God designed marriage as an "intimate partnership of life and love" (see Gaudium et spes, no. 48). In God's design, marriage is a unique union of one man with one woman "for the whole of life" (see Canon 1055, The Code of Canon Law).
Marriage is oriented to the good of the spouses and to the creation and nurture of new human life (see Gaudium et spes, no. 48). Making decisions therefore, about when and how many children to have in marriage is a sacred responsibility that God has entrusted to husband and wife. This is the foundation of what the Church calls, "Responsible Parenthood," the call to discern God's will for your marriage while respecting His design for life and love.
The Catholic Church supports the methods of Natural Family Planning (NFP) because they respect God's design for married love. In fact, NFP represents the only authentic approach to family planning available to husbands and wives because these methods can be used to both attempt or avoid pregnancy.
When learning about NFP, it is important to know that:
- Natural Family Planning is an umbrella term for certain methods used to achieve and avoid conception. These methods are based on the observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. Some natural methods include use of fertility monitors to better understand the time of the wife's fertility. Married couples using NFP to postpone conception abstain from intercourse and genital contact during the fertile phase of the wife's cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. Married couples who use NFP to attempt a pregnancy, make use of the fertile window the optimum time when conception is likely.
- NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child. By respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife. (Standards for Diocesan Natural Family Planning Ministry, p. 23)
Used with permission from the NFP Program, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved.
NFP Methods:
- The chart below lists NFP Methods that meet the USCCB’s Standards for Diocesan NFP Ministry. A course in any of the methods listed on this page satisfies the Archdiocese of Miami’s NFP requirement for marriage preparation.
- All methods offer live online courses.
- Creighton Model and Couple-to-Couple League have trained instructors in the Archdiocese of Miami.
- Full course prices range from $170 - $1000+.
- Full course lengths range from a few meetings to monthly meetings for the first year.
Creighton Model
The Creighton Model is based upon a couple's knowledge and understanding of their naturally occurring phases of fertility and infertility. This knowledge empowers the couples to make informed decisions regarding achieving or avoiding a pregnancy.
The Creighton Model also provides valuable information to address any reproductive health concerns through the revolutionary Natural Procreative Technology (NaProTECHNOLOGY).
More Info
Couple-to-Couple League
The CCL Mission is to inspire, educate and support couples in family planning that is natural, effective, healthy and consistent with God’s plan for life, love and marriage.
Attend a three-part series of introductory classes offered by the Couple-to-Couple League to learn more about this medically safe, morally acceptable and highly effective method, both for postponing and achieving pregnancy.
| Biomarkers Observed | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFP Method Website | Method Description | Cervical Fluid | Cervical Changes | Basal Body Temperature | Hormonal Monitoring |
| Billings Ovulation Method www.boma-usa.org |
Billings Ovulation Method teaches you to recognize your body's natural signal of fertility through the observation of cervical mucus. Billings has physicians who have participated in Billings Ovulation Method® Training: boma-usa.org/en/billings-trained-physicians/. | ✓ | |||
| Boston Cross Check www.bostoncrosscheck.com |
Boston Cross Check utilizes the three major signs of fertility: at-home hormonal monitoring, cervical fluid observation, and temperature tracking. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Couple to Couple League
www.ccli.org |
Trained Instructors in Miami. Couple to Couple League is based on three key signs of fertility: cervical mucus, basal body temperature, and an optional check of changes in the cervix. |
✓ | Optional | ✓ | |
| Creighton Model FertilityCare Method www.fertilitycare.org |
Trained Instructors in Miami. Creighton Model FertilityCare Method is based upon observing and charting cervical mucus. The Creighton Model has trained doctors in NaProTECHNOLOGY (a women’s health science that monitors and maintains a woman’s reproductive and gynecological health). |
✓ | |||
| Marquette Method www.marquettemethod.com |
Marquette Method allows for couples to choose from hormone testing and/or cervical mucus, but both are not necessary. Tracking one's basal body temperature is also optional. All Marquette Method Teachers are healthcare providers and/or clinicians with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree. | ✓ | Optional | ✓ | |
| SymptoPro www.SymptoPro.org |
SymptoPro is a sympto-thermal method based on changes in a woman's cervical mucus, waking or resting temperature, and cervix. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
More Info
- For English: learnnfp.org/
- For Spanish: ligadepareja.org/
Catholic Medical and Infertility Support
- Catholic Medical Association: cathmed.org
The mission of Catholic Medical Association is to form and support current and future physicians to live and promote the principles of the Catholic Faith in the science and practice of medicine. - National Catholic Bioethics Center: ncbcenter.org
The Mission of The National Catholic Bioethics Center is to provide education, guidance, and resources to the Church and society to uphold the dignity of the human person in health care and biomedical research, thereby sharing in the ministry of Jesus Christ and his Church. - Saint Paul VI Institute: saintpaulvi.com
The Saint Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction is building a culture of life in women’s health care through its major developments — Creighton Model FertilityCare System and NaProTechnology. - Elizabeth Ministry: elizabethministry.org
Elizabeth Ministry International and its Chapters worldwide support families during the childbearing years and beyond with special care and support to those facing crisis and loss. - FEMM: femmhealth.org
Understanding the central role of reproductive endocrinology in the management of women’s health, FEMM empowers women to achieve their health and fertility goals. - Springs in the Desert: springsinthedesert.org
Springs in the Desert accompanies those struggling with infertility by offering a place of respite and solidarity where they can know God’s love for them and discover His unique call to fruitfulness.
USCCB Resource Guide:
In addition to the resources and links above, the USCCB has created an excellent Resource Guide listing many resources, programs, and organizations related to marriage and family life. Please click on the link to review the many resources listed there for additional topics related to family planning and sexuality such as infertility/fertility health awareness, infant and child loss, pornography, same-sex attraction, sexual identity incongruence, and more: USCCB - Called to the Joy of Love.
