Why should I use the Creighton Model FertilityCare?
- FertilityCare is natural.
- FertilityCare is safe-there are no known medical side-effects associated with its use.
- FertilityCare is inexpensive.
- FertilityCare is 96.8-99.5% effective for avoiding pregnancy.
- FertilityCare is 79-98% effective for achieving pregnancy.
- FertilityCare is a valuable resource for identifying gynecologic problems.
Who can use the Creighton Model FertilityCare?
All woman can use the Creighton Model from her first period until her last. This includes…
- regular cycles
- irregular cycles
- perimenopause
- post-pill
- breastfeeding
- anovulatory
- or any other situation for her entire procreative life!
When should I start?
Most women can begin right away!
Engaged couples should begin at least four months before their wedding, preferably 6 or more.
Pregnant women wanting to use FertilityCare postpartum should attend an Introductory Session during the 7th month of pregnancy.
Women coming off of birth control can begin charting as soon as they stop their current birth control method.
Engaged couples should begin at least four months before their wedding, preferably 6 or more.
Pregnant women wanting to use FertilityCare postpartum should attend an Introductory Session during the 7th month of pregnancy.
Women coming off of birth control can begin charting as soon as they stop their current birth control method.
Does it involve a lot of extra time?
90% of women need 30 seconds or less [1] to observe their biomarkers.
Who should come to the sessions?
Couples should attend sessions together when possible.
Adolescents should come with their mothers.
Single adults can come alone or with a support person.
Young children are welcome, but learning can be more challenging with children present.
Adolescents should come with their mothers.
Single adults can come alone or with a support person.
Young children are welcome, but learning can be more challenging with children present.
What is the consultation schedule?
Below is a typical schedule. Additional follow-ups may be needed for special circumstances.
- Introductory Session (group)
- 2 week follow-up (individual)
- 4 week follow-up (individual)
- 6 week follow-up (individual)
- 8 week follow-up (individual)
- 3 month follow-up (individual)
- 6 month follow-up (individual)
- 9 month follow-up (individual)
- 12 month follow-up (individual)
- Every 6-12 months as-needed (individual)
Where are sessions located?
- My office is in Columbia City.
- I send a Skype link for online sessions.
- Free Group Introductory Sessions vary by month. Please see the Special Events Page for times and locations.
- With 2 or more women, you can host a Group Introductory Session at your home, church or business.
What are your office hours?
Mondays 7 am-7 pm
Wednesdays 9 am-8:30 pm
Thursdays 5 pm-7 pm
Fridays 9 am-6 pm
Saturdays 9 am-12 pm
Wednesdays 9 am-8:30 pm
Thursdays 5 pm-7 pm
Fridays 9 am-6 pm
Saturdays 9 am-12 pm
Can I use the FertilityCare App?
You can use the FertilityCare App after 5 Follow Ups (3 months) of good observations and charting. Visit https://www.fertilitycareapp.com for more information and pricing.
I like my current physician. Do I need to switch to a Napro physician?
Not usually!
Most treatments your regular Ob-Gyn can perform or subscribe. If they have not heard of NaProTECHNOLOGY, they may not understand why you want to be evaluated for a certain condition.
There are some conditions a physician not trained in NaProTECHNOLOGY will use birth control to alleviate symptoms instead of treating the underlying condition. If your physician prescribes birth control, we can direct you towards a CrMS Medical Consultant for treatment.
Most treatments your regular Ob-Gyn can perform or subscribe. If they have not heard of NaProTECHNOLOGY, they may not understand why you want to be evaluated for a certain condition.
There are some conditions a physician not trained in NaProTECHNOLOGY will use birth control to alleviate symptoms instead of treating the underlying condition. If your physician prescribes birth control, we can direct you towards a CrMS Medical Consultant for treatment.
Why do I need follow up sessions after I have learned the method?
I see clients on a yearly basis after they have completed the program because FertilityCare services are always improving! Our yearly meetings give me the opportunity to share updates from my quarterly professional development trainings and yearly academy meeting with you.
