Marriage & Family Life Ministry

What is Natural Family Planning?

NFP is a general term that refers to various methods that have been developed to help women and men determine the fertile and infertile times of a woman's menstrual cycle. These methods can be used to achieve or avoid a pregnancy.

"NFP helps a woman to learn to work with her body, its natural ebbs and flaw of fertility and infertility. Together, the couple learns to appreciate their fertility as a gift."

- Cynthia Jones-Nosacek M.D.

What are the benefits of NFP?

• NFP is safe and healthy
• NFP enables a couple to increase communication and to better understand their own bodies
• NFP can contribute to greater intimacy, sharing, and spirituality in a relationship

Evidence shows NFP to be 98-99% effective in avoiding pregnancy when taught by a qualified teacher and correctly applied.

The divorce rate for NFP users is less than 5%.

What are the Various Methods of NFP?

*The Ovulation Method is a system that relies upon the observation of a sign - the discharge of cervical mucus - which changes throughout the woman's cycle, indicating times of fertility.

*The Basal Body Temperature Method uses consistent observations and charting of the woman's waking temperature to determine peak times of fertility.

*The Sympto-Thermal Method
is a combination of the Ovulation and Basal Body Temperature Methods. It involves charting these observations in conjunction with other minor signs such as vulvar sensations and cervical signs to predict fertile days.

Who can use NFP?

• Couples seeking to space or limit pregnancies
• Couples struggling with infertility
• Breastfeeding women
• Peri-menopausal women
• Women with irregular cycles
• Women who are interested in their health

For couples experiencing infertility, 70% achieve pregnancy within one year through teaching and charting alone.

How can you learn more?
NFP Classes are offered year round in northwest Indiana. Cost for instruction in the symptom-thermal method is $75 for 4, 2 hours, monthly classes and follow-up instruction. All materials are included.

Call Natural Family Planning
Instructors -

George and Rosanne Kouris
(219) 696-1308
rkouris5@hotmail.com

Larry and Sharon Peters
(219) 924-3854

NFP Only Doctors -
Ovulation Method
(Creighton Fertility Care)

Dr. Luis Barajas
Family Practice
Family Life Clinic
7781 E. Ridge Road
Hobart, IN 46342
(219) 947-0797

Pope Paul VI Institute
6901 Mercy Road
Omaha, NE 68106
(402) 390-6600
www.popepaulvi.org

*Instruction in Spanish or English

*New medical technologies for help with infertility

• Based on scientific fact
• Cooperates with nature's design and treats each menstrual cycle as unique
• Is effective for achieving and avoiding pregnancy
• Can be used throughout the woman's reproductive lifetime
• Has NO harmful side effects
• Economical
• Values children
• Requires mutual responsibility of both husband and wife
• Encourages couple communication
• Fosters respect for and acceptance of the total person
• Cooperates with God's design for spouses