Natural Family Planning (NFP)

Natural Family Planning Awareness Week is a national campaign through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and will be held July 25-31, 2021. This annual awareness week is always celebrated during the week of the anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae (July 25). The encyclical articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood.  The dates also mark the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Mother.

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All interested couples/individuals interested in becoming an instructor in any Natural Family Planning Method, pelase contact Kelley Chapman by email kchapman@diolaf.org or by phone 337-261-5653.  

Also called fertility awareness, Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a term used to naturally achieve or postpone pregnancy. These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to postpone pregnancy. NFP reflects the dignity of the woman within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child. By respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife.
Since the methods of NFP respect the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal act, they support God's design for married love!

Please find below a list of methods available to learn; either in person or online. If you are taking a NFP course as part of your marriage prep requirements, please allow three months prior to your wedding date for the course to be completed. See below to learn more about the methods available to learn face to face or online. 

Ovulation Method (OM)

• Billings Ovulation Method -  Introduces the Ovulation Method of Natural Family Planning in a simple and easy to understand format.  The Billings Ovulation Method® can work effectively for women whether they are achieving pregnancy, postponing pregnancy, coming off hormonal contraceptives, breastfeeding, weaning or approaching menopause. Regardless of the particular situation, the four simple rules of the method are the same for everyone.  Women become familiar with their bodies and begin to understand the signs of fertility and infertility.
                                                                                                                                                                      Please click HERE to register for a class with an instructor in our Diocese. 

• Creighton Model FertilityCare  System  (CrMS)- The Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System (CrMS) and the new women's health science of NaProTECHNOLOGY, is based off of the research studies of Dr. Thomas Hilgers from the Pope Paul VI Institute. It involves the observation, tracking, and charting of various biomarkers to mainly include cervical mucus. This method is applicable to ALL women across their reproductive lives to include women with reguluar or irregular cycles, post-pill, anvovulatory states such as breastfeeding, and pre-menopause. Because CrMS is the foundation to the medical aspect of NaProTECHNOLOGY, women struggling with hormonal imbalances, PCOS, infertility, ovarian cysts, and various other conditions are able to be treated without fertility being disrupted. 

• Family of the Americas - A method that is both simple and affordable, yet still very effective—it uses observation of physical symptoms to chart progress through the woman’s fertility cycle. The Diocese of Lafayette now offers this method in Spanish.  Please call the Office of Marriage and Family Life for more information.

• Couple to Couple League - This method focuses on observing the resting body temperature using a basal thermometer and observation of cervical mucus. A face to face component is offered through a certified instructor in our Dicoese. For those that are unable to make a face to face class, an online component is availabale as well. The course will consist of three meetings over the span of three months.  All classes are two hours in length and scheduled one month apart.                                                                                                                          For more information or to register with one of the instructors within our dicoese, plese click HERE.       

• Sympto-Pro - This method focuses on observing the resting body temperature using a basal thermometer and observation of cervical mucus.