What is NFP?

[Abu]

white sheep
isn’t the consumption of any medicine not natural?
Maureen1125
there is ZERO evidence that couples who use NFP are any more likely to remain married then those who don’t

It never ceases to amaze – all the false assumptions and guesstimates.

The taking of a suitable medicine for an ailment is merely assisting the body or mind to correct or heal itself – the art of healing is the art of assisting nature in attaining its goal of health. This is perfectly morally legitimate. Assisting nature in attaining its goal is great. The moral problem arises when we oppose nature, as in the case, for example, of contraception.

Natural Birth Regulation is very effective when used sensibly. NFP families, whether Couple to Couple or Billings followers, report an astonishingly low divorce rate — one informal study puts it at 1.3 percent, as compared with about 50 percent in society at large. Natural Birth Regulation is natural, avoids the devastating effects of the “pill”, encourages self control and respect for the dignity of human life, and is of the order of 99% effective among the uneducated. Mercedes Wilson claims an effectiveness rate of 99 percent among “the poorest of the poor” in Guatemala. “There’s no excuse anymore to pretend that only those with strong religious convictions can follow natural family planning,” she writes.

Wilson’s Family of the Americas Foundation now teaches NFP in more than 100 countries, including China.
EWTN News Story 10-July-2003 – Catholic World News Brief
“Unlike the rhythm method, the Billings method does not depend on a stable menstrual cycle. Numerous independent trials have confirmed the 99 percent success rate of the Billings Method, including a recent study following thousands of women for more than a year. If any further proof is needed, the method has been regularly used up to date by over 2,686,400 fertile couples in China for avoiding pregnancy with an overall success rate of approximately 99 percent.”

It might of use to note that Mother Theresa and her Missionaries of Charity have had remarkable success in teaching uneducated and illiterate families the methods of Natural Family Planning in Calcutta. While there is much work to be done in this area, it would not be fair to assume that the Church is doing NOTHING in terms of trying to combat the evils of contraception and abortion in Third World Nations. The war against Life is rampant enough in our developed countries! Perhaps when more “privileged” Catholics stop contracepting in their marriages, it will be easier to find funding and teachers for the purpose of educating poor families in Third World Nations about NFP. [Answer by Fr. Richard Hogan - NFP Outreach on July-19-2003]

 

[choose_to_love]

@Maureen #6, re who records: anecdotal, but when we were actively trying to postpone, I (husband) would get the thermometer, put it to my bride’s mouth, take it back and put it away when the temperature was recorded in the thermometer (we had a digital one), and then record the temp and signs of fertility later in the day. I knew where we were in the cycle as well as she did, and she used to joke that I knew it better than her.

Ideally, the communication required is not as limited as you paint it to be in your subsequent post to prstoessel. In fact, I would suggest it is just the opposite of what you have posited. The couple addresses the reasons for needing to abstain - - what their prayer life has revealed as far as what God is calling them to, their responsibilities to each other and the existing family, etc. Now of course, it is not typical to have that discussion in the heat of the moment, as the couple would have an ongoing dialogue about their situation, and certainly there could be times when the discussion is as short as you suggest, but the communication that is being discussed as a benefit of NFP is not what you listed. It is my recollection that you do not and have not used it, so rather than guess, ask those of us who have (your poll idea was a good one, as I’d be interested too).

 

[prstoessel]

Now of course, it is not typical to have that discussion in the heat of the moment, as the couple would have an ongoing dialogue about their situation, and certainly there could be times when the discussion is as short as you suggest, but the communication that is being discussed as a benefit of NFP is not what you listed.

Good way of putting it. Thanks!

 

[CopticChristian]

:idea:

NFP is held by the Catholic Faith as both natural and open to life.

But, aren’t openess and planning mutually exclusive concepts?

When one tempers one’s behavior in order to bias an outcome, should that behavior be held as open or manipulative?

Certainly without introducing contraceptives, NFP is natural; but, isn’t the consumption of any medicine not natural?

If the taking of medicine is not natural, but accepted; why are contraceptive devices not accepted, on the grounds of not being natural?

