The aims of this study were to determine and compare extended use-effectiveness of an online nurse-managed fertility education service program among women (and subgroups of women) seeking to avoid pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN AND
Methods
This was a 24-month prospective study of a university-based online Web site with 663 nonbreastfeeding women using an online charting system to avoid pregnancy. Participants tracked their fertility online with either cervical mucus monitoring, electronic hormonal fertility monitoring, or both fertility indicators. Unintended pregnancies were validated by professional nurses.
Results
Participants had a mean age of 30.4 years (SD = 6.3) and mean 1.7 children (SD = 2.0). Among the 663 nonbreastfeeding participants there were 2 unintended pregnancies per 100 at 24 cycles of correct use and 15 pregnancies at 24 cycles of typical use. However, the 212 women using the electronic fertility monitor had a typical use unintended pregnancy rate of 6 at 24 cycles of use in comparison with the 118 women using cervical mucus monitoring that had a typical use pregnancy rate of 19 at 24 cycles and with the 333 women using both fertility indicators that had a pregnancy rate of 18 at 24 cycles of use.
Clinical Implications
Use of the fertility monitor to estimate fertility among nonbreastfeeding women provides the most secure method of avoiding pregnancy.
natural family planning online charting effectiveness pregnancy avoidance, Fehring Schneider fertility education service program, electronic hormonal fertility monitor pregnancy rate, cervical mucus monitoring vs fertility monitor effectiveness, NFP typical use correct use unintended pregnancy rates, online nurse-managed fertility awareness method, Marquette method fertility monitor effectiveness, prospective study natural family planning 24 month, fertility awareness based method web-based charting, hormonal fertility monitoring nonbreastfeeding women avoid pregnancy
PMID 27926599 27926599 DOI 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000296 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000296
Cite this article
Fehring, R. J., & Schneider, M. (2017). Effectiveness of a Natural Family Planning Service Program. MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing, 42(1), 43-49. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000296
Fehring RJ, Schneider M. Effectiveness of a Natural Family Planning Service Program. MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs. 2017;42(1):43-49. doi:10.1097/NMC.0000000000000296
Fehring, R. J., and M. Schneider. "Effectiveness of a Natural Family Planning Service Program." MCN. The American journal of maternal child nursing, vol. 42, no. 1, 2017, pp. 43-49.
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