new-natural-family-palnning-header

Natural Family Planning (NFP), reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, and promotes openness to life and the gift of the child.  NFP provides the opportunity to understand the natural cycles of fertility and infertility, and grow in your realization of how important and vital these gifts really are. You will appreciate your own fertility as a normal and healthy part of your life and marriage.

Natural Family Planning strengthens the marital relationship. It increases the quality and frequency of communication between the spouses. Couples find that the love and respect they have for each other grows as their understanding and appreciation of their fertility increases.

Natural Family Planning is:

  • Safe
  • Natural
  • Inexpensive to Use
  • Scientific
  • Effective
  • A Shared System between Husband and Wife

NFP Frequently Asked Questions

What is Natural Family Planning?

Did you know that women are only fertile during a certain window of their cycle?  The key to Natural Family Planning (NFP) is finding out when that fertile window is. To achieve pregnancy, the couple will aim to be physically intimate during that fertile window. To postpone pregnancy, the couple will aim to avoid physical intimacy during that fertile window. Did you know that couples who use NFP have a 3% rate of divorce? That is because NFP helps you grow in the other areas of intimacy (social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual) during the days of your fertile window and causes you to be more communicative with each other. Each method of NFP helps a couple identify times of fertility with scientific precision by observing the presence or absence of various signs of fertility. 

How effective is it for avoiding pregnancy?

When couples are taught by competent teachers, understand the methods, and are motivated to follow them, NFP is up to 99% successful in spacing or limiting births.  Per the USCCB, among all NFP methods, there is a 97-99% efficacy rate with perfect use.

Who can use it?

NFP is a helpful tool for all women in all phases of life to better understand a woman’s reproductive health. Women who are single, married, breastfeeding, or approaching menopause can benefit from the knowledge that is gained through learning to listen to one’s own body. Any married couple can use NFP because any woman can use NFP!

Is it the rhythm method?

NFP is not the Rhythm (or Calendar) method which was developed in the 1930s and was based on the theory that the time of ovulation could be determined by calculating from previous menstrual cycles. This method often proved inaccurate because of the unique nature of each woman’s ovulation cycle: some women have very irregular cycles and almost all women have a cycle of unusual length once in a while.

NFP methods are based on symptoms. These methods monitor day-to-day observations of the naturally occurring signs of the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle, treating each cycle as unique. Couples using NFP to avoid pregnancy abstain from intercourse during the fertile phase of the woman’s cycle. Couples who wish to achieve a pregnancy can also take advantage of the fertile time of the cycle. Because it allows couples to adjust their behavior to the naturally occurring cycle of a woman’s body, NFP is not a contraceptive-i.e., it does nothing to work against conception.

What is fertility charting?

Just as heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature are indicators of your body's general health, fertility signs are indicators of reproductive health. These external signs are regulated by hormones which influence not only your reproductive system but also your general health. Charting tracks the physical signs as they change throughout your menstrual cycle in order to identify times of fertility and create a personal health record

Which method should I use?

NFP methods help a woman or couple determine their fertility each day based on the observations of fertility indicators or biomarkers that are present or absent in a woman’s body each day. All NFP methods help a woman identify what these signs of fertility are, how to track these signs, and how to determine her state of fertility based on these signs. What differs between the methods is the particular signs of fertility that a woman is observing and tracking.

Mucus Only Methods

Mucus Only methods observe the presence or absence of cervical mucus throughout each day. A woman learns to identify the normal, healthy, cervical mucus which indicates the days that intercourse is most likely to result in a pregnancy.

The Creighton Model is a mucus-only method of charting, The charting is done on paper for the first couple of cycles, and there are clear categories for charting. The woman relies on the characteristics of the mucus (clarity, color, stretch, times seen, etc.) and is taught how to objectively describe her cervical fluid or mucus observations throughout her cycle.  There are Creighton/NAPRO doctors who read Creighton charting to identify medical issues.

Mucus Only Methods

Sympto-Hormonal Method

Sympto-Hormonal Methods use a fertility monitor to observe hormonal changes found in a woman’s urine.

Those who like to rely on personal observation may prefer mucus only methods, and those who prefer to rely on technology may prefer symptom-hormonal methods. The choice is completely up to you.

The Marquette Method is a Sympto-Hormonal method so uses technology to chart. The woman uses a test strip to test estrogen and the Luteinizing hormone (Lh) in her urine and places the test strip into the monitor which will tell her whether she is fertile or not. A woman can also choose to check her cervical mucus and her temperature if she likes - this is optional. (Due to hormonal activity, a woman’s resting temperature changes during the menstrual cycle. Lower temperatures indicate that ovulation has not yet occurred. Higher temperatures indicate a rise in progesterone which signals the end of the fertile time.) All Marquette instructors are medical professionals.

Sympto-Hormonal Method

How do I learn NFP?

  • The best and most effective way to learn NFP is to receive instruction with a qualified teacher who has been trained and certified to teach a particular method. These individuals have received extensive education and training to become experts in this field, providing you with the best opportunity to become educated in and comfortable with a method.
  • We ask each engaged couple to take an introductory class of NFP at no cost. All classes can be taken virtually or in person. (Note: one of our providers does charge a fee and it is noted.)

Who are the NFP Providers in our diocese?

All providers listed below for Creighton and Marquette provide in-person and virtual services. We ask each engaged couple to take an introductory class of NFP. All intro courses are offered at no cost unless otherwise noted.

Creighton Model Providers

Sue Deakos, CFCP, Creighton Model,
Edwardsville
618-973-7842 ($35 for intro course)
[email protected]

Melinda Osborn, LCPC, FCP Creighton Model
Springfield
217-330-5773
[email protected]
www.fertilitycareil.org

Kate Preumer, BS, CFCP, Creighton Model,
Effingham
217-821-1840
[email protected]

 

Shannon Vitali, RN, FCP, Creighton Model,
Alton
618-600-3111
[email protected]

 

Marquette Model Providers

Annie Norton, BSN, RN, MMCP Marquette Model,
New Lenox
815-953-9067
[email protected]
www.simplynfp.com

Sarah Olson, MSN, RN, MMST, Marquette Model
Decatur
217-853-9451
[email protected]

Nicole Tenegra, MD, MMST, Marquette Model
Decatur
[email protected]

Jerseyville instructor coming in 2025

Quincy instructor coming in 2026

What are the benefits?

No harmful side effects

Hormonal birth control increases the risk of blood clots and stroke and increases the risk of depression and other mental health issues. Women who use the pill increase their risk of developing breast cancer.

100% Natural

NFP is green and does not disrupt naturally occurring hormonal changes – no chemicals, barriers, devices or surgical procedures

Increases intimacy

Couples who use NFP experience greater communication and romance

Lower divorce rate

Couples who practice NFP have a 3% divorce rate

Effective

Effective at achieving, spacing, or postponing pregnancy – a natural way to plan your families

Inexpensive

NFP Resource Videos