Billings Ovulation Method: Teaches women to...
*observe the sensation at the vulva (the vaginal opening) as they go about their normal daily activities
*notice whether or not cervical mucus is visible when they use the bathroom
*develop their own vocabulary for describing their observations
*identify their own particular patterns of fertility and infertility by keeping a written record *For more information: www.boma-usa.org or www.woomb.org
Couple to Couple League System: Women are taught to keep track of three signs of fertility - waking temperature, changes in the appearance of cervical mucus and changes in the cervix itself and using these three signs to cross-check each other they determine the fertile and infertile parts of each cycle. Several different guidelines for determining the beginning and end of the fertile phase are taught and couples choose for themselves which to follow. Women must take their temperature at the same time every morning after a relatively consistent amount of sleep and internal examinations of the cervix are strongly encouraged. For more information: www.ccli.org
Online Course available at learnnfponline.com
Online Charting available at nfpchartingonline.com
Creighton Model: Teaches women to...
*observe the sensation produced by cervical mucus as they wipe with toilet tissue before urinating and to observe the appearance of any mucus collected.
*compare what they observe to a standardized ‘menu’ of mucus descriptions and identify times of fertility and infertility by matching their observations to those provided. For more information: www.fertilitycare.org or www.popepaulvi.com
Family of the Americas Foundation Ovulation Method: Women are taught to observe the sensation at the vulva as they go about their normal daily activities and notice whether or no cervical mucus is visible when they use the bathroom. Women match their observations to photographs on stickers of typical cervical mucus and use these stickers to indicate what they observed. For more information: www.familyplanning.net(charting software available here also)
Marquette Model: Women are taught to keep track of waking temperature, changes in the sensation at the vulva and the appearance of any cervical mucus and may also choose
to do daily urine tests with the Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor which measures the amount of estrone (and estrogen byproduct) and LH (a hormone produced for a short time
just before ovulation). Women compare their mucus observations to a list of mucus‘types’ and assign a numerical value to what they have observed. Internal examinations
are not recommended. Waking temperatures must be taken at the same time every day after a consistent amount of sleep. Urine tests must also be done within the same 3 hour
window each day and the Clearblue Easy Monitor cannot be used by breastfeeding women or women whose cycles are longer than 42 days. For more information:
http://www.marquette.edu/nursing/natural-family-planning/model.shtml