These meetings are also an important part of "routine maintenance." We go over your observational routine to ensure you properly check for the biomarkers. It's easy to slip into bad habits without the accountability of yearly follow ups. I also look in-depth at your health indicators to give you questions to ask your doctor and implement special protocols when needed.
Between yearly Follow Up Sessions, you should contact me if you:
These meetings are also an important part of "routine maintenance." We go over your observational routine to ensure you properly check for the biomarkers. It's easy to slip into bad habits without the accountability of yearly follow ups. I also look in-depth at your health indicators to give you questions to ask your doctor and implement special protocols when needed.
Between yearly Follow Up Sessions, you should contact me if you:
- change your reproductive category
- have questions
- achieve pregnancy
- need a referral for medical or spiritual counseling
How much does it cost?
Every women deserves to know her body. Financial assistance is available through The Creighton Model Education Foundation, INC.
Sessions
Materials
First-Year Package Rates
Sessions
- Group Introductory Sessions are free (see Special Events for times and locations).
- Private Introductory Sessions are $35 (online or in office).
Materials
- Personal Fertility Kits are $30 and should be purchased at the Introductory Session.
- Fertility Kit Refills are $10 (needed ~every 6 months).
- Optional: User Picture Dictionary ($30)-required for online-only clients.
First-Year Package Rates
- The In-Person First-Year Package includes all sessions and materials for the first year for $300 (~$350 value).
- The Online-Only First-Year Package includes all sessions, materials (including the User Picture Dictionary) and shipping for the first year for $350.
How do i pay?
What training does my practitioner have?
FertilityCare Practitioner Interns (FCPIs) complete 150 hours of theoretical education, which includes lectures, tests and practice exercises in the following:
- History, methods, and effectiveness of all forms of family planning, including the various Natural Family Planning Methods and artificial methods (contraceptives, barrier methods, sterilization, etc.).
- Reproductive anatomy and physiology
- Teaching the Creighton FertilityCare System
- Symptoms of inflammation and disease
- Referring to a physician
- Recommending vitamins or lifestyle changes.
The internship phase also includes more than 200 hours of clinical experience under a Certified FertilityCare Educator (CFCE). The FCPI must teach a minimum of 18 clients from a variety of circumstances.
Finally, the FertilityCare Intern becomes a FertilityCare Practitioner (FCP) after passing a standardized national exam. You can read more about what it takes to become a Practitioner on TCMEF's Practitioner Program page.
To continue teaching Creighton Model FertilityCare, an FCP must actively teach clients, participate in professional development and document proper teaching of the Creighton Model. The Certification process ensures properly delivery of Creighton Model services and ongoing professional development. Completion and continuation of the certification process is recognized with C in front of the initials (CFCP).
The term “Practitioner” sometimes confuses people. FertilityCare Practitioners are teachers certified from the Saint Paul VI Institute in affiliation with Creighton University. This certificate acknowledges the Practitioner’s competencies in providing FertilityCare Services. It is not a medical degree or license. FertilityCare Practitioners cannot diagnose or treat health conditions. Please see the next question for the benefits of seeing a FertilityCare Practitioner in conjunction with your medical doctor.
why should i see a fertilitycare practitioner instead of going straight to a napro doctor?
The biomarkers are symptoms that point the NaPro doctor (properly called CrMS Medical Consultant) and FertilityCare Practitioner toward an underlying health concern. FertilityCare Practitioners teach you to observe and chart your biomarkers. Unless a physician is also a Practitioner, he or she is not trained to teach you to properly observe and record the biomarkers. The more accurate your chart is, the better the physician can read the symptoms to know which diagnosis tools and subsequent treatments to employ.
The symptoms are a good indicator, but not a diagnosis of a disease. For example, the symptoms of cervical inflammation are 75% accurate in identifying cervical inflammation, but must be diagnosed through medical examination.
