The woman’s fertility cycle is designed by God to have a mixture of days with fertility and days without fertility. Fertility is a term relating to a couple and is only present when both partners have fertility at that time point. NFP is the awareness of when the woman’s body is fertile and when infertile and using this knowledge for family planning purpose. It works for the totality of the couples’ fertility journey, as it can be used either to conceive or to avoid a pregnancy. Couples wishing to avoid a pregnancy avoid genital contact on days of fertility whereas couples trying to achieve a pregnancy utilise at least one day within the fertility window for conception to be possible. 
There are different methods available. Reliability increases when properly taught by a qualified NFP teacher and with the use of a modern reliable programme. (the old Rhythm or Calendar methods do NOT meet these criteria).

To assess if a programme is utilising a modern method check:

• Does it work prospectively? (meaning assessment based on actual current data, not past data)
• Does it at least incorporate assessment of the woman’s cervical fluid?
• How much training has the teacher had?

A good method of NFP works prospectively, involves a teacher fully committed to NFP teaching, and has published data on effectiveness. 

Here are some methods with proven reliability:

• Sympto-Thermal = this method uses several indicators to determine fertility, such as cervical fluid, temperature and cervical position. For more information go to: www.nfpta.org.uk  
• Billings Ovulation = this method uses the cervical fluid only as fertility indicator. For more information go to: Billings Ovulation Method 
• Creighton Model FertilityCare System = this method also only uses the cervical fluid as fertility indicator. For more information go to: www.creightonmodel.com 

For further information in this parish please contact Ira Winter on 01926834654 or fertilitycare@fiatfertilitycare.co.uk or see www.fiatfertilitycare.co.uk .