The Church respects the choice of parents to space their children using the natural rhythms of a woman's cycle.
Natural Family Planning, or, more correctly, Fertility Awareness, gives couples an understanding of their fertility and so allows them to live and love in harmony with the teachings of the Church.
 
Learning to use NFP has the potential to create a dialogue and awareness between partners that can enrich their relationship. It teaches couples to recognise the fertile phase in each cycle so that they can maximise their chances of achieving pregnancy. For those who already have their family, it gives them confidence to enjoy their sexual relationship, while avoiding pregnancy, by simply confining intercourse to the naturally infertile phases of the cycle.
 
To use NFP effectively, couples should be taught by a trained NFP teacher, particularly when wishing to avoid pregnancy. There are several networks of teachers across the country. An initial face to face session allows a full introduction to the method. Later sessions are often conducted by email or skype.
 
Many "Fertility Apps" are available but CAUTION! Very few have a scientific evidence base and so do not come with proven reliability and effectiveness statistics. Each woman should learn to track her own signs, preferably with her own Teacher. She will then be taught to recognise her fertility signs and to interpret them reliably. The Natural Family Planning Teachers Association is planning a research project looking at "Fertility Apps" but for the present couples are advised to use them in combination with instruction from an accredited trained teacher.