As Pope Francis writes in Amoris Laetitia, our sexuality āis a gift from God that enriches the relationship of the spouses. As a passion sublimated by a love respectful of the dignity of the other, it becomes a āpure, unadulterated affirmationā revealing the marvels of which the human heart is capable. (AL, 152) In other words, as a gift of married love sexual intercourse is a symbolic reflection of the inner form of love, which is a vow. āI love you,ā means I love you completely and forever.
Whatever Godās plan for a married couple, true love is always fruitful and life-giving. As married couples renew their vows through sexual intercourse, they are called to responsible openness towards co-creating new life with God. Family planning decisions are prayerfully made through mutual discernment, enlightened by faith.
What is Natural Family Planning (NFP) or Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABM)?
Natural Family Planning (NFP), or Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABM), is the umbrella term for the natural, healthy, morally acceptable methods of family planning recommended by the Catholic Church to help couples space, achieve, or avoid pregnancy. It helps married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancies, while respective the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the sexual act. NFP enriches a coupleās relationship while encouraging a level of intimacy that reflects marital love: one that is free, total, faithful, and fruitful. Furthermore, NFP is completely natural, green, and organic ā no drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid or achieve pregnancy.
During each monthly cycle, a woman normally becomes fertile and then infertile, with her body providing natural signs to indicate where she is in her cycle. Scientifically and medically researched methods of fertility awareness teach couples how to observe and interpret these signs, enabling them to achieve or avoid pregnancy naturally. When couples learn about NFP from an instructor or from an online course, most of them arrive at a greater appreciation for the wonderful gift of their fertility, their sexuality, and their own bodies.
BENEFITS OF NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING
- 100% with No Side Effects
- 97-99% Effective in Avoiding Pregnancy
- Enhances Communication with Partner
- Inexpensive
- Can Help Diagnose Reproductive Health Issues: Infertility, Menstrual Cramps, Endometriosis, etc.
Billings Ovulation Method Association offers training in the Ovulation Method (OM) that charts the presence and changes in cervical mucus. More information is available at boma-usa.org or call 651-699-8139.
Family of the Americas also offers training in the Ovulation Method. More information is available at familyplanning.net.
Learn NFP Online, by The Marriage Group offers an introduction to NFP ($25) and online training in the Billings Ovulation Method ($49). More information is available at learnnfponline.com.
Couple to Couple League teaches the Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) using BBT, cervical mucus, and changes in the cervix. More information is available at ccli.org or call 800-745-8252.
Creighton Model Fertility Care System (CrMs) provides instruction in an Ovulation Method (OM) that charts the presence and changes in cervical mucus. More information is available at fertilitycare.org or call 402-505-8917.
Marquette University College of Nursing Institute for NFP offers training in the Sympto-Hormonal Method (SHM) that uses hormonal monitoring and may also use BBT and cervical mucus. More information is available at nfp.marquette.edu or call 414-288-3854.
SymptoPro provides instruction in the Sympto-Thermal Method (STM) using BBT, cervical mucus, and changes in the cervix. More information is available at symptopro.org or call 971-280-9676.
Whole Mission: Marquette Method Natural Family Planning Services aims to encourage the family by growing and promoting access to and research for secure methods of natural family planning, specifically the Marquette Method. Learn more at mmnfp.com.
Vitae Fertility: Vitae Fertility Education teaches theĀ Marquette Method of Natural Family Planning (NFP), a highly effective method of NFP that employs the Clearblue line of home-based fertility monitors to track womenās hormone changes throughout each menstrual cycle. Learn more at vitaefertility.com.
Orchid Fertility & Wellness: Orchid is an association of FertilityCare practitioners based right here in San Diego. A practitioner instructs and counsels women in learning the Creighton Model, customizing the program to meet each woman or couple’s individual needs. Learn more at https://www.orchidfertility.com/starthere.
