The titles of the natural methods of family planning

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general and specific titles of
Natural Family Planning?

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On this page, we provide names and definitions of the most commonly used general titles of the natural methods.

Also included below is a summary of the individual NFP method titles offered in the United States. These are listed in detail on our provider page.

Please note: Ethical natural methods of family planning always emphasis the method information as being able to help married couples attempt or avoid a pregnancy. Ethical natural methods always make use of periodic sexual abstinence as the means to avoid a pregnancy.

Natural Family Planning (NFP)

Methods for achieving and avoiding pregnancy that are based on the observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle.

Couples using natural family planning methods to avoid pregnancy abstain from intercourse and genital contact during the fertile phase of the woman’s cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.

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. By complementing the love-giving and life-giving nature of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife. (Standards for Diocesan NFP Ministry)

  • NFP as a title, is used internationally by both faith-based and medical communities.
     
  • NFP is the most common title used in diocesan Catholic marriage ministry programs. Notice that the title indicates that the scientific information learned by the married couple is appropriate for them to use as they seek to discern God's will for their marriage.
     
  • NFP is the preferred title that the USCCB's NFP Program staff promote in the dioceses of the United States. It is the most compatible with Catholic teaching on marriage, conjugal love and responsible parenthood because it refers to the family of which the conjugal act is oriented toward as designed by God.

Other general titles of the natural methods .....................

Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM)

 

Fertility Appreciation Methods (FApM)

 

Fertility Awareness-Based Methods (FABM)

 

Periodic Sexual Abstinence (or Period Abstinence) Methods

 

The first modern scientific natural method ...............

Calendar Rhythm Method ("Rhythm")

A twentieth century standardized formula for calculating the fertile and infertile times (phases) of the woman's menstrual cycle. The standardized formula is based on scientific research about the event of ovulation in a woman's menstrual cycle.

A married couple can use the Calendar Rhythm Method to either attempt a pregnancy or avoid one. The method requires the wife to track her menstrual cycle on a calendar. Once she tracks her cycle, she then applies the standardized formula to predict her fertile and infertile times. Periodic sexual abstinence is the means to avoid conception. Targeted intercourse at the fertile time of the menstrual cycle is the means to attempt a pregnancy,

This natural method was developed by Dr. Leo Latz in 1932 (see his book, The Rhythm of Sterility and Fertility in Women). He based his calculations on the groundbreaking work of Dr. Kyusaku Ogino (Japan, 1920s) and Dr. Herman Knaus (Austria, 1920s). Both scientists worked independently from each other and did not know about each other's work until years after the publication of their separate research. They each discovered that ovulation occurs, on average, fourteen days before the first day of the woman's next menses (bleed).

Married couples who use Rhythm correctly, achieved good rates of pregnancy avoidance. A weakness of the Rhythm Method, however, was its reliance on the regularity of a woman's menstrual cycle. It did not account for variations related to nutrition, stress, illness, etc.

In the 1950s, Rhythm was strengthened by the addition of the Basal Body Temperature (the woman's waking temperature). As information regarding the role of the woman's cervical mucus developed, the standardized calculations of Rhythm were abandoned in favor of the more accurate tracking of the woman's bio-signs in real time found in the methods of Natural Family Planning.
 

A VIRTUAL DISCUSSION

View this video about the many titles of the natural methods of family planning.

This video provides a panel discussion with several national NFP leaders who discuss why they use specific titles for the natural methods. This discussion includes comments and questions from diocesan NFP coordinators. The discussion will provide an understanding as to why NFP leaders care about the titles that they use for the natural methods.

 

NFP Method names at a glance..........................................

  • Cervical Mucus Methods (CMM)
    These methods teach about the woman's fertile bio-sign of cervical fluid or "mucus" which is related to the event of ovulation in her menstrual cycle. Women are taught how to identify the cervical mucus sign by one of more of the following: sensing, observing, and/or touching. Guidelines are slightly different per method but each will teach the married couple how to identify fertile and infertile times of the woman's menstrual cycle. Married couples are taught to identify cervical mucus to identify the fertile and infertile times of the woman's cycle.

    Billings Ovulation Method

    Creighton Model FertilityCare Method

    Family of the Americas

    WOOMB

  • Sympto-Thermal (STM)
    These methods teach about the woman's fertile bio-sign of cervical mucus (see CMM above). They also include information about other fertility bio-signs such as: the Basal Body Temperature (her waking temperature); changes in the cervix; mid-cycle pain; breast tenderness, etc.). Married couples are taught to identify and chart two or more fertile signs to identify the fertile and infertile times of the woman's cycle.

    Couple to Couple

    NFP International

    Partnership Method

    Sensiplan

    SymptoPro

A walk through history .........................

Natural methods of family planning have been known for centuries. Below is a brief summary.