| FertilityCare
Fertility
Care is an exciting new concept in reproductive
health care.
It
is a holistic medical system that empowers women and couples to
make healthy choices regarding their fertility. Fertility
Care sees fertility as a normal healthy
condition that ought not be suppressed or tampered with if it is
functioning normally. Fertility Care can
be used to meet a couples Family planning needs, to manage abnormal
gynaecologic health or treat couples with infertility or recurrent
miscarriage.
Women
learn how to observe and record their signs of fertility through
a series of education sessions provided by specially trained teacher
practitioners. As a result they come to recognise and understand
if their cycle is functioning normally or not. This information
can reliably be used for Family Planning and managing gynaecologic
health in harmony with the woman's cycle.
Couples
that use this system come to understand their procreative potential
and if abnormalities are detected in the cycle, referral for appropriate
medical investigations can be recommended to restore a normal appearance
to the Fertility Care chart. This can
be very useful information for couples who are at increased risk
of infertility or miscarriage.
FertilityCare
General
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) courtesy of www.iirrm.org
What is Natural Procreative Technology (NaPro, NPT)?
Natural Procreative
Technology, (also called NaProTECHNOLOGY®, NaPro,
or NPT) is a new reproductive science that works
cooperatively with the natural fertility [menstrual] cycle. It
has been developed as a series of medical applications based on
a standardized assessment of the biomarkers of the fertility [menstrual]
cycle, known as the Creighton Model FertilityCare System. It can
be used to evaluate and treat infertility, miscarriage, irregular
bleeding, and many other women's health conditions.
What is the Creighton
Model Fertility Care System?
The Creighton
Model Fertility Care ™ System teaches couples
to recognize, understand, and record the changes that occur during
the fertility [menstrual] cycle. These changes [biomarkers] indicate
whether the reproductive system is functioning normally or not.
It also identifies ovulation and other key events. It is completely
natural and cooperative with a woman's fertility [menstrual] cycle.
How is NaProTECHNOLOGY
(NPT) used to evaluate and treat infertility?
NPT is proving to be
highly effective in treating couples with infertility. Couples
use the Creighton Model FertilityCare System to identify abnormalities
in their fertility [menstrual] cycle even before trying to
conceive. Clinical signs [biomarkers] such as 3 or more days
of brown menstrual bleeding, reduced quality and quantity of cervical
mucus flow, premenstrual spotting, or abnormal lengths of time
after ovulation, suggest possible causes for infertility. Many
of these signs are missed with current gynaecologic evaluation.
Hormonal evaluation guided by the couple's charting allows the NPT-trained
physician to identify and treat subtle hormonal deficiencies that
may otherwise be undetected. The goal with NaProTECHNOLOGY fertility
treatment is to recognize reproductive abnormalities and correct
them. Surgical intervention may be recommended to compliment medical
treatment when necessary.
What is the success
of NaProTECHNOLOGY treatment for infertility?
Considering all patient
ages and diagnoses, the overall probability of having a successful
pregnancy with NaProTECHNOLOGY is approximately 50%. The success
rate can be up to 80% depending on multiple factors including
the precise diagnosis, severity of the underlying cause,
history of previous fertility treatment and female age. NaProTECHNOLOGY
is not an option in cases of established menopause, zero sperm
count or persistent bilateral blocked fallopian tubes (despite
attempted surgical reconstruction). A couple will be told what
their chances of success are during the initial medical consultation
and it is up to them to decide if they would like to commence
further evaluation and treatment. Nearly every category
of infertility has succeeded with this approach including Unexplained
Infertility, Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovarian Disease, Pelvic
Adhesions, Low Progesterone, Hostile Mucus, Male or Female antibodies,
Low sperm count, Oligo-ovulation and Anovulation. Even couples
who have previously failed In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) or Intra-Cytoplasmic
Sperm Injection (ICSI) have a reasonable chance of a live birth
with NPT. Although there is real hope with NaProTECHNOLOGY , not
all couples will conceive. All couples undergoing NPT evaluation
obtain a greater understanding of what is happening with their
bodies and how they can maximize their chances of healthy pregnancy.
Can NaProTECHNOLOGY help
with male factor infertility?
Yes. If the primary
diagnosis is a male factor, couples have had successful pregnancies
using NaProTECHNOLOGY. Men with very low sperm counts or anti-sperm
antibodies can be treated. Often, improvements in semen quality
can be made by healthy lifestyle changes. A number of medical
and surgical treatments can also improve semen quality and sperm
function. Even if the sperm function is not ideal, evaluating
and maximizing the woman's fertility cycle, together with ideal
timing of intercourse will often result in pregnancy. The overall
success rate for male factor infertility is around 40%.
What is the difference
between using NaProTECHNOLOGY (NPT) for infertility and Assisted
Reproductive Technology (ART), including In-Vitro Fertilisation
(IVF), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)?
There is a fundamental
difference in approach. NPT identifies what is not working and
fixes it, so that conception and pregnancy can occur naturally
in vivo [in the body]. ART and related approaches bypass the problem
and make a baby in vitro [outside the body]. Many of the issues
(cost, side effects, ethical concerns) raised by ART are not a
problem with NPT.
Does NPT
use Artificial Insemination?
No. NPT supports and
optimises natural reproductive function, so that pregnancy can
result from natural sexual intercourse.
Can NaProTECHNOLOGY help
prevent miscarriage?
NPT identifies miscarriage
as an abnormality rather than a common normal reproductive event.
Furthermore it recognises that there are underlying causes to
each miscarriage, even though the causes may not always be identifiable.
NPT fully evaluates the possible causes of even one miscarriage
and in fact prefers to identify and correct abnormalities before
any miscarriage occurs.
Clinical signs [biomarkers]
from the couple's fertility chart suggest possible reasons for
miscarriage. Hormonal evaluation guided by the couple's charting
allows the NPT-trained physician to identify and treat hormonal
deficiencies to reduce the risk of even one miscarriage occurring,
or in the case of women who have suffered recurrent miscarriages,
reducing the risk of another miscarriage.
Can NaProTECHNOLOGY
help with premenstrual syndrome [PMS], menstrual cycle or women's
health problems?
Yes. The woman's charting
of her clinical signs [biomarkers] of the fertility cycle (menstrual
cycle), gives great insight into menstrual cycle disorders. The
underlying causes of many of these problems can be the same. Hormonal
evaluation guided by the charting allows the NPT-trained
physician to identify abnormalities in the menstrual cycle and
correct them. This can improve or resolve the problem.
Problems that
can be helped with NaProTECHNOLOGY include
- Infertility
- Miscarriage
- Premature Birth
- Ovarian Cysts
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Postpartum Depression
- Irregular Cycles
- Premenopausal Symptoms
- Irregular Vaginal Bleeding
- Family Planning
Press Statement regarding FertilityCare policy of providing infertility treatment to married couples only - Nov 2008
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