What does the Church say? Part 3: Natural Family Planning

In his encyclical Humanae Vitae, St. Paul VI didn’t just say what was not allowed (contraception), but also called on “men of science” to promote and develop the means needed to manage family size and address women’s health issues while respecting the Creator’s design for the marital act. 

This is where Natural Family Planning (NFP) comes in. Now, the term "NFP" often turns people off. One reason for this is that people usually think of the NFP methods of two generations ago, which were essentially “the calendar method” or “rhythm method.” These are known for their marginal effectiveness and their inability to offer solutions for any type of reproductive health issues. 

However, as science has advanced, so has our understanding of God’s incredible design for human reproduction. NFP, or natural methods of fertility regulation, are a means for couples to achieve or avoid pregnancy by understanding the natural rhythms of fertility and infertility inherent in a woman’s cycle. Some even assist with diagnosis and treatment of reproductive and gynecological health issues. There are a wide variety of NFP methods available for couples to learn and use in our diocese. Our local diocesan NFP webpage is an excellent and well-developed resource for anyone wanting to learn more. 

The use of NFP embraces God's design for the marital act, fosters self-mastery, mutual respect, deeper intimacy, and openness to life. Couples discern responsible parenthood prayerfully, honoring the body's nuptial meaning and growing in holiness together. 

Avoiding pregnancy is not the only purpose of NFP. It is a true system of family planning because it can be used both to avoid or achieve pregnancy at any time. You don’t “stop” using it when you want to grow your family. As a matter of fact, a large portion of couples come to NFP with the express purpose of achieving pregnancy. Furthermore, intercourse for the married couple during times of infertility is important for manifesting their mutual love, bonding, and renewing their marital covenant.