[ShawnaCAN]

1. What is Natural Family Planning (NFP)?
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a general term that applies to various methods that have been developed to help women and men determine the fertile and infertile times of a woman's menstrual cycle. They can be used to achieve or avoid pregnancy. All of the methods rely on the interpretation of natural biological signs or indicators of fertility. Couples abstain from genital contact during the fertile time of the woman's cycle if they are avoiding pregnancy. Use of any artificial means to interfere with fertility is not Natural Family Planning.

2. What is the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)?
The Fertility Awareness Method is a method which helps a woman identify the fertile and infertile times of her cycle. A woman learns to interpret her signs of fertility. Spermicides, barriers, or withdrawal are used during the fertile time.

3. How effective is NFP?
With proper instruction, modern NFP methods are 96-99+% effective, depending on the method chosen.

4. How effective is FAM?
FAM carries the same effectiveness/failure rate as the barrier of choice.

5. Does a woman need regular cycles to use NFP?
NO. NFP works in all stages in a woman's reproductive life and in all special circumstances; such as while breastfeeding, during the pre-menopausal years, recovering from a hormonal contraceptive and so on. Effectiveness is not affected by regularity.

6. Is this the Rhythm or Calender Method?
NO. The Rhythm or Calender Method *is* technically a form of NFP because it does not employ the use of anything artificial, but it is the least reliable and not recommended for anyone with serious reason to avoid pregnancy.

7. What is the best way to learn?
Proper instruction from a certified instructor is essential to enjoy the high effectiveness rate of NFP. See the Online Resource sticky for method websites and local instructors. Online and correspondence courses are also available for some methods.

8. Can't I just use a Fertility Monitor or OPK's to know my fertile time for avoiding pregnancy?
No. Neither will give enough advance warning of ovulation. Used alone, they are not reliable for avoiding pregnancy. However, they can be helpful used together with charting.

9. What is the difference between the various NFP methods?
Please see the NFP Method Comparison on the Online Resource sticky.

10. What are the benefits of NFP?
No health risks or harmful side effects
Allows family planning to be a shared responsibility between man and woman
Promotes communication and mutual respect
Highly effective
Morally acceptable in all cultures and for most religious persuasions
Allows a woman to monitor her reproductive health



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