Website
boma-usa.org
FACTS: Fertility Appreciation Collaboration to Teach the Science
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.
Website
factsaboutfertility.org
FEMM™
App & Telemedicine
FEMM App and Telemed is an affordable and convenient way to access medical care. Get treatment for a range of symptoms and conditions from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Their FEMM trained doctors are happy to work with you to diagnose and treat your underlying conditions and restore your health. Symptoms that indicate a hormonal imbalance include: acne, weigh gain/loss, PMS, irregular cycles, infertility/recurrent miscarriages.
Website
femmhealth.org
Off the Charts
NFP can be challenging. But it doesn’t need to be isolating. Inside Off the Charts, they study the “why” behind the practice of Natural Family Planning, work to grow in love and appreciation for our vocations, and delve into the Church’s teachings on marriage, sex, and openness to life. They cover tough topics, resources, and interviews by fellow NFP users.
Website
offthechartsnfp.com
Natural Womanhood
Know Your Body
Natural Womanhood is the most far-reaching women’s health literacy program since the Pill. We exist because many women are harmed by or at risk from the use of contraceptives, and most don’t know they have a safe, effective, side effect-free and hormone-free alternative: Fertility charting with a fertility awareness method (FAM) or method of natural family planning (NFP).
Natural Womanhood is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of fertility charting, as a way to promote disease prevention, self-knowledge, relational intimacy, and natural and effective family planning. Natural Womanhood helps young women and couples regardless of their income, ethnicity, or religion.
Website
naturalwomanhood.org
USCCB – Natural Family Planning Resources
This section of the USCCB website provides information and resources that will help you to learn about the methods of Natural Family Planning and Catholic teaching which supports its use in marriage. Many of the resources here are tailored for diocesan NFP coordinators, teachers, and educators.
Contact Information:
Monica Bergeron
401-871-3410
monica.bergeron@mycatholicdoctor.com