You may have noticed your vaginal discharge (cervical mucus) changes frequently- sometimes it’s dry, and other times it might be slippery and stretchy. These are key details that can inform you of your underlying hormonal activity and fertility. Many other methods can be used or combined to give a more complete picture of your fertility, such as taking your temperature or monitoring urine hormone levels. Daily monitoring and pattern recognition can allow you to determine when you are fertile or infertile, and NFP equips you with the knowledge to avoid or achieve pregnancy depending on your goals.

NFP offers a completely natural and holistic process of managing your fertility. With NFP, you learn to work with your body, not against it. Learning about your body’s natural functions can empower you to embrace your femininity. NFP also requires equal participation and understanding between spouses, which can increase intimacy and communication skills in your marriage. NFP is widely accepted across different cultures and religions, making it a viable option of family planning for many couples of varying backgrounds (Fehring et al., 2023).

NFP research has expanded significantly over the years, and there are several methods to choose from. The main methods of NFP are as follows:

• OM: Ovulation Monitoring, or Cervical Mucus Methods, focus on cervical mucus as the primary indicator of fertility. Stretchy, slippery, and wet cervical mucus is generally considered fertile, and dryness or thick mucus is typically infertile.

• STM: The Sympto-Thermal Method uses a combination of biomarkers to indicate fertility. Often, cervical mucus observations are used in conjunction with taking the basal body temperature to identify the fertile window and confirm that ovulation occurred.

• HM: Hormonal Monitoring uses technology to measure the hormones estrogen and LH. A monitor estimates the fertile window by creating a unique algorithm based on the woman’s measured hormonal levels (Fehring et al., 2023).

I teach two methods of NFP: FEMM and Marquette. FEMM is an OM method, primarily looking at cervical mucus observations to identify fertility. Marquette is an HM method, using the Clearblue fertility monitor to objectively pinpoint your fertile window.

Managing your cycle can sometimes be confusing and overwhelming, so it is strongly recommended to take a course with a certified NFP teacher to guide you on your fertility journey. Whether you are taking a course for marriage prep or trying to learn more about your body, I would be honored to be a part of your journey! Submit a contact form and I would be happy to connect with you.

Fehring, R. J., Schneider, M. M., & Barron, M. L. (2023). Living with your fertility: The Marquette Method of NFP. Marquette University College of Nursing Institute for Natural Family Planning.

Houghton, L. C. (2024). Menstruation as the next vital sign. JAMA Network Open, 7(5). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12778