Natürliche Familienplanung

Natural family planning (NFP), also known as fertility awareness-based methods (FABM), includes methods of cycle monitoring that can be used to plan or avoid pregnancy. There are numerous methods of NFP that show substantial differences in safety, practicability and acceptance by the user.

To present aspects in the context of the development of S2K guidelines for non-hormonal contraception that are crucial for assessing the practical usability of an NFP method and should therefore form the basis for counselling.

The evaluation and detailed presentation of the NFP methods listed in the guidelines include those that have sufficient breadth and acceptance of application in Europe. Published controlled studies, particularly on contraceptive effectiveness are prerequisites.

Ultimately included in the guidelines are one single-index method and three double-index methods. For each of the NFP methods included, statements can be made about the probability of conception within the fertile phase, on the contraceptive efficacy and acceptability. The basic requirement for an NFP method to be recommended is that users observe and evaluate cyclic changes of physiological symptoms during the current cycle. This means the users are no longer dependent on a regular cycle. Methods not included in the guidelines for this reason are the old calendar-based methods. The methods using temperature alone are also not included, which are now largely obsolete as well as NFP methods that are mainly used in non-European countries. The main conclusion of the guidelines concerning NFP with high contraceptive safety is that only evidence-based symptothermal methods with high effectiveness should currently be recommended in European countries.