What is Natural Family Planning?
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the general title for the scientific, natural and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancies.
NFP methods are based on the observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.
Since the methods of NFP respect the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal act, they support God’s design for married love!
Benefits of Natural Family Planning
100% Natural with No Side Effects
97-99% Effective in Avoiding Pregnancy
Enhances Communication with Partner
Inexpensive
Can Help Diagnose Reproductive Health Issues:
Infertility, Menstrual Cramps, Endometriosis, Etc.
Methods that observe cervical mucus are commonly called the “Ovulation Method” or “OM.”
In NFP education, a woman learns how to identify the normal, healthy, cervical mucus which indicates the days that sexual intercourse is most likely to result in pregnancy.
BILLINGS OVULATION METHOD ASSOCIATION
Online courses: learnnfponline.com
CREIGHTON MODEL FERTILITY CARE (TM)
Olga Ballengee
olga@anchorfertilitycare.com
443-945-9473
English or Polish
(Anne Arundel or Skype)
–
Cathy Reilly, RN
Cathy.healthed@gmail.com
410.852.2089
annapolisareafertilitycare.com
Therese Rodriguez, RN, CFCP
gaithersburgfertilitycare.org
–
Julie Tomko, CFCP
jtomkoNFP@aol.com
410-692-0789
Harford and Baltimore Counties and Baltimore City
FAMILY OF THE AMERICAS
Marilyn Camden
marilyn.camden@gmail.com
410-838-6514
Hickory, MD
Megan Hermosillo
megan.nfp@gmail.com
240.398.0675
Central Maryland
SYMPTO-THERMAL METHODS
Methods that observe several signs of fertility and cross-check two or more of the signs to pinpoint ovulation are commonly called the “Sympto-Thermal Method” or “STM.”
STM typically combines charting of the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) and cervical mucus with other optional indicators, such as changes in the cervix and secondary fertility signs.
COUPLE-TO-COUPLE LEAGUE
Mark and Kathy Schmidt
mak.schmidt@gmail.com
410-747-5611
Catonsville, MD
Melissa and Santiago Solares
mbalcer7337@hotmail.com
301-262-8426
Bowie, MD
Online course: ccli.org
DIOCESAN CERTIFIED
Trevor and Becky Needham
needhamsnfp@gmail.com
215-206-8679
Catonsville, MD
Sheila Short
410-368-2810
Saint Agnes Hospital
Catonsville, MD
SYMPTOPRO FERTILITY EDUCATION
Online courses: SymptoPro.org
SYMPTO-HORMONAL METHODS
The method that observes several signs of fertility and adds the use of ovulation predictor kit (OPK) or fertility monitor is called the “Sympto-Hormonal Method” or “SHM.”
Similar to STM, this approach adds the self-detection of reproductive hormones in the urine with the assistance of an OPK or fertility monitor.
MARQUETTE MODEL
Online courses: nfp.marquette.edu