Catholic
Family
The
National Association of Catholic Families
Natural
Family Planning
Note:
The National Association of Catholic Families, whilst
fully supportive of the teachings of the Catholic Church
on married sexuality, does not specifically support
or recommend any one method of Natural Family Planning
nor any one NFP Teaching Organisation.
NFP
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is quite simply using
the natural signs of human fertility to understand the
natural fertility cycle of a woman, and then using that
understanding to plan a family. In creating and using
this understanding, it develops a ouple's respect for
fertility, and for each other, as they grow in knowledge
of each other and of the gift of fertility. NFP can
be used either to plan pregnancy or to avoid it: it
has an effectiveness level as high as artificial contraception,
and it is safe to use with no unpleasant side-effects.
Because of its reflection of the openness to the creative
power of God which lies at the heart of married sexuality,
it is the only form of family planning which is supportive
of the ideals of Christian marriage, and as such it
is the only method accepted by the Roman Catholic Church.
There
are various signs of fertility which can be observed
by a woman to gain an understanding of her fertility
patterns. The main signs are:
- the
mucus secreted before and during the time of ovulation,
- the
small but measurable rise in basal body temperature
which occurs after ovulation, and
- the
changes in the cervix occuring around ovulation.
There are also secondary signs, such as ovulation pain
and breast tenderness, which may be helpful.
These signs can be used individually - the Billings
Method (also called the Ovulation Method), for example,
relies upon the mucus sign alone - or together in a
cross-checking way in the Symptothermal Method.
While
it is possible to learn NFP from a book or a self-study
course, it is far preferable to be taught directly by
a qualified teacher. If you do choose to teach yourself,
you should have your charts checked by someone with
appropriate qualifications.
What
is the Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System?
A
contemporary system of fertility awareness and menstrual
cycle tracking which can be used as a natural family
planning system to effectively avoid or achieve pregnancy,
assist with infertility/miscarriage or address women's
healthcare problems. It aims to empower and educate
women and couples to become their own fertility experts.
What
is NaProTechnology?
A
new form of medical treatment for infertility, miscarriage
and reproductive abnormalities which aims to restore
and assist natural procreative function though educational,
medical and surgical techniques.
(Central
London FertilityCare™ Centre)
Learn
more . . .
The
Catholic Truth Society -- in partnership with Luton
Good Counsel - have published a DVD for introducing
Catholic couples and young people to Natural Fertility
Awareness: 'The Joy of God's Plan'. "A very useful
resource for couples undergoing marriage preparation
and for married couples attending marriage enrichment
courses. The DVD contains powerful testimonies by couples
and is a good advertisement for the benefits of NFP.
The DVD is addressing a very important need." [Most
Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Birmingham] www.cts-online.org.uk
The
Central London FertilityCare™ Centre, 21a Soho
Square, London W1D 4NR. Tel : Phone:+44 (0) 207 437
0892 Email:info@fertilitycarecentre.co.uk Website:www.fertilitycarecentre.co.uk
What is FertilityCare™ The Creighton Model FertilityCare™
Programme is a contemporary system which enables individuals
to understand the 'mystery of fertility'. In today's
society, much ignorance exists about how normal fertility
works. In recent decades, society has tried to facilitate
the workings of human fertility predominately through
regimes of artificial fertility regulation. But with
the growing awareness of environmental ecology, there
is also a growing awareness of human ecology, and reproductive
ecology in particular.
The
CCL International Home Page
can be found here The
Couple to Couple League (Great Britain) offers courses
in NFP (Symptothermal method) taught by couples for
couples, in the context of the Church's teaching; a
wide range of literature about NFP, fertility, the Church's
teaching, family life and pre-marital chastity; a formal
Home Study Course with regular postal or telephone support
from qualified teachers.
The
Couple to Couple League of the Czech Republic is
a non-profit international Christian organisation of
volunteers, teaching and promoting Natural Family Planning
– building healthy marriages through natural family
planning. David and Michaela Prentis, Fügnerova
143/9, 272 01 Kladno, Czech Republic, Tel.: + (420)
312 686 642. Click
here for website
For
the Family of the America's site, giving information
mainly on the Ovulation Method click
here The site contains information on the Ovulation
method, but with links to information on other techniques
as well; Has the complete text of Humanae Vitae and
an address by Mother Teresa on NFP; Offers a computer
program for Windows and Mac to help calculate fertile
times based on the Ovulation method.
The
Pope Paul VI Institute : Home of FertilityCare™
and NaPro TECHNOLOGY ®
click here
.
. . and not forgetting
The
Billings Natural Fertility Regulation Centre to
manage your fertility naturally; acheive pregnancy
naturally; regulate fertility while breastfeeding
naturally; manage menopause naturally.
Tel 020 7793 0026. Email thebomtrust@tiscali.co.uk Website
www.woomb.org