Natural Family Planning Fertility Appreciation

Natural Family Planning (NFP) Fertility Appreciation empowers couples to accurately identify their days of fertility and infertility either to achieve or to avoid pregnancy. NFP affirms the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, enables and encourages responsible parenthood, promotes openness to life, and celebrates the gift of children. By respecting the love-giving and life-giving nature of marriage, NFP enriches the bond between husband and wife. NFP is based upon the couple's own knowledge of their naturally occurring cyclic phases of fertility and infertility. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. Natural Family Planning is not contraception; it is true family planning. NFP provides the couple with the means to freely express their reproductive potential. It will assist those couples who are of normal fertility to achieve pregnancy, while being fully reliable as a means of avoiding pregnancy. It will be of assistance to those couples who have experienced infertility in their attempts to achieve pregnancy. Natural Family Planning can be learned and used at any stage of a woman's reproductive life, breast feeding, premenopause, low fertility, or following the use of any contraceptive.

Fertility Appreciation is the foundation of Natural Family Planning. It is the ability of a couple to understand and respect their fertility. Many couples find that the love and respect each holds for the other grows as their understanding and appreciation of their fertility grow. They accept fertility as a normal and healthy process, a precious gift from God to be loved, respected, understood and wisely used.

Advantages of NFP:

1. It is medically safe. 2) It is highly reliable. 3) It is morally acceptable. 4) It is easy to learn. 5) It is inexpensive. 6) It is highly versatile - it can be used at any stage of a woman's reproductive life. 7) It precisely identifies the true days of fertility and infertility. 8) It is a valuable aid for couples who are having difficulty in achieving pregnancy. Advantages of NFP:
   1. It is medically safe. 2) It is highly reliable. 3) It is morally acceptable. 4) It is easy to learn. 5) It is inexpensive. 6) It is highly versatile - it can be used at any stage of a woman's reproductive life. 7) It precisely identifies the true days of fertility and infertility. 8) It is a valuable aid for couples who are having difficulty in achieving pregnancy.
      • Shared Responsibility: Unlike contraceptives, this method is equally the responsibility of both the husband and wife. Couples learn to understand their combined fertility.
      • A True Method of Family Planning: The method can be used both to achieve and to avoid pregnancy, making it a true method of family planning. It has the added benefit of being a record of the woman's reproductive health.
      • Enhances One's Sexuality: The couple learns that true sexuality is spiritual, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional in its dimensions. The use of Natural Family Planning assists the couple in developing balance in their sexual life together.
      • Loving Cooperation: The method helps build a more loving cooperation in the important matters of sexuality and family planning. It builds a stronger partnership between husband and wife, as well as increased communication, intimacy and respect.
      • Effectiveness: The effectiveness of NFP is over 99% in avoiding pregnancy when the instructions are properly taught by a qualified teacher and then correctly applied. The method is also highly effective to achieve pregnancy when couples identify and use the days of fertility. In addition, it is an essential aid in the evaluation and treatment of those couples who are experiencing infertility.
      • Methods: Two NFP methods are described below - the "Creighton Model" and the "Couple to Couple League" method. A listing of local teachers is provided for each method.
   Learning the "Creighton Model" of NFP:
   
   Creighton Model services are delivered by educating the couple about their fertility. These specialists have received their education through a program whose professional curriculum was developed at the Creighton University School of Medicine and the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, Omaha, Nebraska.
   
   The Introductory Session: The introductory session is a slide presentation which introduces interested couples to the use of the CREIGHTON MODEL System (Ovulation Method). It is a general presentation usually given to a small group of couples. An individual introductory session can be scheduled as the need arises. One can register for the introductory session by contacting one of the the FertilityCare™ Practitioners listed below.
   
   Individualized Follow-Up Sessions: Follow-up sessions are designed to teach couples to be actual users of the CrMS. Personal instruction on the use of the method, as well as complete chart review, are services provided at the individual follow-up sessions. Scheduled at regular intervals, attendance is essential so the couple may quickly develop confidence in the use of the method. After the introductory session, the follow-up sessions occur on the following basic schedule:
   
   

   Follow-up session # 1 ==> 2-weeks	Follow-up session # 2 ==> 4-weeks
   Follow-up session # 3 ==> 6-weeks	Follow-up session # 4 ==> 8-weeks
   Follow-up session # 5 ==> 3-months	Follow-up session # 6 ==> 6-months
   Follow-up session # 7 ==> 9-months	Follow-up session # 8 ==> 12-months

   
   Subsequent follow-ups recommended every six to twelve months as needed. The professional natural family planning teacher is also available for your consultation between sessions should any questions arise.
   
