Natural Family Planning

“And God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen, 1:28)

NFP is a method for following God’s plan for achieving and/or avoiding pregnancy using the physical means that God has built into human nature. When married couples use NFP they can experience growth in their relationship with each other and with God. Systematic NFP uses a woman’s natural signs to identify the fertile and infertile times of the menstrual cycle. During fertile times, the couple chooses to try to become pregnant or to use chaste abstinence for avoiding pregnancy. NFP is safe, healthy, and does not use drugs, chemicals, devices or surgeries. When understood and followed, the NFP method is up to 99% successful in spacing or limiting births. It is the only method of family planning that respects God’s order of creation and is therefore the only method approved by the Catholic Church.

Some of the benefits of NFP include:

• Low Cost
• No harmful side effects
• Effective for achieving, spacing, or limiting pregnancy
• Can be used throughout the reproductive life cycle
• Marriage enrichment and mutual understanding
• Appreciation for the value of children
• Fosters respect for and acceptance of the total person
• Moral acceptability

For details on the NFP method visit Natural Family Planning International, Inc.:

http://www.nfpandmore.org/

Basic NFP information from the USCCB:

http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/information.shtml

For classes and Diocesan NFP coordinators:

http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/coordinators.shtml