Because FertilityCare Practitioners review every day of your chart with you, they may notice details that could go overlooked by a physician. FertilityCare Practitioners can write referrals to any physician you request for diagnosis and treatment.
What if i'm in fort wayne and i don't like the midwifery model of care or want a home birth?
You do not have to go through the Fertility and Midwifery Care Center to give birth. If you are healthy, you don’t need to see them at all! If you need a NaPro Medical Consultant, you can use the Fertility and Midwifery Care Center for your gynecologic needs and another doctor or midwife for your obstetric needs. Additional NaPro Medical Consultants are located in Warsaw and Goshen. Click on Find a CrMS/NaPro Medical Consultant for a current listing of NaPro Medical Consultants.
What resources do you recommend?
Breast Self-Exam: https://www.solismammo.com/insights/how-do-breast-self-exam-infographic
Building Strong Marriages/SPICE: The Ultimate Intimacy App is the product of a Christian Couple on a mission to strengthen marriages, by making lovemaking unbelievably fun, and deepening couples’ connection and physical and emotional intimacy. They have wonderful resources and many other great features included in their free version and more if you want to pay for the premium app. Although not Catholic, everything I have seen and read is 100% in line with Catholic values. Please send me the name of an article of you question its moral guidance ultimateintimacy.com
Building Strong Marriages/SPICE: The Ultimate Intimacy App is the product of a Christian Couple on a mission to strengthen marriages, by making lovemaking unbelievably fun, and deepening couples’ connection and physical and emotional intimacy. They have wonderful resources and many other great features included in their free version and more if you want to pay for the premium app. Although not Catholic, everything I have seen and read is 100% in line with Catholic values. Please send me the name of an article of you question its moral guidance ultimateintimacy.com
I'm interested in joining the CrMS team!
The Practitioner program is a 13-month program open to those with a Bachelor's or Associate's degree in nursing, science (health and behavioral), and/or teaching. The Instructor program is a 7-month program for those with less than 2 years post-high school education. Medical Consultant program for physicians, nurse practitioners and midwifes is also available. Click here for the Omaha site, here for Huntington, IN or here for locations around the United States.
Looking for more information?
CreightonModel.com
Click the picture for more in-depth answers to your FAQs, including tabs for background, effectiveness, advantages and applications.
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Saint Paul VI InstituteClick the picture for the website created by the founders of the Creighton Model.
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NaProTechnology.com
Click the picture for more in-depth answers to your infertility and women's health questions, including tabs on infertility, premenstrual syndrome, and post-partum depression.
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Glossary of Terms
CrMS: Creighton Model FertilityCare System
Practitioner: your "coach" on how to use CrMS
Biomarkers: Your body's signs (discharge, temperature, etc.)
NaPro: Natural Procreative Technologies-doctors who are trained to use CrMS for gynecological health.
References:
1. Hilgers, Thomas W. CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System. Sixth Edition. 2013 Pope Paul VI Institute Press.
2. Stacey, Dawn. "What is Hormonal Birth Control?" VeryWell.com. 27 April 2016. Web. 24 July 2017.
3. PlannedParenthood. "How Effective are Condoms?" PlannedParenthood.org. Web. 24 July 2017.
4. Hilgers, Daly, Hilgers and Prebil. CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System Book I: Basic Teaching Skills. Second Edition.
2004 Pope Paul VI Institute Press.
1. Hilgers, Thomas W. CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System. Sixth Edition. 2013 Pope Paul VI Institute Press.
2. Stacey, Dawn. "What is Hormonal Birth Control?" VeryWell.com. 27 April 2016. Web. 24 July 2017.
3. PlannedParenthood. "How Effective are Condoms?" PlannedParenthood.org. Web. 24 July 2017.
4. Hilgers, Daly, Hilgers and Prebil. CREIGHTON MODEL FertilityCare System Book I: Basic Teaching Skills. Second Edition.
2004 Pope Paul VI Institute Press.