   FertilityCare™ Practitioners:
   
   

   Nancy McGrath, RN, BS, CFCP, CFCE St. Francis Women's Hospital in Greenville. For reservations: Hospital:(864) 675-4333 Home: (864) 292-0475 NaProNurseaol [dot] com 2013 Introductory Session Schedule	Kelli Ball, MBA, FCP Servings the Midlands (Columbia/Lexington area) kellihballyahoo [dot] com or 803-807-0158 2013 Introductory Session Schedule	Karen Provost, FCP Serving the Charleston area Introductory session by request (843) 745-0740 keprovostatt [dot] net
   Susanna Bleyer, MD, FCP Serving the Pee Dee & Charleston Introductory session by request (843) 817-3122 or bleyernfpgmail [dot] com	Tonia Seth, RN, FCP Sumter, SC Introductory session by request (803) 773-0757, or irishfamftc-i [dot] net	Amy Withers, PT, FCP Serving the Charleston area Introductory session by request 843-870-6262 or afwithersbellsouth [dot] net
   Pat Strimpfel, FCP Serving the Beaufort area Introductory session by request. (843) 757-6323 or strimpfelyahoo [dot] com	Karen Meyer, PhD, FCPI Serving the Upstate karenmeyer [dot] naprogmail [dot] com or 864-326-6959 2013 Introductory Session Schedule	Trisha Brown, FCP Serving the Charlotte/Fort Mill/ Rock Hill area (803) 554-6569 TLBrown5gmail [dot] com
   Ingeborg C. Collins, M.D., CFCMC / OB/GYN Shelby Women's Care 110 West Grover St. Shelby, NC 28150 Phone: 704-487-5258 Fax: 704-487-0186 collinsswccarolina [dot] rr [dot] com	Dr. Jennifer Risinger, M.D., OB/GYN, FCMCI Columbia, SC jmrisingeraol [dot] com	Eric Norton, M.D., NFP Medical Consultant (864) 585-2027 or Eric [dot] NortonMaryBlack [dot] org
   Spanish Speaking Fertility Care Practitioners (Long-distance instruction) Michelle Geddes, FCP: 832-654-2287 Elizabeth Martinez, FCP: 832-868-9181

   For additional information visit:
   • creightonmodel.com
   • naprotechnology.com
   • popepaulvi.com
   Learning the "Couple to Couple League" Method of NFP:
   The Couple to Couple League (CCL) is an international, interfaith, non-profit organization dedicated to teaching Natural Family Planning to married and engaged couples. It is essentially a volunteer organization whose services are provided by professionally-trained volunteers who are supported by a small staff at the international headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. CCL has been instructing Natural Family Planning since 1972.
   
   CCL teaches the sympto-thermal method of NFP which entails the understanding and interpretation of temperature, mucus, and cervical changes. All of these symptoms, when crosschecked, provide a woman with a very accurate interpretation of her individual cycle and a full picture of fertility awareness.
   
   The Learning Schedule
   
   The classes consist of 4 sessions, usually spaced one month apart. Each class lasts about 2 hours. Counseling is provided by any local teaching couple or by contacting CCL central headquaters directly. The fee for this course is $70, which includes the NFP manual, charts, a digital basal thermometer, a "Contraception Why Not" tape, a collection of informative pamphlets, and a one-year subscription to the CCL newsletter. Couples that have previously been through the course may also attend a refresher course free of charge. If a teacher is not available in your area, a home-study course is also available.
   
   In the local area, Teaching Couples and Promoters form chapters. In addition, to its NFP work, CCL produces audio-visual presentations and publications on several related subjects, such as pre-marital chastity, introductions to NFP for young people and marriage preparation groups, and materials encouraging full-time mothering.

   "Couple to Couple League" Teaching Couples:
   Upstate	Midlands	Low Country
   Marc & Lynn Connelly Spartanburg, SC (864) 579-2509 lynnconnelly2000yahoo [dot] com	Stephen & Kimberly Platte Aiken, SC (803) 648-0313 sjplattebellsouth [dot] net	Low Country Michelle & Joseph Shahid Mt. Pleasant, SC (843) 881-2451 mjshahidgmail [dot] com
   Gus and Andrea Suarez Greenville, SC (864)234-7415 gusandandreayahoo [dot] com	Victor & Anne Foust 478 Turner Road Abbeville, SC 29260
   	Chuck & Michelle Gorospe 2102 Summer Glen Rock Hill, SC 29732
   	Albert & Marianna De Lachica Prosperity , SC (803) 364-0851 beanzorrohotmail [dot] com

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