‘Love, Naturally!’
CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte will join the Church in dioceses across the U.S. in commemorating Natural Family Planning Awareness Week July 21-27.
“Love, Naturally! Natural Family Planning Cooperating with God’s Design for Married Love” is the theme of this year’s campaign. It is organized each year by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to celebrate married love and promote awareness of Natural Family Planning methods.
Growing in popularity as a healthy, safe and moral alternative to artificial contraception, Natural Family Planning methods represent a unique form of fertility education.
The Church supports NFP methods because they respect God’s design for marriage and the gift of life. In fact, NFP represents the only authentic approach to family planning available to husbands and wives because these methods can be used to both attempt or avoid pregnancy. These methods are based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. No drugs, devices or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy.
Practicing NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child.
By respecting the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, NFP can enrich the bond between husband and wife, providing them with the tools to help them live in harmony with God’s divine plan for human sexuality, marriage, conjugal love and responsible parenthood.
Batrice Adcock, MSN, serves as the diocese’s Natural Family Planning program director. She notes many advances in technology are helping women track their fertility.
“Apple recently announced that it will be adding new menstrual tracking software to the health app with the upcoming iOS 13 and Watch OS 6 update,” Adcock says. “Similar to other cycle trackers, users will be able to record periods and track symptoms, such as spotting and cramps. FitBit and Garmin watches also introduced cycle tracking features within the last year.”
The Food and Drug Administration also approved a mobile fertility app, Natural Cycles, in 2017, as a medical device to prevent pregnancy. Natural Cycles uses its own basal body thermometer and algorithm to calculate when a woman is fertile or infertile.
“The rapid advancement of ‘fem-tech’ is proof that women are beginning to take their menstrual cycles seriously,” Adcock says.
She also points out that the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics encourage teens and women to consider their menstrual cycles as a vital sign.
Research into women’s health is drastically improving, and many women are on the pill to treat non-reproductive health problems, she adds. But, as women learn how important ovulation is for their health and that their menstrual cycles are a reflection of their health, they are increasingly seeking alternative options to treat their underlying health problems.
‘Rather than ‘treating’ symptoms, such as acne or migraines by suppressing ovulation with the pill, women are looking to restore normal hormone balance and health,” Adcock says. “Even though this approach requires more education and discipline, women are willing to protect their future fertility.”
Adcock adds that it is critical teens get educated on the importance of their cycles for their overall health.
“Ovulation impacts bone growth and brain development, the cardiovascular system, and overall well-being. The answer to menstrual problems is not suppressing ovulation with the pill and its inherent risks of decreased bone density, depression and stroke,” she says.
“A healthy teen is encouraged to track her cycles as well-she has a monthly tool for assessing the impact her lifestyle choices have on her health. She grows immensely in self-awareness-coming to understand, with time, how her hormones impact her energy, emotions and behavior,” Adcock adds.
One way the diocese is educating teens focuses on a method of Natural Family Planning called FEMM, which comes with a free app. Several instructors around the diocese, English and Spanish speaking, offer instruction in FEMM and other NFP methods.
In the Charlotte diocese, two teenFEMM retreats have been offered with success in Charlotte and Boone. Other retreats are being organized this fall.
“Mothers and their daughters (pre-teen and teen) are learning the ins and outs of the menstrual cycle, in the context of Church teaching on feminine dignity,” Adcock explains.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter. USCCB contributed.
Learn more
At Catholic Charities’ website, www.ccdoc.org/nfp, get information in English and Spanish about NFP under the Services/Family Enrichment tab. Included are a schedule of free, one-day NFP courses around the diocese; video testimonies from couples, a physician and a diocesan priest about the many benefits of NFP; a list of NFP supportive physicians in North Carolina; plus detailed information about the various NFP methods and other basics.
For questions, contact Batrice Adcock, MSN, Natural Family Planning program director, at 704-370-3230 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..