NFP and fertility monitors

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Jennifer123

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Has anyone familiar with NFP used or have heard about the effectiveness of fertility monitors?

I’m new to NFP and am pregnant with my second child in two years. We’re open to life and want to use NFP but my body (and our 2 bdrm apt) could use a little break and I’m nervous about using NFP correctly, especially since I BF and haven’t had a menses in 2 years. If fertility monitors were worth the expense and as effective as NFP used correctly then maybe it’s worth it as I wouldn’t have to worry about having to track my strange fertility cycles with NFP…? :confused:
 
From my understanding, fertility monitors are good for achieving but not for avoiding.

I’d suggest you visit forums.delphiforums.com and look for the forum called NFPTALK. It is a Catholic NFP discussion forum and many women there are instructors for the various methods and can probably give you really good advice.
 
Hi Jennifer,

The Marquette Method of NFP uses the ClearPlan Monitor. It’s a very good method. It was developed by researchers at Marquette University.

Here’s some info: The Marquette Model is a unique method of NFP because it combines 21st century technology with natural, biological markers of fertility. It uses the Clearplan Easy Fertility Monitor, which is a device used in the home to measure hormone levels (estrogen and LH) found in urine, in conjunction with observations of cervical mucus or Basal Body Temperature. Through incorporating these different markers into their monthly charting, couples using the Marquette Model can confidently and accurately predict the period of high fertility in the woman’s cycle.

This is the method that I have been using. I decided to use this method because my cycles were strange and because it was tough to determine when I had ovulated (and when marital relations were safe) when using the symptothermal or Creighton Method. It can be used to avoid and achieve pregnancy. It’s great. Here’s the email and phone number for info: (414) 288-3854, Email: muinstnfp@marquette.edu. If you contact them I’m sure they can email you info on how to follow the method or where you could obtain training.

The only negative to this method, that I have found, is that the sticks are expensive. But, this method when combined with the mucus and temp readings is very effective. I trust it! 🙂
 
Don’t waste your money on a LadyComp. The stupid thing did not work for me or a friend of mine. Huge waste of money.
 
Hi Jennifer!

Fertility Monitors are not the most accurate indicators of fertility. Most of these monitors measure the LH hormone spike, which is not the most accurate predictor of fertility and does not take into consideration the cervical mucus discharge, which is the most accurate indicator of fertility.

A method of NFP of your choice, used correctly, would be much more simple and effective.

My husband and I use (and I teach) the Creighton Model of NFP which is an ovulation method so there is no temp taking or internal checks on the cervix. We use the single, most effective, fertility biomarker, cervical mucus. (you need mucus to be fertile, therefore, mucus day=fertile day, dry day=infertile day. this is an oversimplification, there are other indications in using the method, but this is the main idea.)

There are two websites that have an abundance of information on this method and also a directory of programs in your area: www.fertilitycare.org and www.popepaulvi.com

Best Wishes!
 
Oh! P.S. I forgot to mention that this is also easily used postpartum and during BF to be able to actually watch your return to fertility. It’s incredibly useful no matter what your current reproductive category!
 
I vote for ovacue see www.ovacue.com
I used the bioself in the past but I stopped doing temps because my other fertility signs are reliable enough for us =)
bioself.com/

I think after our next baby I am going to buy the ovacue and I’ll let you all know how it works. I’m getting ready to try and space and It’d be psychologically nice to have a computer agree with me? hehe
=)
-K
 
thanks for the information, I know it’s been useful to me and others. I find all the suggestions intriguing - incl. the ovacue, that’s pretty high-tech, I’d like to talk with anyone who has used one.

**Warning - explicit physical information below :o **
I started to learn the Creighton Model just before I got pregnant (I was pregnant when learning!!) and the only concern I have is (sorry to get graphic) checking the mucus on the tissue wipe rather than doing a check inside - I don’t seem to have much mucus on the tissue wipe. Is it your experience that it is there when fertile, even if you don’t usually find mucus outside of the vaginal area?
Gosh - sorry if I’ve embarassed anyone!!! 😛
 
Jennifer, you can PM if you want. I’m not easily embarrassed 🙂

We’ve been married a year and successfully practiced NFP to avoid each month. I, too, don’t care for the whole tissue-wipe thing. I don’t feel like it’s “telling” enough. If I have mucus, I am fertile. We have serious reason to avoid, so I check inside, around the actual cervix and os, to determine if I have any mucus whatsoever. Sometimes, around peak day, I obviously don’t need to do this because the mucus is so externally evident. I can do this when I use the restroom, as the positioning is easiest. I can also do this squatting, but…that gets rather acrobatic. 🙂 We do not use temperatures. We sleep with a lot of a/c and fans (we love to be cold) so my temps were always a little crazy. If we need to utilize these post-partum, we will make exceptions.

If you aren’t pregnant, eat a lot of carrots. The vitamin A helps produce a lot of mucus. If you ARE pregnant, DO NOT eat extra vitamin A and/or take supplements with extra vitamin A because it can be harmful to the baby.

Abby
 
The ovacue sounds like the same thing as the ladycomp naturalmethods.com . It will never give you more than 14 infertile days per month. I don’t know how long you have to use it to get to 14 days. Supposedly the longer you use it the more it gets to know your body and it can give you the “green light” more often. My friend used hers religiously for 10 cycles and only got up to 6 “green light” days per month(which were always menstrual days). I gave mine up after 4 cycles.
 
(This is Lance’s wife, so don’t worry!!) 😛

I teach the Creighton model, so I thought I’d just comment on the toilet paper checks and doing the internal checks. First of all, making the observations in the standardized fashion (with toilet tissue wiping both before and after urination and bowel movements) and not doing the internal checks is totally reliable and highly effective. If actual cervical mucus is being produced it will be able to be observed in this fashion. And also, in addition to making the observations 100% of the time, there is an added instruction (very important) to bear down at the end of each day to ensure that there isn’t mucus present in the vagina that hasn’t yet had the opportunity to make its way to the vaginal opening to be observed. This bearing down will force that mucus to present itself at the vaginal opening to be observed if there happens to be any present in the vagina. Therefore, internal checks are just not a part of the Creighton Model System and it is just as effective as any method that includes internal checks.

And also, Jennifer, any mucus that is observed (even in small amounts) is considered fertile–any day of mucus is a day of fertility.

I hope that answers your questions about making your observations-- Oh, and, if you were learning the method while you were pregnant (in the beginning without knowing it), you’d likely not see the types and amounts of cervical mucus that you would normally see during a regular, non-pregnant cycle. (It’s for this reason that when Creighton users achieve a pregnancy they quit making observations and charting altogether because there’s nothing to see! But then they begin charting again as soon as the lochia decreases after the baby is born -and even if they’re breastfeeding- to be able to watch their return to fertility. Also, at which point they would resume their follow-ups with their practitioner.

Best wishes!! 🙂 (we’re pregnant, too, due 11/11/04!)
And keep your questions coming if you have more! 👍
Diane
 
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