Why I love NFP

I really have to be more consistent regarding updating this blog. Here I go, trying once again. Before I get into the topic I want to discuss today, I thought an update on myself would be proper. We are on 9 cycles of trying without a positive pregnancy test, and believe me, I test often!

I went to the doctor on August 9th, and we decided to try a few new things. First, even though my thyroid tested fine, what it breaks down into (T3 and T4) were on the low end of normal, and my doctor said that in and of itself can be causing infertility. So if you are experiencing infertility please ask your doctor to test your T3 and T4 not just your thyroid, because that could be causing the problem. So, I started on thyroid medication last week. The second medication we are also trying is called Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). Endorphin deficiency can also cause infertility and LDN enables your body to produce more natural endorphins which helps infertility. LDN has been used by Naprotechnology doctors for years to help infertile couples get pregnant. Here is a link with more information: www.fertilitycare.net/documents/LDNInfo_000.pdf


So even though we are still not pregnant, I feel confident that we are on the right track to fix all the crazy hormones in my body, and that we will be pregnant soon.

Now on to the topic I wanted to discuss. Natural Family Planning (NFP.) I have read too many articles in the past month bashing NFP and saying if you use NFP you will get pregnant. I believe there are way too many myths floating around out there that need to be addressed. The NFP of today is NOT the Rhythm method! NFP today is scientific and 98% effective if a couple chooses to use it as birth control. I have heard a lot of people saying that because a couple has a big family and they use NFP, then NFP must not work. Has anyone ever considered that the couple wanted a big family and that each child was planned? I know 4 different NFP methods off the top of my head, and there might be more.

My husband and I currently are using the Sympto-thermic method. This method requires me to take my temperature at the same time each morning and chart my cervical fluid. You can even choose to go more in depth and chart your cervix height and feel. And since we are trying to get pregnant, I also back up my observations by using an ovulation predictor kit to pin point ovulation. Doctors used to believe that every woman had a 28 day cycle and they ovulated on cycle day 14. A lot of secular doctors still believe this, but most doctors now know better. While 28 day cycles are ideal, most women do not fall into this category.  In my six years of charting, my shortest cycle was 21 days and my longest was 34. I can ovulate anywhere from cycle day 12 to cycle day 21.

Once a woman starts charting, they can detect their own pattern, and what their body is telling them, without the craziness of artificial birth control. It is so sad to me to read of the women that were told that the pill was the only way to make their cycles regular. So these woman have been taking the pill since they were teenagers, now 10-15 years later are ready to start a family and are struggling with infertility due to prolonged use of the pill.

As a Catholic, I don't believe NFP should be used as birth control, but in spacing children (for grave and serious reasons) NFP is just as affective as the pill.

And guess what? Not only is NFP good "birth control" it is also great in helping achieve a pregnancy for couples that are struggling. Naprotechnology and NFP have helped many "infertile" couples get pregnant. By knowing your body and when you ovulate (or even if you ovulate) helps couples target the right time to try and eventually get pregnant. The actual percentage of true infertility is very low, most of the time it is a simple hormone imbalance or sluggish ovulation. These things can be fixed without the need of spending thousands of dollars and dealing with the moral implications of InVitro Fertilization (IVF).

This post was meant to shed some positive light on the greatness of NFP.  It is a wonder that more people don't embrace NFP. NFP gives you a control and authority over your life that the pill could never give. You know EXACTLY what is happening in your body on a given day and with some practice, lets you know if there is a problem you should bring to your doctor.

I would think people would be jumping at this chance to learn more. In case you are, let me refer you to a great NFP book. It's called Taking Charge of Your Fertility. They practice the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), which is NFP for the secular world. There are chapters in there that speak of birth control and barriers and avoiding. These are NOT in line with Catholic teaching! So just skip these chapters when reading. I can't condone these chapters, but the author presents the rest of the book in a clear straight forward manner.

Natural Family Planning empowers women and does more good for families and infertility then today's society wants you to believe. So give it a chance, it might change your life.

And wouldn't you want someone as cute as this someday?!