Recommendations for Contraceptive Use
		Natural Family Planning

Natural Family Planning

The World Health Organization (1988) defines Natural Family Planning (NFP) as "Methods for planning and preventing pregnancies by observation of naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle, with the avoidance of intercourse during the fertile phase if pregnancy is to be avoided."

NFP methods can be divided into two groups according to how the fertile time is identified:

Identification Using Fertile Sign Indicators in the Current Cycle

In which fertility signs (such as cervical mucus, basal body temperature (BBT), symptothermal methods, and others) are observed in the current cycle, and

Identification Using a Calculation or Counting Days

In which a formula is used to predict the fertile time using past cycle lengths. This approach is called the Calendar or Rhythm method.

NFP methods are based upon "fertility awareness" which is the basic information about male and female reproduction that helps people understand how and when a woman can become pregnant. NFP methods provide rules to guide couples how to time intercourse to either avoid or achieve a pregnancy, based upon their observations.

Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM)

The Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) is a method of family planning (FP) that is based upon the natural postpartum infertility that occurs when a woman is amenorrheic and fully breastfeeding her infant (see section on LAM for definitions and criteria for using LAM). When using LAM, the woman is not cycling normally. Therefore, LAM does not meet the criteria for a NFP method using the strict WHO definition. Nevertheless, LAM is a method based on observing naturally occurring signs (i.e. return of menses) and upon guidelines established with scientific research showing the relationship between LAM criteria and the return to fertility.

Combining NFP with other methods

Methods which combine use of NFP methods and the use of a barrier method or withdrawal during the fertile time are referred to by various names including "Fertility Awareness Methods", "Combined Methods", "Mixed Methods", or "Multi-Index Methods". By definition, these methods are not considered to be NFP, because couples do not abstain from vaginal intercourse during the fertile time.

Citations:

1. World Health Organization. Natural family planning: a guide to provision of services. Geneva: WHO, 1988.

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