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Interested In Teaching Natural Family Planning?
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.
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NFP Awareness Week Resources
Natural Family Planning Awareness Week is a national campaign through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and will be held July 19-25, 2020. 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. For more information on NFP awareness week or to download promotional material, please click HERE
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What is Natural Family Planning?
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.
Methods that teaches users to observe the sensation and chart changes in the appearance of cervical mucus are commonly called the "Ovulation Method" or "OM." The Diocese of Lafayette has instructors trained to teach different methods throughout the Diocese. Below is the list of those providers.
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.
For more information, please contact our Diocesan instructor, Lisa Morvant, RN, BSN, FCPI; Creighton Fertility Services of Acadiana
Facebook: @CRMSofAcadiana.
- 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.
Sympto-Thermal Method (STM)
The methods that observe several signs of fertility and cross-check two or more of the signs to pinpoint ovulation are commonly called the "Sympto-Thermal Method" or "STM." STM typically combines charting of the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) and cervical mucus with other optional indicators, such as changes in the cervix and secondary fertility signs. A number of NFP providers teach a variety of approaches to the observation and charting of these signs. Below is the list of those providers.
- 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.
This has an online component for those who are unable to make a face to face class. To register for th eonline class, please visit https://register.ccli.org/- Sympto-Pro - This method focuses on observing the resting body temperature using a basal thermometer and observation of cervical mucus.
Offers an online NFP course. This includes regular follow-ups with an online certified NFP instructors from Northwest Family Services, Sympto-Pro. Click HERE to register for the online course.
Please call the Office of Marriage & Family Life; 337-261-5653; if you are interested in a face to face classThe method that observes several signs of fertility and adds the use of ovulation predictor kit (OPK) or fertility monitor is called the “Sympto-Hormonal Method” or “SHM.” Similar to Sympto-Thermal, this approach adds the self-detection of reproductive hormones in the urine with the assistance of an OPK or fertility monitor. To learn more about this method see the Marquette Model
SYMPTO-HORMONAL (SHM)
If you are interested in becoming a certified instructor for a particular NFP method, please contact the Office of Marriage and Family Life at, 337-261-5653 or email Kelley Chapman.
- 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.