Chapter 11

Fertility Awareness in Marriage

As Pope Francis writes in Amoris Laetitia, our sexuality “is 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 ‘pure, unadulterated affirmation’ revealing the marvels of which the human heart is capable. (AL, 152) In other words, as a gift of married love, the conjugal act is a symbolic reflection of the inner form of love, which is a vow. “I love you,” means I love you completely and forever.

Whatever God’s plan for a married couple, true love is always fruitful and life-giving. As married couples renew their vows through the conjugal act, 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. This is where “Natural Family Planning” comes in.

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A person wearing a striped shirt lifts a child wearing a red shirt and jeans into the air in front of a white brick building.

What is Natural Family Planning (NFP) a.k.a. Fertility Awareness-Based Methods (FABM) of Family Planning?

Natural Family Planning (NFP), or Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABM) of Family Planning, 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 respecting the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the sexual act. NFP enriches a couple’s 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”– 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, almost all will, at the very least, come to a greater appreciation for the wonderful gift of their fertility, their sexuality, and how their bodies were made.

Benefits of Natural Family Planning

  • No side effects
  • Over 90% effective at achieving pregnancy
  • With many different methods, greater than 98% chance of avoiding pregnancy
  • Enhances communication with partner
  • Cost-effective
  • Can help diagnose reproductive health issues

Learning the Basics of NFP

There are a variety of “NFP 101”/“Intro to NFP” Courses that can help couples learn the basics before committing to a particular method or instructor. Here are a few that we recommend:

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NFP Methods and Providers

Billings Ovulation Method

The Billings Method is one of the original methods and relies on just one sign of fertility—cervical mucus. It works well for women with regular cycles and has as relatively low ongoing cost. For more information about the Billings Method, visit boma-usa.org or call 651-699-8139. Find a Billings instructor here.

The Creighton Model is a scientifically proved method that required couples to observe and record certain biomarkers. Using these biomarkers, certified FertilityCare practitioners assist each couple in determining when they are fertile as well as identifying possible health concern, and follow-up as needed. Works well for women in regular or irregular cycles and women with reproductive concerns that can help identify root causes and offer treatments. For more information, visit fertilitycare.org or contact Orchid FertilityCare in Escondido, CA.

The Sympto-Thermal Method is a relatively inexpensive method that charts multiple signs of fertility, mainly cervical mucus and basal body temperature. Cost-effective and can be used for both regular and irregular cycles, however women with irregular sleep schedules may find it challenging. Couple-to-Couple League (CCL) and SymptoPro are two organizations that specialize in teaching and promoting the Sympto-Thermal Method. Certified teacher couples are available in-person or online. To connect with a local CCL couple, contact the Office for Family Life & Spirituality (858-490-8256) or visit https://ccli.org/learn-nfp-from-ccl/.

In addition to the traditional biomarkers of cervical mucus and basal body temperature, Sympto-Hormonal Methods track hormone levels with fertility monitors to assess when a woman is fertile. The fertility monitor readings provide a high degree of objectiveness, although it is not the most cost-effective method. The best known Sympto-Hormonal Method is the Marquette Method. Click here to learn more about Marquette or visit marquettemethod.com to find an instructor. Boston Cross Check is another Sympto-Hormonal Method that meets the USCCB’s standards for diocesan NFP ministry. Visit bostoncrosscheck.com to learn more and find an online instructor. FEMM Health is another great resource for fertility awareness with a special emphasis on hormonal health, with multiple San Diego-based instructors. Click here to find an in-person instructor in Southern California.

Parish NFP Ministry

What would a parish NFP ministry look like? Here are some suggestions:

  • A parish NFP ministry leader doesn’t necessarily need to be an instructor, but they should have an understanding of the NFP landscape with the pastoral skills to respond to needs with compassion and sensitivity.
  • Get trained as an NFP Ministry Leader (a.k.a. NFP Ambassador!)
  • Start a support group for women practicing NFP.
  • Work with youth & young adult ministry to provide fertility awareness education to teens and young adults.
  • Provide a contact in the bulletin/website for people to contact with questions they may have.
  • Be a source of knowledge about NFP for parish leaders.
  • Prepare information about NFP that can be included in bulletin, Flocknotes, or social media.
  • Stay current by remaining in contact with diocesan and USCCB leadership.
  • Distribute pamphlets and flyers that provide basic information about NFP.

NFP Support & Education in San Diego

There are a handful of NFP instructors in various methods here in San Diego. Please feel free to contact the Office for Family Life for referrals and recommendations for finding an NFP class or instructor that’s right for you. 

Additional Resources

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 women’s 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.

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.

Contact Information

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  • Associate Director: Janelle Peregoy
  • Associate Director: Wendy Baez

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About the Coat of Arms

Bishop Pulido’s coat of arms is divided into four quarters with wavy horizontal lines from top to bottom. The blue and white lines represent the Blessed Virgin Mary. They also suggest water, which alludes to Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and to the waters of baptism. The red and gold lines represent the Holy Spirit and fire. The colors also can be seen as referring to the Blood that (along with water) poured from Jesus’ side at His crucifixion, as well as to the bread (gold) and wine (red) transformed into the Eucharist. At the center is a roundel featuring a symbolic representation of the “mandatum” (washing of the feet), which he believes exemplifies service to all humanity. The roundel’s outer edge is a line composed of small humps; it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Diocese of Yakima, where Bishop Pulido served as a priest before being named a bishop.

About the Coat of Arms

Bishop Pham’s coat of arms depicts a red boat on a blue ocean, which is crisscrossed by diagonal lines suggesting a fisherman’s net. This symbolizes his ministry as a “fisher of men,” as well as how his own father had been a fisherman. The boat is also a symbol of the Church, which is often referred to as the “barque of Peter.” At the center of the sail is a red beehive (a symbol of the bishop’s baptismal patron saint, St. John Chrysostom, who was known as a “honey-tongued” preacher). The beehive is surrounded by two green palm branches (an ancient symbol of martyrdom; the bishop’s ancestors were among Vietnam’s first martyrs). The eight red tongues of fire around the boat are a symbol of the Holy Spirit and a representation of the diversity of ethnic and cultural communities. The red of the boat, the beehive and the tongues of fire allude to the blood of the martyrs.

About the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms combines symbols that reflect Bishop Bejarano’s spiritual life and priestly ministry. The main part of the shield shows four wavy vertical lines on a gold background. These represent flowing waters. This alludes to his chosen motto and also symbolizes the graces that come from the Divine life to quench our thirst for God. The upper third of the shield is red because it is borrowed from the coat of arms of the Order of Mercy, of which the Bishop’s patron saint, Raymond Nonnatus, was a member. The central symbol resembles a monstrance because St. Raymond is often depicted holding one. The Eucharist is Bishop Bejarano’s inspiration for his vocation. It was through the Eucharist that he received his call to the priesthood at age seven and which keeps his faith and his ministry going. It represents the call to offer oneself as a living sacrifice. The monstrance is flanked on either side by an image of the Sacred Heart, alluding to the mercy of God and echoing the idea of a sacrificial offering of oneself united to the sacrifice of Christ, and of a rose for Our Lady. It is an allusion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, and highlights the bishop’s Hispanic heritage.

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