Conceiving using the Creighton Model -- anyone heard of it, is it Catholic propaganda?

[LadyMetroland]

A friend of mine has started using something called the Creighton Model which is a form of natural family planning based around observing and charting cervical mucus. I think it was devised by the Catholic church and is promoted by them (???) according to google search. I've been looking into it on t'internet and they claim massive success rates in either achieving or avoiding pregnancy.

Have never heard of this before and have never seen it mentioned on mumsnet either -- anyone got any experience of it? Am considering making an appointment at clinic but not sure if its worth it..

[ScaryHairy]

This is basically Natural Family Planning which I have used (together with charting my temp) for a few years.

I have a friend who is a very devout catholic who attended a class and has used what she learned to conceive twice.

CM is thought by many to be a reasonably good indicator of fertility. Certainly getting to know your cycle is far more likely to be successful in avoiding pregnancy than the miserable rhythum method.

[LadyMetroland]

thanks for that Scary.
Might give it a go -- tho doesn't really seem much different to ordinary NFP

[arionater]

Yes as ScairyHairy says this is perfectly reputable - the Creighton Method involves noting just your cervical fluid and using that to assess whether you are potentially fertile or not; because it doesn't involve using a thermometer, or even necessarily keeping a chart, it is a form of fertility awareness usable even by, for example, women who are illiterate and/or extremely poor. If you combine it with charting your temperature when you wake up, and possibly also the position of your cervix (though not everyone does that) then you have, basically, either 'natural family planning' as advocated by the Catholic Church or 'Fertility Awareness Method' (non-religious) - the difference being just that people practising FAM and using it to avoid conceiving may use a barrier method of contraception during their fertile time. If you want to learn about these methods generally Toni Weschler's book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" is the place to start (not religious at all). I use temperature/CF charting partly to avoid pregnancy, and partly just because my cycle's not very regular and charting gives me advance warning of my erratic periods!