Articles of Interest

Here you'll find a selection of articles, blog posts, videos, and brochures that may be of interest. Keep in mind that information on external sites and links may not reflect the values of SymptoPro Fertility Education or its parent organization, Northwest Family Services.

Health

The health information below is not intended to substitute for your health care provider's advice.

Four Types of PCOS.  Treat the Cause.
Dr. Lara Briden discussed symptoms related to PCOS, the different ways in which they can present, and treatment options for healing.

Premenstrual Syndrome
A brief list of therapies and supplements to help alleviate the symptoms of PMS.

9 Tips to Help Balance Hormones
Offers general information for helping to support the delicate balace of hormones.

Self Care for Maintaining a Normal Healthy Menstrual Cycle
A brochure that offers self-care tips for balancing the hormones that affect endometriosis.

7 Ways Zinc Rescues Hormones
Dr. Lara Briden explains how zinc can often be the best treatment options for hormonal issues such as acne, period pain, PCOS, and many other problems.

PMDD: Are Women's Periods Making Them Mentally Ill?
A look at depression and how it may relate to the menstrual cycle.

When Period Pain is Not Normal
Dr. Lara Briden discusses when to seek help for menstrual cycle pain and how to cope if within the range of normal. 

Spotting Between your Periods Could be a Sign of Endometriosis
On the Natural Womanhood Blog:  A discussion on irregular bleeding and it's relation to Endometriosis. 

The Doctor Is In: When the Discharge Down There Isn't Cause for Concern
The Verily Magazine Blog hosts Dr. Marguerite Duane to answer some common questions about vaginal discharge. 

Painful Sex: How Tracking your Cycle Could Fix It
The Natural Womanhood blog discusses pain during sex and possible causes depending on it's relation to the menstrual cycle.

Are Your Migraines Caused By Hormonal Imbalance? What To Do.
A look at migranes and their relation to the menstrual cycle.

Birth Control Info

Does the Pill Cause Infertiltiy? Yes and NO
The Natural Womanhood blog discusses the short and long term effects of hormonal contraception as it pertains to a return to fertiltiy.

Past Use of Oral Contraceptives Associated with Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
On the FACTS blog - Can past use of oral contraceptives impact Endometriosis. 

FABM Supportive Articles, Websites, and Organizations

Natural Womanhood
Natural Womanhood is a non-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of fertility charting, as a way to promote disease prevention, self-knowledge, relational intimacy, and effective family planning.

FACTS
FACTS is the Fertility Appreciation Collaborative, a group comprised of physicians, other health care professionals and educators working together to Teach the Science of natural or fertility awareness based methods (FABMs) of family planning.

Wellspring Fertility
Many helpful blog posts from Rebecca Menning, SymptoPro Instructor and educator.

An Educated Artsy Fartsy Protestant's Thoughts on Natural Family Planning
Why one woman has become interested in NFP.

Natural Parenting Can Start before Conception
How NFP can fit into efforts to live naturally and help the environment.

Fertility and Self Care
From "Old Fashioned Girl" blog.  How charting your fertility may be the best self care you can give yourself.

The Partnership of NFP - A series from SymptoPro Instructor Jill Cherrey

Natural Family Planning and Catholic Church Teaching

Married Love and Gift of Life
Offers a comprehensive explanation on Church teaching regarding NFP

Love and Responsibility
A beautiful 6 minute video that summarizes the depth of Church teaching on "Love and Responsibility"

Why God Gave Us Bodies | The Thesis of Theology of the Body
An 11 minute video from the Theology of the Body Institute explaining the dignity of the human body based on scripture.

Contraception vs. Natural Family Planning
Explains the difference between using NFP to avoid a pregnancy and using contraception to avoid a pregnancy.

Living the Sacrament
A Catholic NFP forum for women 

Studies:

SymptoPro Citations
Citations sheet for the most commonly used SymptoPro charting rules. 

Comprehensive Research page from FACTS
This is your go-to spot for finding the most up-to-date research on various topics concerning Fertility Awareness based Methods. A subscription is required.

The Truth You Need to Know About How the CDC 's Effectiveness Rates for Fertility Awareness
Why does the CDC still state a failure rate of 24% and what you can do to help change it.

The Ultimate Guide to the Effectiveness of Evidence-Based FABMs
When it comes to selecting a fertility based-awareness method (FABM) of natural family planning, there’s one question that’s of utmost importance: does it work?

Natural Family Planning Method as Effective as Contraceptive Pill, New Research Finds
Pregnancy rate was .4%

Improved Relationships
Majority of couples experience improved relationships with use of NFP.

Oral Contraceptive Use as Risk Factor for Premenopausal Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
A meta-analysis which revealed taht 21 of 23 studies that followed women who took the pill prior to having ther first child showed an increased risk of breast cancer.