Cycle Education
Flow Chart
See below the different methods offered through RHM. We are happy to assist you in choosing a method to get started with. If you are already a patient with RHM, please reach out through the patient portal to schedule an appointment.
What method is right for you?
What is Natural Family Planning?
Natural Family Planning, or NFP, is the process of avoiding or achieving pregnancy by observing your natural signs of fertility. Your body exhibits a number of signs and symptoms throughout your menstrual cycle that can help you determine whether you are in a fertile phase of your cycle or not. Using this information, couples who plan to avoid pregnancy are advised to abstain during the fertile phase of the woman’s menstrual cycle. For couples who hope to achieve pregnancy, intercourse is recommended during the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. Knowing your fertile and infertile windows can also help you identify other health indicators as well. Your cycle is an important vital sign to your overall health as a woman.
The most reliable ways to track fertility throughout the menstrual cycle are mucus observations, tracking basal body temperature, and tracking urinary hormone levels. There are a number of NFP methods currently available to couples, and each method differs in the specific way that it identifies the fertile window and the days of abstinence required if you are using the method in marriage to achieve or avoid pregnancy.
Some methods of NFP only observe one biological indicator of fertility throughout the woman’s cycle - such as a mucus-based method (Creighton, Billings Ovulation Method). Some methods track a combination of biological indicators of fertility through the cycle, such as a sympto-thermal method (FEMM). Some methods integrate multiple biological indicators of fertility using a monitor to track your daily urinary hormone levels, giving you an objective reading for your fertility day to day (Marquette).