Sympto-Hormonal Method: Marquette
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- Tell us a little about yourself.I am happiest when spending time outdoors with my dogs, my horses, and my husband. Our bar cart is always stocked with good whiskey, and dog hair seems to be a permanent fixture in my home, despite my best efforts! My husband and I look forward to soon finding our own little homestead for all the critters.
- What effects has fertility awareness had on your relationship?Fertility awareness has absolutely enriched our relationship and taken our marriage to another level. Abstinence periods are not without their (definite) struggles, but we both feel that the overall transition has been worth it. We share about fertility mainly through conversation, and we have found that a little humor can go a long way in navigating the challenges. I cannot believe that I used hormonal birth control for as long as I did with such little knowledge about my own health. It has been an eye-opening experience to see how society treats women, their bodies, and their fertility through the lens of fertility awareness. In fact, it is astounding that the Catholic church is the only one that seems to advocate for fertility awareness. Even then, parishes across the nation (and probably the world) could do a better job of providing support and education to women. My husband and I were drawn to the idea of NFP after hearing about it during our marriage prep, but I don't recall receiving many concrete resources or directions for 'next steps' with NFP. How grateful I am that we revisited the topic a few years later!
- How did you find your instructor?I found my instructor through pretty diligent online searching... I think I started with Marquette University's list of instructors and looked into each person who had a website. Cost for a private initial instruction session and one year of follow up was a combined $140.
- Describe your daily charting routine.I have been off of the NuvaRing and using Marquette for almost a year. I mainly just use the urine test strips with the Clearblue fertility monitor, but I casually keep track of mucus during my fertile window as well. Charting my fertility has been much simpler than I imagined it to be before starting, and I value the knowledge that I have gained about my body and health.
- What made you choose this method?Efficacy and ease of use/integration into daily routine were the two biggest deciding factors for me. I did NOT want to take my temperature every day because it did not seem like something I could easily incorporate into my lifestyle. I have a friend who uses the Marquette method, and I listened to some podcasts with speakers singing the praises of the Marquette method, so I also felt confident in these various recommendations. A drawback could be the cost of test strips and the monitor.
- Has charting helped you to understand your overall health?It absolutely has helped me understand my health, though I am fortunate to not have discovered any abnormalities.
