5 tested benefits of natural family planing
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a way for a woman to track her fertility cycle. NFP, also called Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM), fosters understanding of a woman’s body. The basic idea is that a woman is aware of when she is fertile by paying attention to her body’s signs and symptoms. Signs include: vaginal mucus, basil body temperature (BBT), cervix potion, and calendar. The woman and her partner can then make informed decisions about their fertility.
People choose to use these methods for a variety of reasons. A women may use fertility awareness simply to learn about her own body. Some couples track fertility when trying to conceive. Others want to postpone pregnancy. Whatever the reason, using NFP is natural, inexpensive, eco-friendly, empowering, and effective.
1. Natural
There are no artificial hormones and no side effects. Fertility awareness works with the woman’s cycle, not against it. Everyone’s body is different, and NFP is accounts for that. Since there are a variety of methods, a woman can find the combination that’s right for her. There are natural options for different times in her life such as breastfeeding, menopause, etc.
These methods are based on science! Sperm can live up to 5 days in a fertile environment (source). Once the egg is released, it’s viable for about a day. Thus, a couple is fertile for approximately one week each cycle (give or take a few days). A woman’s body provides signs and symptoms indicating ovulation. By tracking these signs, the couple determines their fertility window and makes decisions accordingly.
2. Inexpensive
To track fertility, it is important to be well educated in the method. So, there are upfront cost for classes, books, etc. Once you know the method, the maintenance cost is low. The basic tools for practicing fertility awareness is chart paper (and a thermometer if tracking BBT*). You could go high-tech with free apps such as Lily or Kindara.
*Any digital oral thermometer works for charting BBT. For a high-tech upgrade, Kindara sells a basil body thermometer that syncs via bluetooth. (Use my referral link for $10 off.)
3. Eco-friendly
Fertility awareness methods have a low environmental impact. There are no artificial hormones, no drug manufacturing, no pill packs going to landfills. Every few years the button battery in your thermometer needs replacing, using a rechargeable thermometer cuts even that waste. You can recycle chart paper, file them for future reference, or go paperless with an app or spread sheet.
4. Empowering
NFP works with the woman’s fertility, giving her awareness of her own body. Fertility awareness promotes respect for the whole person and fosters openness to life. By tracking the woman’s signs, the couple knows they are fertile. This knowledge empowers them to make informed decisions towards achieving their fertility goals. NFP is a joint effort—it takes both a sperm and ovum to conceive. When couples share in the responsibly of their fertility, they tend to have more open communication. (Source)
5. Effective
Fertility tracking is often used for achieving pregnancy. Couples use NFP to determine when they are most likely to conceive. This is a natural solution for many struggling to have children. Couples have a better chance of conceiving if they have intercourse during the fertility window.
Fertility awareness is also effective for postponing pregnancy. A study published in the journal Human Reproduction (2007) found an overall unintended pregnancy rate of 1.8% for women using the symptothermal method to avoid pregnancy (Source). Another study, that looked at the Creighton model, found it to be 98.0% effective in avoiding pregnancy (Source). Keep in mind, results will vary based on which method is used and how well it is followed. For example, abstinence during the fertile period is more effective than barrier methods.
