Fertility Awareness and Natural Family Planning

1. Fertility Awareness andNatural Family Planning Observing one or more of the body’s natural signs of fertility, and… making couple decisions about whether or not to achieve a pregnancy — on that basis.

2. A Method of Merit • Medically safe • Highly reliable • Inexpensive • True family planning • A shared method • Consistent with all religious traditions

3. NFP Can Be Successfully Used... • Regular cycles • Non-typical cycles • Breastfeeding • Peri-menopause • In cases of apparent infertility • For self-knowledge

4. Couple Fertility Sperm Sperm Sperm Cervical Mucus + Egg

5. Signs • Fertility mucus • Basal body temperature

6. Ovulation andthe Role of Cervical Mucus • Ovulation is the release of the egg cell. • It occurs on one day each cycle. • The egg cell lives only 12 to 24 hours. • Sperm need cervical mucus to survive. • Without it they die within hours. • With good cervical mucus, sperm can live 3 to 5 days.

7. Cervical Mucus Infertile Time Fertile Time Progesterone Type Mucus Estrogen Type Mucus

8. Process of Conception Fallopian Tube Conception Uterus Cervix Yellow Body Mucus (helps sperm to live) Vagina

9. Progesterone FSH LH LH Estrogen FSH Testosterone Female Hormone Pattern Male Hormone Pattern Hormones Blood Levels Blood Levels

10. Woman’s Hormonal Sequence Progesterone Estrogen FSH LH

11. Impact of Progesterone 4. Enriches Uterine Lining 1. Prevents Ovulation Yellow Body Progesterone 3. Mucus Plug 2. Temperature Rises & Stays High

12. Onset of True Menses Start of Fertility 3rd High Temp Peak Day Each Cycle Has 3 Phases Relatively Infertile Time Completely Infertile Time Possibly Fertile Time

13. Tissue Symbols Tissue-Dry: Ø Sticky Mucus: M Traits: P, O, ¼, ½, ¾. Egg-White Mucus: EW-M Traits: 1, OT, T, G.

14. Ø Ø M EW M

15. Ø M EW M Ø Peak Day mM mM d L d

16. Sample Chart PK 6 1 3 2 5 4

17. Possibly Fertile Time

18. Implantation Process

19. Achieving Pregnancy

20. Identifying Pregnancy

21. Unborn Child Unborn child at 14 weeks

22. Temperature Pattern

23. Let’s Say Peak Day Is Here… PK

24. Watch for 3 Temperatures in a Row…

25. To separate the “initial” highs from the “final” lows 2 5 1 6 3 4

26. Full Thermal Shift Level is 0.4°F above the PRB FTSL .4°F PRB 2 5 1 6 3 4 *FTSL = 0.36° F/0.2° C

27. PK FTSL .4° F PRB 2 5 3 1 6 4

28. Completely Infertile Time

29. 2 weeks 2 weeks 2 weeks Post-Ovulatory Phase Constant When does ovulation occur? After Ovulation Before Ovulation Ovulation Last day of Menstrual Cycle 23 Days Ovulation 28 Days Ovulation 32 Days

30. Range of Ovulation

31. Surprise Pregnancy?

32. The Periodic Abstinence Question • Intimacy is more than genital expression. • It’s typically 8 to 12 days per cycle. • The Spontaneity Myth.

33. Availability of Intercourse End of day Anytime

34. Understanding Bleeding

36. Two Major Concerns About NFP Livability • How well does it work? • Is periodic abstinence possible?

37. Definitions • Method Effectiveness • Rules are correctly understood and followed • Use Effectiveness • Actual use including misunderstanding and carelessness

38. NFP Effectiveness • Method Effectiveness – 97-99+ percent • Use Effectiveness – 90-99+ percent

39. Use Effectiveness of NFP Depends Upon… • Course of instruction with follow-up • Consistent and correct charting • Knowing and following the rules especially complete abstinence from all genital contact

40. Reasons for Using NFP

41. How can Priests promote the Church’s moral teaching on NFP? • Maintain prayer life. • Preach NFP from the pulpit. • Educate in confession. • Provide NFP Intro Course to your married and engaged couples. • Introduce NFP to adult converts in the RCIA program • Educate Pro Life Ministry