Natural family planning (NFP) is a birth control method without the use of tablets, contraceptives, or surgical procedures. It is based on following and observing a woman's menstrual cycle for symptoms of fertility and infertility. Depending on the couple's intentions and circumstances, NFP can be used to either achieve or avoid pregnancy.

NFP is practised in a variety of ways, but they all adhere to some basic principles. 

  • In the beginning, they demand that the pair refrain from having sexual contact or use a barrier method (like condoms) during the fertile days of the cycle, when conception is most likely to happen. 
  • Second, they mandate that the pair keep an eye on one or more reproductive indicators, like basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucus, or hormonal changes.
  • Thirdly, they need the pair to use a chart, a calendar, or an app to track and understand these indicators.

The different methods of natural family planning 

The rhythm method, which is based on keeping track of the days in the cycle and abstaining from sexual activity on days close to ovulation, is one of the earliest NFP techniques. This strategy, however, is not very accurate because it presupposes that every cycle lasts the same amount of time and that ovulation takes place on the same day each month. The symptothermal method, which combines BBT with cervical mucus observations, is a more precise approach. 

The BBT, which rises slightly after ovulation and remains raised until the following month, is the body's core temperature while it is at rest.Cervical mucus is the fluid secreted by the cervix, which changes in quantity, quality, and appearance throughout the cycle. It becomes clear, stretchy, and slippery around ovulation, indicating high fertility.

Ovulation Method Is The Best 

Another method of NFP is the ovulation method or the Billings method, which focuses only on cervical mucus observations. This method requires the woman to check her mucus several times a day and to classify it according to its characteristics. The woman can also use a device called an ovulation predictor kit (OPK), which detects a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine before ovulation. A positive OPK indicates that ovulation will occur within 24 to 36 hours.

A special case of Natural Family Planning is the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM), which is based on the natural suppression of ovulation by breastfeeding. This method can be used by women who have given birth recently and who are exclusively or almost exclusively breastfeeding their babies on demand. LAM can be effective for up to six months after delivery, as long as the woman has not had her first period and does not use any supplemental feeding.

The couple's adherence to the guidelines of their chosen method and the consistency of their fertility indications are key factors in determining how well NFP works. The failure rate of Natural Family Planning varies from 1% to 25% a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), depending on the method and normal use. Stress, illness, medicine, travel, drinking, smoking, and irregular cycles are a few things that might impact fertility symptoms and reduce the reliability of NFP.

The Core of Natural Family Planning 

NFP has a number of advantages, such as being free or inexpensive, being free of side effects or health risks, being environmentally friendly, improving communication and intimacy between partners, respecting moral and religious views, and making it easier to get pregnant when wanted. Having to use barrier techniques or abstinence during fertile days is one of NP's disadvantages.Natural Family Planning  has several disadvantages, such as the need for abstinence or barrier methods during fertile days, the need for education and training to learn and apply correctly, the need for daily observation and charting of fertility signs, the influence of outside factors that can change fertility signs, and the fact that it is less effective than other birth control methods.