Creighton Model NaProEducation Technology for avoiding pregnancy. Use effectiveness.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use effectiveness of Creighton Model (CrM) NaProEducation Technology for avoiding pregnancy.


METHODS
CrM is a medical model of natural procreation education that is a fully standardized modification of the Billings ovulation method. This system has been used as a means to avoid pregnancy and has been prospectively evaluated in five use effectiveness studies. A prospective life-table analysis of the five studies (meta-analysis) was undertaken, yielding both net and gross rates. Discontinuation rates were also calculated. These studies were conducted at CrM centers in Omaha, St. Louis, Wichita, Houston, and Milwaukee.


RESULTS
A total of 1,876 couples used CrM NET for a total of 17,130.0 couple months of use. The method and use effectiveness rates for avoiding pregnancy were 99.5 and 96.8 at the 12th ordinal month and 99.5 and 96.4 at the 18th ordinal month, respectively. The discontinuation rate was 11.3% at the 12th ordinal month and 12.1% at the 18th ordinal month.


CONCLUSIONS
CrM is highly effective as a means of avoiding pregnancy in both its method and use effectiveness. The method effectiveness has remained stable over the years of the studies, but the use effectiveness for avoiding pregnancy appears to have improved over the study period.
Hilgers
T W
TW
Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction, Omaha, Nebraska 68106, USA.
Stanford
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012252:Natural Family Planning Methods; D010061:Ovulation Detection; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012577:Schools, Medical