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.
What is Natural Family Planning?
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 couple’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.
The Natural Signs of Fertility
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.
Learning NFP
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)
EWTN’s Raymond Arroyo interviews Dr Thomas Hilgers of the Pope Paul VI Institute
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
Billings Method England https://www.billingsmethodengland.org.uk
Fertility Care Scotland http://fertilitycare.org.uk
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
The NACF Treasurer
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Needham Market
Suffolk IP6 8AL
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