In order to get married in the diocese of Lexington, you are required to take a couple’s NFP training course with a certified instructor during your marriage preparation. If you believe you have extenuating circumstances that may make the class unneccesary or inapplicable, please consult your parish priest or deacon.
What if you aren’t getting married? While you aren’t required to take an NFP training course, single women are highly encouraged to do so in order to better understand their bodies. NFP methods can help identify possible fertility or health issues in addition to giving women a sense of understanding instead of mystery when it comes to their natural cycles.
While you would certainly be living out God’s commandment to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), the Catholic Church recognizes that couples have legitimate reasons for avoiding pregnancy. The success of NFP methods at avoiding pregnancy varies by the method, but some are rated higher if not the same as modern contraceptive methods.
There are many different methods of NFP, and some will work better for you and your family than others. Branch out to new methods and be sure to let the teachers know what you have tried in the past.
Though NFP may have started out as the rhythm method, the scientific community has since moved on because of its inaccuracy. The Rhythm Method tries to predict ovulation by using a calendar exclusively rather than monitoring signs of ovulation produced by the individual woman. Similarly, many fertility apps on the market today are based on the Rhythm Method and give you a “fertility window” based on a calculated number of days based on previous cycles. This method fails to account for fluctuations in a woman’s cycle from one month to the other due to reasons such as sickness, stress, or simply the stage of life they are in (e.g. menarche, breastfeeding, menopause). This method also requires long periods of abstinence for avoiding pregnancy. Much more accurate methods have since been developed.
The Church recognizes there are some cases in which medical birth control may be necessary for health reasons.
The Church does not consider illicit the use of those therapeutic means necessary to cure bodily diseases, even if a foreseeable impediment to procreation should result there from—provided such impediment is not directly intended for any motive whatsoever (Humanae Vitae 15).
To conclude, birth control is allowed for medical reasons if the person using them is not using it as a contraceptive but rather as a treatment for underlying health issues. That being said, NFP methods can be used to diagnose (and thus lead to more specific treatment) of health issues such as cysts, endometriosis, cancer, and PCOS. Talk to your instructor about how you can use NFP despite your health conditions.
- Dr. Steve Vogelsang
- Family Medicine | 859-873-9188 | Versailles, KY
- Dr. Mary Sheppard
- Family Medicine | 859-257-3253 | Lexington, KY
- Dr. William Wehrman III
- Family Medicine | 859-335-9041 | Lexington, KY
- Dr. Steve Vogelsang
- Family Medicine | 859-873-9188 | Lexington, KY
- Dr. Nancy Mullen
- Internal Medicine | 859-323-5544 | Lexington, KY
- Dr. Rachel Saunders
Obstetrics and Gynecology | 859-873-9188 | Lexington, KY
- Dr. Jason Mattingly
- Family Medicine | 513-981-5922 | Cincinnati, OH
- Dr. Lauren Hruszkewcz
- Family Medicine | 513-398-3445 | Cincinnati, OH
- Dr. Paul Day
- Family Medicine | 513-981-5922 | Cincinnati, OH
By no means! NFP empowers women to become more familiar with their cycles and brings couples closer together as they have to strengthen their communication and learn the beauty behind a woman’s fertility. NFP is an all natural, low cost method with no side effects and can still accurately help you to plan your family according to your needs and desires. Know someone who’s not catholic who wants a birth control alternative or is struggling to get pregnant? Encourage them to reach out to our instructors!