Ferris, R. (2011). Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Family Planning and as an Alternative to Hormonal Contraceptives for Therapeutic Reasons. The Linacre Quarterly, 78(2), 172-186. https://doi.org/10.1179/002436311803888401
Ferris R. Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Family Planning and as an Alternative to Hormonal Contraceptives for Therapeutic Reasons. Linacre Q. 2011;78(2):172-186. doi:10.1179/002436311803888401
Ferris, Ronald. "Fertility Awareness-Based Methods for Family Planning and as an Alternative to Hormonal Contraceptives for Therapeutic Reasons." The Linacre Quarterly, vol. 78, no. 2, 2011, pp. 172-186.
Creighton Model charting reaches 96.8% use effectiveness at 12 months
Creighton Model use effectiveness for delaying pregnancy reached 96.8 percent at twelve months in a meta-analysis of five studies among 1,876 couples. This 2011 review summarizes it. The author also argues that a fertility chart teaches a woman her normal cycle pattern. An abnormal pattern then signals that something might be wrong.
Study at a glance, meta-analysis of five studies of 1,876 couples: Creighton Model use effectiveness reached 96.8 percent at twelve months. Source: Ferris R, 2011, PMID 30082939.
Key Findings
Among 1,876 couples (17,130 couple-months) in five studies, method effectiveness for delaying pregnancy was 99.5 percent and use effectiveness was 96.8 percent at the twelfth ordinal month.
A meta-analysis covering 1980 through 1991 reported pregnancy rates ranging from 2.5 percent to 27.9 percent among couples using the ovulation method.
The correlation between characteristic cervical mucus changes and the estimated time of ovulation, within two days, was 95.5 percent.
A 1992 study of couples with apparently normal fertility focusing on the fertile phase found 76 percent pregnant in cycle one, 90 percent by cycle three and 98 percent by cycle six.
Interpretation
This is a review by a family physician, published in the Linacre Quarterly. The Creighton Model figures come from earlier studies, where couples received standardized teaching. The author argues that life-table analysis fits these methods better than the Pearl rates used for contraceptives. The hormonal contraceptive sections summarize cited sources and apply Catholic moral teaching. The findings support larger studies of this approach.
RRM Context
The paper links charting to NaProTechnology, a method developed by Dr. Thomas W. Hilgers, in which timed hormonal testing and treatment follow the woman's cycle and the goal is a restored chart. Restorative reproductive medicine reads the ovulatory cycle as diagnostic information, and a daily chart records its signs for the couple and the clinician.
Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.
Abstract
In current medical practice, many women are prescribed hormonal contraceptives as a method of family planning. Over the years, medical professionals have prescribed hormonal contraceptives to manage numerous health conditions in addition to family planning purposes. A particular question arises in regard to women taking hormonal contraceptives for therapeutic reasons if the drug has a contraceptive effect and abortifacient properties. An important consideration is a definite lack of knowledge among medical professionals and patients about alternatives to hormonal contraceptives. To most lay people and medical professionals, fertility awareness-based methods equate to the outdated calendar rhythm method and therefore tend to be regarded as mostly a matter of chance so that they would have no benefit in helping manage gynecological conditions. In this paper, one will be able to see that modern fertility awareness-based methods are effective as a method of family planning and that there are medical applications that offer an excellent alternative in the treatment of various gynecological conditions, including infertility.
Clinician-reviewed comparison of fertility awareness-based methods (Billings, Creighton, Sensiplan, Marquette, Standard Days, apps). Every effectiveness figure cited and labeled by metric.
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