Overview

Vision
Natural Family Planning (NFP) — Learning to Live with Your Fertility

Mission
Reflecting the mission of Marquette University, the mission of the INFP is to serve God by contributing to the advancement of knowledge in NFP and by collaboration with the Catholic Church in local, state and national NFP programs.

Purpose
The Marquette University College of Nursing Institute for Natural Family Planning (INFP) was established in 1997 for the purpose of providing professional education, research and service in natural family planning (NFP).

Goals
The three major goals of the institute are to:

1) Provide online NFP teacher training for health professionals

2) Conduct research and scholarship in NFP, and

3) Develop and offer innovative NFP services

Definition of Natural Family Planning
Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a general term that applies to various methods that have been developed to help women and men determine the fertile and infertile times of a woman's menstrual (monthly) cycle. These methods can be used to achieve or avoid pregnancy. All of the methods rely on the interpretation of natural biological signs or indicators of fertility. Implicit in these methods are that couples abstain from intercourse and genital contact during the fertile time of the woman's cycle if they are avoiding pregnancy. Use of any artificial means to interfere with fertility is not natural family planning.

There are four basic methods of natural family planning:

• Calendar Method (rhythm) - relies on counting previous cycle length and a simple formula to determine the beginning and end of fertility.
• Basal Body Temperature (BBT) - recording of the woman's daily waking temperature and observing the changing patterns.
• Ovulation Method (OM) - observing and recording the patterns and changes of cervical fluids.
• Sympto-thermal Method (STM)- combining daily waking temperature, changes in cervical fluid, cycle length and other minor signs of fertility.

NFP most often refers to the two modern methods of natural family planning, the Ovulation Method (OM) and the Sympto-thermal Method (STM). Modern science and technology have also provided us with the means to accurately monitor other signs of fertility through electronic and chemical fertility devices.

Our method of NFP applies these devices in helping the new learner of NFP to gain confidence in the self-interpretation of the woman's natural signs of fertility. All methods of NFP in some way help a man and a woman get a better picture of their fertility. Learning about one's fertility aids in understanding, appreciating and holistically living with this precious gift.

Contact Info
Marquette University Institute for NFP
Phone: (414) 288-3854
Email: muinstnfp@marquette.edu

NFP Staff
Institute Director:
Richard J. Fehring, PhD, RN

Professional Staff
Susana Crespo, RN, BSN, NFPP
Cynthia Jones-Nosacek, MD, NFPP/MC
Mary Schneider, RN, MSN, FNP

Medical Consultants
Cynthia Jones-Nosacek, MD (Family Medicine)
James Linn, MD (Ob/Gyn) 
Julie Mickelson, MD (Ob/Gyn)

Clergy Consultant
Rev. William Kurz, SJ, PhD