Wake Up Call

Recently a person very dear to me had a potentially serious side effect from the oral contraceptive. She has since quit the Pill, learned to chart, and has a whole new perspective on family planning. Previously she had been quite content with oral contraceptives, as were most of her college friends –- they are simple to use, effective for avoiding pregnancy and, she admitted, free. She related her experience first going to Planned Parenthood years ago, being advised that some women will have weight changes when they start the Pill, but little was mentioned of other side effects, or other choices. Certainly no one seriously discussed NFP with her. Although the word empowered may be overused these days, she said it was her best description of how she felt now –- empowered to really understand how her own body works. Not someone else’s body, or a typical 28 day cycle from a textbook, but her own body.

With her new knowledge, she has started ripples in her pond of friends, with very insightful wisdom.

One friend was completely open, because she was seeking a natural approach to health, but knew little about modern NFP.

Another friend, who works in the health care field, was convinced to look further into NFP when she saw how  grounded it is in the science of physiology. They also discussed that NFP has been labeled as ineffective because the statistics are based on lumping together all methods of natural fertility regulation, even those taking a haphazard approach of just thinking they know their fertile days based on a calendar, without really learning to observe their body, or keep a chart.

She encouraged another friend, who was having possible side effects of the Pill, to investigate these further with her doctor, and to consider a method that does not alter the body and increase health risks.

One friend wasn’t sure what her boyfriend would think, which caused her to reflect on the relationship – is she just being used?

And to the friend who said she is doing fine on the Pill, with no side effects, she shared that is exactly how she felt… before her clot.

She also encouraged her friends actively planning to have children to learn NFP, to reveal the path to conception. She speculated, imagine the grief Kim Kardashian could have been spared, if she only  knew how to chart.

Since these friends from college are now scattered around the state, we logged on to www.canfp.org to find a teacher in each area. I am grateful for those teachers who have demonstrated their professionalism by listing their services in the CANFP directory. They will be able to help this new group of women, who will have many questions as they leave their comfort zone of the Pill culture. Many women would never find a teacher if it weren’t for CANFP, as most of these women are not browsing parish or diocesan directories.

The challenge remains, how do we make NFP more accessible  to young college women? How do we reach couples before they get a wake up call from a serious side effect? How do we more clearly communicate the beauty of the love/life connection?

Whether you are new to the field, or have been in the battle for decades, we invite you to our August conference. Come to be encouraged, enlightened and challenged to start new ripples in the pond around you. Someone’s life may be depending on it.