NFP 4

What Are the Different Methods of Natural Family
Planning?

The following questions and answers are provided to allow
you to make some basic comparisons between methods. If
you have additional questions about a method please contact
one of the NFP instructors listed or send us a note.

What is the name of your method and its abbreviation?

BOM/BOMA - Billings Ovulation Method as taught by Billings
Ovulation Method of America (http://boma-usa.org/)

BOM/FAF - Billings Ovulation Method as taught by Family of
the Americas Foundation (http://www.familyplanning.net/)

CrM/PPVI - Creighton Model as taught by the Pope Paul VI
Institute (http://www.popepaulvi.com/)

STM/CCL - Sympto-Thermal Method as taught by Couple-to-
Couple League (http://www.ccli.org/)

STM/NFS - Sympto-Thermal Method as taught by Northwest
Family Services (http://www.nwfs.org/)

What indications does the method use to determine
fertility? How is this done?

BOM/BOMA - This method relies upon observation of the
woman's cervical mucus.

BOM/FAF - This method relies upon observation of the
woman's cervical mucus.

CrM/PPVI - This method relies upon observation of the
woman's cervical mucus.

STM/CCL - The two most commonly used signs of fertility that
NFP's SYMPTO-THERMAL METHOD teaches you to observe are
a woman's normal cervical mucus secretions and her waking
temperature. A third and optional sign is the physical change
that occurs in her cervix. (http://www.ccli.org/nfp/faq.shtml)

STM/NFS - coming soon

Are charting or other tools used?

BOM/BOMA - Charting is used. Charts can utilize color stamps
or handwritten symbols. The woman records the condition of
her fertility each day on the chart.
(http://www.woomb.org/bom/rules/chart.shtml)

BOM/FAF - Charting is used.

CrM/PPVI - Charting is used.

STM/CCL - Charting is used. A thermometer is also needed.

STM/NFS - coming soon

How long is the training to learn the method? (There
may be some variations among qualified instructors of the
same method. These answers are meant to give you a general
estimate.)

BOM/BOMA - coming soon

BOM/FAF - Most women can be taught to use the Ovulation
Method in about one hour. Once they actually begin charting,
the majority of women report that they are confident of their
ability to distinguish between the fertile and infertile days after
one cycle of charting. (http://www.familyplanning.net/)

CrM/PPVI - Training is provided in a series of individual
sessions, typically at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, and 3, 6, 9, and 12
months.

STM/CCL - coming soon

STM/NFS - coming soon

How much does training cost? (There may be some
variations among qualified instructors of the same method.
These answers are meant to give you a general estimate.)

BOM/BOMA - coming soon

BOM/FAF - coming soon

CrM/PPVI - $ 180

STM/CCL - coming soon

STM/NFS -

What kind of support is available after the training?

BOM/BOMA - coming soon

BOM/FAF - coming soon

CrM/PPVI - Instruction is provided in a series of private
sessions over the course of a year.

STM/CCL - coming soon

STM/NFS - coming soon

How reliable is the method at preventing pregnancy?

BOM/BOMA - Statistics from the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services and a World Health Organization study
show that the Billings Ovulation Method and the Sympto-
Thermal Method of Natural Family Planning are 98.6-99%
effective in postponing pregnancy when couples are properly
taught and the method is followed correctly.

(http://boma-usa.org/)

BOM/FAF - Studies performed throughout the world show the
percentage of couples experiencng pregnancies as follows -
0%, 0.5%, 0%, 0.6%, 2.9%, 1.61%, 1.96%, 1.4%, 2.8%,
0.06%, 1.1%, 0%, 0.27%, 1.17%, 0%, 0%, 1.18%
(http://www.familyplanning.net/)

CrM/PPVI - coming soon

STM/CCL - Studies conducted showed the effectiveness of the
method to be between 99 - 100%.
(http://www.ccli.org/nfp/effect2.shtml)

STM/NFS - coming soon

What are the advantages of this method?

BOM/BOMA - coming soon

BOM/FAF - Numerous laboratory and clinical trials have
determined that the cervical mucus secretion on which the
Ovulation Method is based, correlates with the fertile days
more closely than any other marker of fertility, including
complicated hormonal assays. For this reason, and for its
simplicity--a woman need only observe for this secretion
during the course of her normal daily activities--the Ovulation
Method is the easiest natural method to learn and practice, as
well as the most reliable. (http://www.familyplanning.net/)

CrM/PPVI - Training in this method offers one-on-one training
and extensive support

STM/CCL - coming soon

STM/NFS - coming soon