The Creighton Model

At Austin FertilityCare™ Center we teach the CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System™ (CrMS). This model is based on the standardized observation and charting of biological markers, called “biomarkers.” These biomarkers indicate which days are fertile or infertile for a couple who wishes to use the method to achieve or avoid a pregnancy. For a single woman, these biomarkers can help figure out healthy and abnormal conditions.

How reliable is the system?

For avoiding pregnancy

  • 99.5% method effective (perfect use)
  • 96.8 % use effective (typical use) for avoiding pregnancy in couples with normal fertility
CrMS (Typical Use)
96.8%

Condom (Typical Use)
85%

Oral Contraceptive Pill (Typical Use)
91%

Source: Trussell J. Contraceptive Efficacy. In Hatcher RA, Trussell J, Nelson AL, Cates W, Kowal D, Policar M. Contraceptive Technology: Twentieth Revised Edition. (New York NY: Ardent Media, 2011), http://www.contraceptivetechnology.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CTFailureTable.pdf

For Achieving Pregnancy

In couples of normal fertility using CrMS on an individual cycle by cycle basis, the effectiveness is 76% in the first cycle, and 98% by the sixth cycle of use.

Average*
17.5%

CrMS (1st cycle)
76%

Average* (by 6th cycle)
70%

CrMS (by 6th cycle)
98%

*Couple under 38 years of age with no known fertility problems, actively trying to conceive.

In Infertility

20-40% effective by using the Creighton Model alone over a 9–12 month period, and up to 80% effective to achieve when used in combination with NaProTECHNOLOGY, after abnormal conditions are identified and corrected up to 18–24 months of use.

Average*
17.5%

CrMS alone (20-40%)
35%

CrMS with NaProTECHNOLOGY™
80%

In vitro fertilization (28-35%)
31.5%

Fertility Drugs** (20-60%)
40%

*Couple under 38 years of age with no known fertility problems, actively trying to conceive.
**Often paired with artificial insemination

Source: American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)

NaProTECHNOLOGY™

“NaProTECHNOLOGY™ interprets the biomarkers of a woman or couples’ cycles to recognize health and disease. This complete woman’s health science identifies the problem, cooperates with the menstrual and fertility cycles, corrects the condition, maintains the human ecology and sustains procreative potential.”

FertilityCare Centers of America (FCCA) 

In other words, NaProTECHNOLOGY™ uses the biomarkers identified by the woman on her chart to identify problems such as infertility, PMS, regular and irregular cycles, and unusual bleeding, and many others. It then cooperates with her cycle to correct, support, and repair the problem, meanwhile supporting and preserving the woman’s dignity and procreative potential. A true woman’s health care and choice by informed decision making between herself and her medical provider. It should be pointed out that medical providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants) offering NaProTECHNOLOGY™ are also certified by the American Academy of FertilityCare™ Professionals and adhere to the code of ethics within that organization.

What is Natural Family Planning (NFP)?

NFP is an umbrella term to describe a variety of methods that can be used by a couple to monitor their fertility in order to avoid or achieve a pregnancy when following the instructions of that method.

Another way of saying this is: NFP is using any method that does not use any artificial chemicals or products that chemically track, control, interfere, surgically alter, interrupt or destroy any aspect of  reproduction in a man or woman.

FertilityCare

A term exclusively used with the CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System™,  a well researched, reliable, and cost effective method of natural family planning.

A FertilityCare Center is a center that is affiliated with FertilityCare Centers of America (FCCA), a growing group of centers that provide professional instruction in the CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System™. All instruction of the Creighton Model is guided by the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals (AAFCP), a professional organization that certifies practitioners, education programs, and medical providers.

Austin FertilityCare Center abides by the policies and the ethical code of the AAFCP. We have been affiliated with FCCA since 2000, and with AAFCP since 2009. Quality instruction in the CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System™ is assured by these two organizations.