Why does contraceptive use via NFP claim an authoritative requirement to be natural, but there is no such requirement for natural treatment of other body related conditions?

Further, the belief that NFP permits greater intimacy between the spouses has no statistical foundation and may, in fact, be quite the opposite.

You are a riot. You are challenging the Church teaching on Natural Family planning. You are a riot. You wrongly confuse having sex with “treatment”. This is where you derail your logic. You might consider stating an opinion and then asking a question. This is what you really come across as.

Is one to assume that you know what you are talking about?
No. Since, as I write, I propose that Natural planning and contraception are treatments. Now in reality I don’t know what it would be anyone would be treating. So since intimacy is not subject to statistics my conclusion makes absolutely no sense as does any of these illogical conclusions that I try to pass off as simple logic that would make anyone conclude what I conclude. Are you with me?

 

[Bookcat]

It is “periodic continence and use of the infertile periods” or it is the p(name removed by moderator)ointing of the fertile days in an attempt to conceive a new life.

From Compendium issued by Pope Benedict XVI

1. When is it moral to regulate births?

2368-2369
2399

The regulation of births, which is an aspect of responsible fatherhood and motherhood, is objectively morally acceptable when it is pursued by the spouses without external pressure; when it is practiced not out of selfishness but for serious reasons; and with methods that conform to the objective criteria of morality, that is, periodic continence and use of the infertile periods.

1. What are immoral means of birth control?

2370-2372

Every action - for example, direct sterilization or contraception - is intrinsically immoral which (either in anticipation of the conjugal act, in its accomplishment or in the development of its natural consequences) proposes, as an end or as a means, to hinder procreation.

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

 

[Debora123]

I see this referenced in many threads – I get that it stands for “Natural Family Planning” but how does it work exactly?

Sorry if this is in the wrong section.

God bless
Sarah

To put it short, NFP is a “natural” type of birth control.

NFP is the means of using the woman’s cycle to plan or avoid pregnancies. It involves learning a woman’s fertile time (which is only a few days long per month) to figure out when a woman is fertile and infertile. The couple then uses this information to either have sex on the fertile days if they want to conceive, or to have sex on only the infertile days if they don’t want to conceive. It is much more commonly used as the latter - to avoid pregnancy.

Figuring out this information is a long process that requires taking classes, reading books, and recording information for months in advance for optimal effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. A woman must take and record her basal body temperature each morning upon waking up, keep track of her menstrual cycle, and check the color/consistency/texture of her vaginal secretions. (charts are often used to keep track of all this). She must do this for months before she plans on using this information so that she can learn her fertile/infertile times and have sex accordingly if she does not want to conceive.

If done correctly, the Church claims this method is 98% effective in avoiding pregnancies. It’s kind of a long process and takes time everyday, but it is definitely a better alternative to hormonal birth control - which is unhealthy to the body and can cause early abortions of a newly conceived egg.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

To put it short, NFP is a “natural” type of birth control.

NFP is the means of using the woman’s cycle to plan or avoid pregnancies. It involves learning a woman’s fertile time (which is only a few days long per month) to figure out when a woman is fertile and infertile. The couple then uses this information to either have sex on the fertile days if they want to conceive, or to have sex on only the infertile days if they don’t want to conceive. It is much more commonly used as the latter - to avoid pregnancy.

Figuring out this information is a long process that requires taking classes, reading books, and recording information for months in advance for optimal effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. A woman must take and record her basal body temperature each morning upon waking up, keep track of her menstrual cycle, and check the color/consistency/texture of her vaginal secretions. (charts are often used to keep track of all this). She must do this for months before she plans on using this information so that she can learn her fertile/infertile times and have sex accordingly if she does not want to conceive.

If done correctly, the Church claims this method is 98% effective in avoiding pregnancies. It’s kind of a long process and takes time everyday, but it is definitely a better alternative to hormonal birth control - which is unhealthy to the body and can cause early abortions of a newly conceived egg.

Not really the first Creighton class is about one hour, it requires one month of abstinance, then it allows for relations post peak.

The work book is about 70 pages, can be read again in an hour.

