Courses · Cycle Charting & FABM
Fertility-Based Methods of Family Planning: New Horizons
An evidence-based overview of fertility awareness and NaProTechnology-aligned family planning methods, presented by Dr. William Nolan.
Taught by Dr. William A. Nolan, M.D.
Included with any Save the Uterus Club tier, from $9/mo. Cancel anytime. Already a member? Log in
Your instructor
Dr. William A. Nolan, M.D.
FABM Specialist, Tubal Surgery
William A. Nolan, M.D., is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist whose interests center on fertility awareness, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and ethics-driven practice. He earned his medical degree at SUNY Upstate Medical University in 2018. He completed his OB/GYN residency at the University at Buffalo (Sisters of Charity Hospital) in 2022. He then pursued fellowship training in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Dr. Nolan is a member of the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine. He's presented on tubal surgery and works to expand physician training in it. He co-authored research on how prepared OB/GYN trainees are to counsel patients on fertility awareness-based methods. His clinical interests also include polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS / PCOS), endometriosis, miscarriage and preconception health.
Curriculum · 7 lessons · 58 min
- Introduction to FABMs: Definition, Prevalence, and the Provider Knowledge Gap 11:51
- The Six Categories of FABMs: Methods, Physiology, and Effectiveness Rates 13:53
- New Horizons: Using the Cycle for Wellness, Exercise, and Nutrition Optimization 7:28
- Clinical Applications: PMS/PMDD, Cooperative Hormone Therapy, and PMOS / PCOS 10:25
- Q&A: Cervical Mucus as Primary Biomarker 4:31
- Q&A: Sleep, Cortisol, and Cycle-Phase Nutrition 7:07
- Q&A: Comparing Marquette and Creighton Methods 2:29
About this course
Dr. William Nolan, OB/GYN and minimally invasive surgery fellow, presents a data-driven overview of fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs): their effectiveness, clinical applications, and emerging research.
This lecture equips both patients and providers with the evidence needed to have informed conversations about family planning beyond hormonal contraception, with parallels to NaProTechnology cooperative protocols:
- What FABMs actually are: observable biomarkers (cervical mucus, basal body temperature, urinary hormones) and how they track the fertile window
- Effectiveness data done right: why the CDC's collective 24% failure rate misrepresents individual methods, and what perfect-use and typical-use rates actually show for each category
- The provider knowledge gap: 40-50% of OBGYN trainees lack significant FABM training, and 80-90% cannot explain specific methods to patients
- Method-by-method review: calendar-based, cervical mucus-only (Billings Ovulation Method, Creighton Model), BBT, symptothermal (Sensiplan), and hormonal monitoring methods (including the Marquette Method) with comparative efficacy data
- Why cervical mucus matters most: the physiological basis for why mucus observation outperforms hormone testing in validated FABMs
- Clinical applications beyond family planning: cycle-based approaches to nutrition, exercise, and weight management, with emerging research showing nearly double the weight loss when tailored to cycle phases
- Cooperative hormone therapy and polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS / PCOS): how FABMs integrate with NaProTechnology treatment protocols
Includes a rich Q&A with Dr. Whittaker on industry dynamics, clinical collaboration, and making reproductive medicine patient-centric.
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