About Natural Family Planning and Fertility Management
Why use FertilityCare Natural Family Planning?
How does FertilityCare Natural Family Planning work?
Do mistakes happen?
Men and FertilityCare
Natural Family Planning - Fees
Life FertilityCare - How do I start?

What is FertilityCare Natural Family Planning?
The FertilityCare method of managing fertility enables couples to understand, respect, protect and promote their fertility in a way which enhances their sense of self-worth and wholeness, and their love for one another.

— It teaches them how their fertility 'works'
— It enables them to know when they are fertile or infertile
— It enables them to achieve or avoid pregnancy naturally
— It enables them to monitor their reproductive health throughout life

Reasons why couples use FertilityCare Natural Family Planning:
— safe
— reliable
— natural
— body-friendly and eco-friendly

It enables a couple to be wholly 'present' to each other and to give themselves fully to each other in the act of love - without any physical barrier between them and without any part of themselves having been suppressed by chemicals.

It is a shared method which enables both parties to understand, respect and take equal responsibility for their fertility. Hence, as couples grow in understanding their fertility, it increases the love and respect which each has for the other.

Is FertilityCare Natural Family Planning difficult to learn?
No, it is very easy to learn with the help of a trained practitioner/teacher.

Can I use this method if my menstrual cycles are irregular?
You can successfully use this method if your cycles are regular, irregular, long or short, if you are breast-feeding, pre-menopausal or if you are having problems achieving a pregnancy.

How successful is FertilityCare Natural Family Planning?
This method is 99.6%* effective. Success depends upon accurate observations, accurate charting, following the instructions and loving mutual motivation and co-operation by the couple.

* Thomas W Hilgers MD and Joseph B Stannford MD 'Creighton Model NaProEducation Technology for Avoiding Pregnancy', American Journal of Reproductive Medicine 1998.

Effective Family Planning

Effectiveness of Family Planning Systems
Method	Perfect use	Actual Use
FertilityCare (3) Contraceptive Pill (4) Condoms (4)	99.5% 99.0% 98.0%	96.8%

It is important to accept that every method of family planning does have a 'pregnancy rate'.

No method offers 100% guarantee that conception will not occur if you engage in sexual activity.

Many couples are surprised at this information, especially regarding the user rate of pregnancies of the pill and the condom. Couples who have unplanned pregnancies are more prepared for that outcome when using FertilityCare as they are reminded of this possibility by their teacher/practitioner.

References:
1. www.naprotechnology.com
2. HFEA
3. CrM use effectiveness study - Journal of Reproductive Medicine 1998; 43:495-502
4. Contraceptive failure rates: Family Planning Association

How does FertilityCare Natural Family Planning work?
In each menstrual cycle there are physical changes in the woman's body, due to altering hormone levels, which identify the times of fertility and infertility. This method works by understanding what these changes mean.

What are these physical changes?
Oestrogen is the dominant hormone in the pre-ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle and as the level of oestrogen rises the production of mucus is stimulated.

This mucus is necessary for the survival and transportation of sperm. Sperm without mucus die within hours. Sperm with good mucus can live for three to five days. Progesterone is the dominant hormone in the post-ovulation phase of the cycle and when the levels of progesterone rise mucus stops being produced.

How do I recognise my fertility?
— The mucus begins as a sticky or tacky, cloudy mucus.
— It becomes clear, stretchy or lubricative at and around the time of ovulation.

Following ovulation there is a dramatic change:
— The mucus becomes sticky or tacky again and then dryness occurs.

Does this mean there are times of abstinence from intercourse? Yes, if you wish to avoid a pregnancy. Abstinence in the fertile time can be a positive experience because it requires good communication and co-operation between the couple, and hence enables the relationship to mature.

Men are willing participants in the FertilityCare System.
The woman observes her biological markers of fertility throughout each day, and together they record this information in a precise fashion.

The process allows men to gain further insight into the menstrual cycle and so discover more about the 'mystery'of woman.

Communication is improved and couples frequently discuss intimate issues surrounding fertility and sex. This has obvious positive implications for the relationship and can help to strengthen their relationship.

The process of 'selective intercourse' whereby couples choose which time of the cycle they wish to use varies according to their intentions at the time. If a couple are keen to conceive they choose fertile days for intercourse otherwise they select the infertile days if they wish to avoid a pregnancy.

Men can be confident that they are making a sensible choice for their woman's health and this can improve communication in marriage by using the FertilityCare System.

Initial 3 months of charting including charting materials and charting instruction and support of a practitioner/teacher of the programme: £190

Further follow-up appointments with the practitioner/teacher: £30 each

If you wish to learn more about Life FertilityCare for family planning and gynaecological health you can visit your local teacher/practitioner for an Introductory Session. This is a 1 hour presentation which also gives you the opportunity to ask questions regarding your own fertility and how the system works.

If you decide to enter the programme, individual follow-up appointments will be made for each couple:

Follow-up 1: 2 weeks after beginning charting
Follow-up 2: 4 weeks
Follow-up 3: 6 weeks
Follow-up 4: 8 weeks
Follow-up 5: 12 weeks

Subsequent follow-ups are at 3-6 month intervals.

To find out more about Natural Family Planning and where you could enrol on a Life FertilityCare programme near you, please complete and send the Family Planning Form.

Life FertilityCare promotes education and provides information regarding
women's pre-conceptual health incorporating the NICE guidelines on infertility.