Gaylord, MI 49735 Natural Family Planning
The Secretariat for Marriage Enrichment provides for the education of instructors and physician consultants for Natural Family Planning.
It is our wish to share with you the greatest triumph and vindication of the teachings of the Catholic Church and the dramatic lowering of divorce among couples who practice Natural Family Planning (NFP). In a recent study, the main objective was to discern whether couples who practice NFP are less likely to divorce than those who do not. Since divorce is one of the greatest tragedies that can befall a family, we wish to share with you, our pastors and married couples, the extraordinary results of the survey. The main findings were:
• Catholics within the study that practice NFP had a 3% divorce rate compared to a national rate of 50% of those who do not practice NFP
• Married couples who practice NFP are happier and consider themselves more successful in their everyday family life
• Share a more profound intimacy with their spouse
• Attend Church more often
• Preserve the family unit more responsibly
Seminar trains new NFP instructors
Today's families are facing challenges that former ages did not have to meet. To help address these challenges, eight women and men recently met for three days at the Dicesan Pastoral Center in Gaylord to learn how to teach the ovulation method of natural family planning.
This method is not the old rhythm or temperature method, but teaches a couple to recognize the sighs signaling fertility. It is easy to learn and can be used to achieve or postpone pregnancy without harmful effects to the woman's body. The Ovulation method has proven to be 98-99 percent effective in postponing pregnancy in worldwide studies with women from a wide range of educational, social and cultural backgrounds.
These eight instructors are available throughout the diocese to talk to men and women, in groups or individually to teach them the ovulation method. Unlike artificial means, it does not cost anything and the woman has the certainty that she is not harming herself or her baby. For more information contact one of these instructors:
Alpena Vicariate-Laurie Mousseau 989.354.3019
Cheboygan Vicariate-Jennifer Bartlett 231.625.8230
Gaylord Vicariate-Rod and Kathy Bragg 989.731.1167
Petoskey Vicariate-Janet Hagadorn 989.732.3757
Traverse City Vicariate-Greg and Elisha Robinson 231.943.4189
Hispanic Ministry-Silvia Cortes-Lopez 231.929.4738
Doctor Consultants are Jaci Fitzgerald, DO, Harrisville 989.736.6020 and Lynn Swan, MD, Traverse City 231.938.8938
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Natural Family Planning?It is a means of learning how to cooperate with your body in its natural functions for the purpose of achieving or avoiding pregnancy.
How does it work?
Women experience physiological changes during their monthly cycle. Natural Family Planning teaches the proper recognition of these changes, which indicate the fertile period. NFP takes advantage of the biological fact that women are infertile more often than fertile during their productive years.
How effective is NFP?
Studies have shown that motivated, well instructed couples can achieve effective rates of ninety-nine percent. This is more effective than many contraceptive pills and devices and there are no side effects to harm the body.
What are the other benefits of NFP?
It may help to identify certain bodily disorders or mood swings. Because it requires a cooperative effort on both partners, it can foster better communication and promote understanding and respect. Also, because NFP cooperatives with normal body functions, it is completely free from potentially harmful chemicals and devices.
Is It Just Semantics?
Contraception or Abortifacient Procedures
Many women appreciated the pill, the shot, the patch, and hormonal interventions because they create lighter periods. This is a result of the thinning of the lining of the uterus. Break-through ovulation occurs when using one of these devices from 30 to 65% of the time. It takes 6 to 9 days on average for the newly formed human to travel from the fallopian tube to the lining of the uterus. Unfortunately, when he or she arrives, the lining is too thin, and there is an early abortion before the woman realizes she is pregnant. The progestin and estrogen actually interfere with the pregnancy by changing the lining of the uterus so that a newly conceived child cannot implant in the womb. She might notice that her period is late or heavier than usual, that there is increased cramping, or some other sign that is different than her usual 3-5 day light flow caused by the hormonal contraception. (However, the IUD acts as an abortifacient most of the time.) The child is flushed out through the uterus and appears as a heavy period. When she learns the truth and then thinks back and prays about it, she might have an intuitive sense that she has lost a child. This new version of the pill that was now supposedly safer for the mom was clearly more dangerous for the babies being conceived.
Another woman's story:
I am very angry that my doctor never explained the true nature of contraception when he prescribed birth control. My periods are like clockwork, and when I was getting the Depo-Provera shot there were three times that my period was late. When I called my doctor's office, concerned about my late periods, the nurse explained that I should not worry and that it was normal. They assured me that I would get my period. Well, I did get my period...after my child starved to death. I found out years later how this type of contraception works, and my heart is just sick. My periods were late because I was pregnant. My period was delayed until the baby had died because it could not attach properly to my uterus to be nourished.
Unfortunately, many women who would never consider a surgical abortion now use low-dose birth control pills that may cause them to abort a new life on an average of once or twice a year. (Information taken from "The Contraception of Grief, The Genesis of Anguish Conceived by Abortifacients and Sterilization" by Theresa Burke, Ph.D
Advantages of Natural Family Planning
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