Washington Post examines 'Natural Family Planning' Centers

The Washington Post on Thursday examined "natural family planning" centers, which "tailor" the type of care provided with the religious beliefs of the physicians.

At NFP clinics, physicians teach NFP techniques -- including monitoring a woman's temperature and other signals to time intercourse to control pregnancy timing -- while "shunning" birth control, emergency contraception, intrauterine devices, sterilization, in vitro fertilization and abortion, according to the Post.

Some opponents of NFP say that the practice is "segregating medicine along religious lines" and that people using the clinics are not being informed about all the options.

In addition, opponents of NFP are "especially alarmed about the consequences" of NFP centers for people in "poor or rural areas with few alternatives," the Post reports.

Advocates of NFP say that the practice allows physicians to avoid conflict with people who want services with which the practitioner does not agree.

In addition, advocates say that the NFP approach provides an alternative to commonly used medicines and devices that some physicians believe can negatively effect a patient's personal life.

According to the Post, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not have a formal position on NFP.

"If women know before selecting [NFP centers], then it's quite a legitimate thing to do and might meet the needs of many women and doctors," Anita Nelson of the University of California-Los Angeles and ACOG spokesperson, said, adding, "But if you hang out your shingle that says 'All-purpose ob-gyn' and don't offer certain services, that's false advertising."

Nearly 500 physicians have registered on an Ohio-based Web site to practice NFP.

However the actual number of practices that offer only NFP is unknown, according to the Post (Stein, Washington Post, 8/31).