Do you offer Spanish-Language Classes? Offrecen los clases en español?

Natural family planning, or NFP, is a method of achieving or postponing pregnancy by observing the changes in a woman’s body that naturally indicate her fertility. It has nothing to do with the old “Rhythm Method” (aka “Vatican Roulette”), and treats you like a person--body & soul.

• Has no negative side effects.
• Recognizes fertility as a gift, a normal healthy process, not a disease or side effect of sexuality.
• Does not interfere with future fertility.
• Is a shared method, which requires mutual responsibility.
• Deepens intimacy & renews romance.
• Enhances the spiritual aspect of marriage by planning your family in way that’s not contrary to love and the Church’s teachings.
• Is cost effective.

 For Achieving a Pregnancy: According to the Paul VI Institute, those using the ovulation method (Creighton Model) and having normal fertility 76% will achieve pregnancy after 3 cycles. Those rates go up to 90% after 3 cycles and 98% after six cycles. For those with "compromised fertility" 20-40% will become pregnant within six to twelve months of use by charting alone. When couples receive medical treatment along with charting, their pregnancy rate up to 80%. Numbers may vary with the different methods.

 For Postponing Pregnancy: Overall the rate is as high as or higher than any contraception systems--97%-99% method-effectiveness! No, really. It's THAT good. Plus, the continuation rate of NFP (people who love it and keep on loving it) is around 93%. The rate for contraception ranges from 43% to 72%. (See Jason Evert's Love, Sex & Babies, page 2. Copyright Catholic Answers, 2004.) 

 

(More on effectiveness studies here.)

 

When is it appropriate to use NFP to postpone pregnancy?

Natural Family Planning is all about knowledge; specifically, knowledge of fertility and the workings of a woman's body.  This knowledge can be used to either achieve or postpone pregnancy. The knowledge that comes with NFP can equip couples to grow in greater appreciation for each other's fertility, for the gifts of sexuality and of marriage, and for the sacredness of every human person.  In fact, knowing more about the most profound mystery of what makes us human can also point us toward knowing more about the profound mystery of God. 

 

NFP can help a couple to grow in the virtues needed for a successful marriage: self-control, mutual respect, and sacrificial love, to name a few. It also allows a couple the opportunity to involve God in the process of discerning what is best for their family.

 

Our primary response to God's love is always one of generosity for who He is and for all he has given us.  Generosity, first and foremost, should take the form of being open to whatever God's will is for our lives and for our vocation to marriage and family life.  Does God want us to have another child at this time?  is a question every NFP-practicing couple is able to ask themselves in every cycle, and act accordingly.  Is there a serious reason for us to postpone a pregnancy right now?  As the Church document, Humanae Vitae, states: "With regard to physical, economic, psychological and social conditions, responsible parenthood is exercised by those who prudently and generously decide to have more children, and by those who, for serious reasons and with due respect to moral precepts, decide not to have additional children for either a certain or an indefinite period of time (HV 10)."  

Couples are charged with the responsibility to prayerfully and carefully seek God's will for their family at all times.  But figuring this out can be a daunting task.  It is wise to seek good counsel from someone who supports the teachings of the Church and who has a good understanding of the struggles the couple faces.  A faithful priest is a good person to begin with.  I also recommend two articles that can assist with this discernment process: Discerning Just and Serious Reasons for Postponing Pregnancy
and What the Church Teaches on the Moral Spacing and Limiting of Births by Spouses.  

Above all, trust that God has a plan for your marriage.  

I looked at the schedule, and can't make any of the current classes. Is there another option?

Yes. First, try looking at the class listings for other nearby dioceses (see links on main NFP page). Second, you may want to take a homestudy course. Couple to Couple League and Northwest Family Services both offer online homestudy courses that allow you to consult a NFP instructor in your learning. Currently the best way to get started with a homestudy option is to enroll with CCL and Northwest directly. Note: "Toni Weschler's Taking Charge of Your Fertility" or any natural method that endorses the uses of barrier contraception during the fertile part of a woman's cycle, are not approved or endorsed by this office.

 

You can start taking classes at any point before marriage, but we usually recommend that you start taking classes and charting four to six months before you get married.

Do you know NFP-friendly Medical Professionals?
You may be interested in becoming a patient/ benefactor of the first NFP-only clinic in Madison, Our Lady of Hope Clinic. with Dr. Michael Kloess and Dr. Anne Johnson, or seeking the services of Dr. Ann Lucas at her clinic in Darlington, WI.  I'm in the midst of compiling a list of NFP-trained and/ or NFP-aware medical professionals in the Madison Diocese. There are Pro Life Doctors; however, none are fully NFP-certified yet. However, the more demand there is for NFP-certified medical professionals, the more likely they will get trained/ settle in this area. Please sign this petition for an NFP only doctor in the Diocese of Madison. 
See the Diocese of LaCrosse and the Diocese of Milwaukee for their NFP Provider Lists.
--> See also One More Soul's Comprehensive NFP-only Physician List.

Talk to me about cost.
NFP classes range in cost because the methods offer varying degrees and types of client support and differing quantities of instructional materials. A class can cost anywhere from $55 to $135 (contact the NFP Office for the fees attached to your desired method), but what is included in that cost differs from method to method.  Additionally, methods have differences in structure, some offering an Intro Session with individually-scheduled follow-ups, and others offering 3- or 4-class group-setting courses.  So, the cost of certain methods includes the follow up fees, and in other cases, follow ups are paid for on a session-by-session basis.  You can get specifics on what is included with each method's fee here.

In any case, the cost of taking a class in NFP and being provided with all of the materials and client support is far less than the cost of  contraceptives.  In the case of NFP, you will come away with the ability to chart your cycles for the rest of your reproductive life, with minimal, periodic costs for additional charts and/or replacing a basal body thermometer. In the case of contraceptives (even though NFP isn't contraceptive family planning), your bill can run from $20 to more than $45 a month, which can add up to several thousand dollars over your reproductive lifetime.  Having said that, we never turn away couples for inability to pay the full amount. We want you to choose what NFP method is best for you and your family situation. Please do not base your decision on cost.  If you need some help, please write the amount you can pay/ amount you need in the comments section of the registration form.