Who uses NFP?

Natural Family Planning or Fertility Awareness Based Methods, are growing in popularity but you might be wondering who actually uses these methods. And the answer might surprise you.

Single women who are looking to get to the root cause of reproductive health problems, or simply looking to learn more about their bodies. Charting cycles is really a first step to helping women identifying underlying health problems. The Creighton Model teaches women a standardized way to chart cycles, the chart can then be used as a diagnostic tool to help doctors trained in the method to identify underlying health problems. These can range from irregular cycles, PMS, unusual bleeding, painful periods, to many others. We can offer women an alternative to suppressing their cycles with hormonal contraception and help them experience healing even if they aren’t trying to conceive.

Women also learn to chart just to understand their bodies better and know what is normal, and abnormal. It is very empowering to be able to understand our fertility and know that our fertility is not in need of pills or devices, but simply to be understood.

Couples who are looking to achieve a pregnancy. Beginning to chart cycles and identify the fertile window is extremely helpful when couples are trying to conceive. Often people are more familiar with things they can purchase that aid them in identifying the fertile window, think ovulation test strips, which are helpful but there is so much more information that charting can contribute. We can see bio-markers on the charting that is simply not available any other way! If a couple is at risk for miscarriage, has hormone abnormalities, or if the couple struggles to conceive they can see a NaPro trained physicians who can help them without losing additional time.

Couples seeking a natural alternative to hormonal birth control options that don’t damage fertility. This is a growing group of natural method users. Generally, people who are aware of what types of food they put into their bodies are also looking with a critical eye at their forms of contraception. FABMs and NFP give couples an alternative way to avoid a pregnancy without any harmful side effects.

Couples who use NFP/FABMs for religious reasons. There is also a large amount of users of natural methods who do so out of religious convictions. The birth control pill and many other methods, including IUDs, prevent pregnancy by making it impossible for an embryo to be implanted in the uterine lining. (With the BCP it primarily suppresses ovulation but if ovulation does happen then the back up mechanism is to thin the lining of the uterus so the embryo is unable to implant in the uterine lining causing a very early abortion.) These couples will use the methods to achieve and avoid a pregnancy utilizing their God given windows of fertility and infertility they have learned to understand and appreciate.

Women who are pregnant. It is very important for women who are pregnant to continue to chart. A few reasons are the charting can help us see if she is at risk for preterm labor or miscarriage.

Regardless of why women begin charting her reasons may change from one cycle of her life to the next but it is important to know that regardless of where you are in your reproductive life using a natural method can work for you!

If you are interested in learning more contact Rita at littlekerrysacres@gmail.com to find out about upcoming introductory sessions.