Each Creighton class is an hour, after circa three or so classes a couple has all the information they need for pre-peak relations, post peak relations. Then there are a couple of follow up sessions. Health issues can be observed and tracked, those would require more frequent monitoring.

As for taking time every day, with creighton you check when you use the bathroom, and before bathing, and before going to bed when using the bathroom.

Creighton is also called fertility awareness. Which is basically knowing when fertility is occurring, NFP respects a woman’s cycles, and allows a couple to work with God and how he created women, with cyclical fertility.

 

[Debora123]

You are a riot. You are challenging the Church teaching on Natural Family planning. You are a riot. You wrongly confuse having sex with “treatment”. This is where you derail your logic. You might consider stating an opinion and then asking a question. This is what you really come across as.

Is one to assume that you know what you are talking about?
No. Since, as I write, I propose that Natural planning and contraception are treatments. Now in reality I don’t know what it would be anyone would be treating. So since intimacy is not subject to statistics my conclusion makes absolutely no sense as does any of these illogical conclusions that I try to pass off as simple logic that would make anyone conclude what I conclude. Are you with me?

Whoa whoa whoa… calm down there buddy.

And don’t call people names simply because they have different beliefs and their views are different than yours. It is uncalled for and against forum rules.

Just a friendly reminder.

 

[Bookcat]

There are various methods… Yes one has to learn them…but then …well for my wife and the Creighton model takes a short amount of time (like other habits of the day…brushing the teeth etc.) Just a normal part of life. So we can be avoid if need be or seek to conceive.

…oh and by the way it is not cause it is “natural” way of regulating conception…(it just got the name cause well it is natural) that is not the key…as if man made things are wrong per se…it is cause it is according objectively good moral criteria and is not contraception (contraception is a grave evil…) (See the above post that I posted from the compendium)

 

[Debora123]

Not really the first Creighton class is about one hour, it requires one month of abstinance, then it allows for relations post peak.

The work book is about 70 pages, can be read again in an hour.

Each Creighton class is an hour, after circa three or so classes a couple has all the information they need for pre-peak relations, post peak relations. Then there are a couple of follow up sessions. Health issues can be observed and tracked, those would require more frequent monitoring.

As for taking time every day, with creighton you check when you use the bathroom, and before bathing, and before going to bed when using the bathroom.

Creighton is also called fertility awareness. Which is basically knowing when fertility is occurring, NFP respects a woman’s cycles, and allows a couple to work with God and how he created women, with cyclical fertility.

I didn’t use the creighton method, as I heard it is not as effective as the sympto-thermal method. I started charting more than 6 months prior to getting married so that I would know my cycle as best as I could and know exactly when to have sex without getting pregnant. No harm in taking the extra precaution.

 

[ahs]

It is “periodic continence and use of the infertile periods” or it is the p(name removed by moderator)ointing of the fertile days in an attempt to conceive a new life.

From Compendium issued by Pope Benedict XVI

1. When is it moral to regulate births?

2368-2369
2399

The regulation of births, which is an aspect of responsible fatherhood and motherhood, is objectively morally acceptable when it is pursued by the spouses without external pressure; when it is practiced not out of selfishness but for serious reasons; and with methods that conform to the objective criteria of morality, that is, periodic continence and use of the infertile periods.

1. What are immoral means of birth control?

2370-2372

Every action - for example, direct sterilization or contraception - is intrinsically immoral which (either in anticipation of the conjugal act, in its accomplishment or in the development of its natural consequences) proposes, as an end or as a means, to hinder procreation.

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

In addition to this (just to further clarify or support the above), it also a method that spouses can use to
“respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authemtic freedom. In contrast, ‘every action which, whether in anticiaption of the conjugal act, or in its natural consequencs, proposes, whether as an end or as a mean, to render proceation impossible’ is intrisically evil…”: (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2370, explaining periodic continence and the method called NFP.)

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

I didn’t use the creighton method, as I heard it is not as effective as the sympto-thermal method. I started charting more than 6 months prior to getting married so that I would know my cycle as best as I could and know exactly when to have sex without getting pregnant. No harm in taking the extra precaution.

Creighton is actually very affective! 96% actual use for avoiding. With Creighton there or no iffy days. The day is either fertile or infertile.