NFP AMBASSADORS IN SAN DIEGO
To learn more about NFP and to help you navigate the NFP landscape, we encourage you to contact one of the NFP Ambassadors in your parish or area. NFP Ambassadors are familiar with the many opportunities for instruction, both in-person and online, and are equipped to help you navigate among them and get started. Some NFP Ambassadors are also trained instructors and may even offer classes themselves.
| County | Name | Phone | Instructors | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East County | Faiza Saroki | 619-425-0646 | faizasaroki@yahoo.com | Ovulation Method (Family of the Americas) |
| Imperial Valley (El Centro Catholic) | Daniel & Arlene Ramirez | 760-353-9923 | Ramirez.arlene@gmail.com | Ovulation Method (Family of the Americas) |
| Imperial Valley (St. Anthony's) | Brianah Wong | 760-791-1113 | blw244@nau.edu | |
| North County Coastal | Carolyn Kelley | 760-758-6881 | kelleyteam@gmail.com | |
| North County Coastal (St. Mary Star of the Sea) | Christine Hinrichs | 815-990-3079 | christine.e.hinrichs@gmail.com | Ovulation Method (Billings) |
| North County Coastal (St. Patrick's) | Adam & Pilar Schmitz | 760-519-3346 | pilarjschmitz@gmail.com | Sympto-Thermal Method (Couple-to-Couple League) |
| North County Inland | Erica Rossio | 760-715-6010 | erica@orchidfertility.com | Ovulation Method (Creighton Model) |
| North County Inland (St. Mary's) | Mercedes Aguilar | 760-580-9563 | mercedesmaguilar10@gmail.com | |
| North County Inland (St. Mary's) | Alma & Eduardo Reyes | 760-713-7092 | 2343alma@gmail.com | |
| North County Inland (St. Mary's) | Lidia Rennix | 760-271-7743 | lrennixstmary@gmail.com | |
| North County Inland (St. Mary's) | Carol Marie Siedenburg | 530-412-1573 | carolmarie01@gmail.com | |
| San Diego (Our Lady of Guadalupe) | Griselda Escobedo | cyclicalwoman@gmail.com | Sympto-hormonal (FEMM) | |
| San Diego (St. Charles Borromeo) | Brenda Heyman | 619-994-2934 | beckheyman@cox.net | |
| San Diego (St. Therese, Del Cerro) | Dave & Cheryl Ross | 619-279-3735 | davidandcherylross@gmail.com | Sympto-Thermal Method |
| San Diego (The Immaculata) | Arianna (Ari) Calio | 619-574-5704 | ariannaallen@sandiego.edu | |
| San Diego North (Good Shepherd) | Vanessa Sablad | 858-414-7026 | vanessa.sablad@gmail.com | |
| San Diego North (St. Therese of Carmel) | Brittany Reilly | 858-242-9199 | brit.reilly@gmail.com | |
| South Bay | Sharon Pearce | 619-422-0757 | sharonpearce@silentvoices.org | Ovulation Method (Billings) |
| South Bay (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel) | Carolina Mejia | 619-341-3731 | carolinamejia.cam@gmail.com |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Green Sex, The Case for Natural Family Planning: First comes loves, then comes marriage … then what? If sex is natural, why are we so eager to make it artificial? In this presentation, Jason Evert presents the case for Natural Family Planning as he unveils the beauty of God’s plan for sexuality. Jason has spoken about chastity to more than one million people around the world and is the author or more than a dozen books.
FEMM (Fertility Education & Medical Management): We understand the central role of reproductive endocrinology in the management of womenās health. Our goal is to empower women in the achievement of their health and reproductive goals by helping them gain a better understanding of their biology and monthly cycles. We then provide a comprehensive physical and lab workup to diagnose and treat the root causes of health conditions.
Natural Womanhood is a non-profit dedicated to the promotion of fertility charting, as a way to promote disease prevention, self-knowledge, relational intimacy, and effective family planning. Natural Womanhood helps young women and couples regardless of their income, ethnicity, or religion.
CANFP (California Association of Natural Family Planning): CANFP unites under one umbrella all those who use, teach, and advocate for NFP, and our members are our strongest resource: the physicians who provide authentic womenās healthcare, the Practitioners and Certified Teachers of all the natural methods instructing couples in its use, the couples who use NFP and reflect its values in their families and communities, the clergy providing the spiritual formation and context, and the churches, dioceses, hospitals, and profile organizations who collaborate in providing access to these services throughout the state.