e-Publications@Marquette

Funding Agency: US Department of Health & Human Services: Office of Family Planning
Award number: FPRPA006034-02-01
Investigators:

• Dr. Richard J. Fehring
• Mary Schneider

Abstract
The Institute for Natural Family Planning at Marquette will conduct research in two internet-supported methods of natural family planning (NFP). The two methods are (1) electronic hormonal fertility monitoring (EHFM), and (2) the cervical mucous method (CMM). The goals of the research are to: (1) assess and compare the efficacy of these two methods; (2) determine the users' satisfaction with each method; and (3) compare the level of motivation of couples using EHFM and CMM.
The study is the first randomized clinical trial comparing two methods of NFP to be performed in more than thirty years. It will take advantage of internet technologies to increase the ease of use of each method. Staff members from the Institute for Family Planning are available on line to answer questions on correct method use from study participants as well as from other NFP users. The study is planned to include 600 individuals and will be conducted over the course of three years, with the data being collected in the first two years.