Going Against the Grain: Being an NFP-only Physician

NFP ONLY PHYSICIAN. Sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? In the setting of today’s world, most would even consider it as an anachronism— defined as “something that is conspicuously old-fashioned.” If you read the medical literature, there is a strong push world-wide for the use of contraceptives for many reasons: securing autonomy of women, population control, reducing pregnancy-related health issues and infant mortality, and treatment for gynecologic problems, are just among the few. Since the 1960’s, multiple types of contraceptives have emerged to meet these “needs” of the modern community. But as a Naprotechnology-trained physician, I see solutions to these problems using different-colored eyeglasses.

I am blessed to practice in a faith-based organization where my views on contraception are respected. Since I practice in a relatively small community, people know, through word of mouth, that I don’t prescribe contraceptives. So far, I haven’t experienced any problems with that. The NFP or fertility awareness method that I use in my practice is the Creighton Model, and I apply Naprotechnology (NaPro) in addressing women’s health. I get an influx of women seeking alternative treatment to manage their gynecologic health, and to space the birth of their children. Part of the application of the Creighton Model and NaPro is ensuring a healthy pregnancy and decreasing the risk of preterm labor for a healthier baby. In the world of women empowerment, we know that more and more patients are open to education. They are interested in healthy living without the use of artificial hormones.

[box] Looking for an NFP-only physician? Looking for an NFP Teacher? Looking for a Clergy educated in NFP and related spiritual and moral issues ? Professional Members of CANFP are available throughout California to assist you. To find the nearest NFP Professional go to: https://canfp.org/professional_directory/[/box] Apart from being a family doctor, I am also a clinical educator at a Family Medicine Residency Program. Unfortunately, I am the only NFP-trained physician among the faculty. Although it is not a problem with the rest of the faculty members, because it is seen as a different style in practicing medicine, it can be an issue when precepting resident physicians who feel that they should prescribe contraceptives. This is when I realize that the immediate objective is not to change their mind, although this is the desired long-term goal. The objective in teaching then becomes challenging their reasoning as to why prescribing contraceptives would be the treatment for that particular patient at that time. When teaching, I always stress the importance of finding the root of the problem and treating it whenever possible. Prescribing contraceptives, more often than not, veers away from this mindset. As we often hear it expressed in the NFP community, prescribing contraception is a band-aid, a quick fix to a bigger, often ignored, problem. It is not easy for physicians in training to accept this, especially if the current school of thought advocates otherwise. Helping them see this discrepancy makes them take a step back and rethink how they manage their patient’s gynecologic issue. Of course, there are times when we are confronted with patients who just want their depo shot, or their birth control pill refilled, or their IUD replaced and expect this to be addressed during the visit. When this happens, the patients get to see the resident precepted by a different faculty member. It is not a “wasted visit” because it becomes a teaching moment for the resident, and the patient. The clinic staff too become curious. When they ask why I don’t prescribe contraceptives, I give my reasons. I hear the “ohs and ahhs” and that becomes a teaching moment as well.

Planting seeds, at least for now, is the silent revolution for us who go against the grain in the current contraceptive view of the medical community. As more and more research on Fertility Awareness and Natural Family Planning comes out, the more hope we have for a radical change in the practice and teaching of medicine.