Natural Family Planning

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the general title for the scientific, natural and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancies. Studies show that couples who follow their NFP method’s guidelines correctly, and all the time, achieve effectiveness rates of 97-99%, without the need for drugs, devices, or surgical procedures. We are blessed to have Natural Family Planning teachers of both the Sympto-Thermal Method and the Creighton Model.

Ministry Description

NFP is a means of reading the body’s signs of fertility and infertility in a way that honors our dignity as persons by respecting the natural rhythms and functions of the body. Fertility observations are easy to make, take only a few minutes, works even for irregular cycles, and can be a means to achieving a pregnancy. Couples are often surprised to learn that many NFP users report that NFP helps improve their relationship. Those considering NFP are often concerned about periods of abstinence, and yet NFP users say those times apart actually help them connect on a deeper level. NFP couples also talk about increased respect for each other, coming from the shared responsibility of the method, which makes them more like a team, and that extends beyond the issue of family planning. Finally, many couples find that NFP helps them build a deeper and closer relationship to God since they are experiencing marriage as He intended. We believe it’s great Marriage Insurance since couples practicing NFP have less than a 5% divorce rate!

If you’re interested in learning the Sympto-Thermal Method of NFP, check out ccli.org for classes in our area or feel free to call Julie Weinkauf at 317-669-7096 with questions. If interested in the Creighton Model of NFP, you can contact Holly Smith at hsmith17@iuhealth.org. You can also find other resources and a list of NFP-friendly doctors at nfpindy.org.