title: Effectiveness of a Natural Family Planning Service Program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to determine and compare extended use-effectiveness of an online nurse-managed fertility education service program among women (and subgroups of women) seeking to avoid pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 24-month prospective study of a university-based online Web site with 663 nonbreastfeeding women using an online charting system to avoid pregnancy. Participants tracked their fertility online with either cervical mucus monitoring, electronic hormonal fertility monitoring, or both fertility indicators. Unintended pregnancies were validated by professional nurses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants had a mean age of 30.4 years (SD = 6.3) and mean 1.7 children (SD = 2.0). Among the 663 nonbreastfeeding participants there were 2 unintended pregnancies per 100 at 24 cycles of correct use and 15 pregnancies at 24 cycles of typical use. However, the 212 women using the electronic fertility monitor had a typical use unintended pregnancy rate of 6 at 24 cycles of use in comparison with the 118 women using cervical mucus monitoring that had a typical use pregnancy rate of 19 at 24 cycles and with the 333 women using both fertility indicators that had a pregnancy rate of 18 at 24 cycles of use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of the fertility monitor to estimate fertility among nonbreastfeeding women provides the most secure method of avoiding pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Richard J. Fehring is a Professor Emeritus and Director, Institute for Natural Family Planning, Marquette University, College of Nursing, Milwaukee, WI. The author can be reached via e-mail at Richard.fehring@marquette.edu Mary Schneider is an Assistant Director, Institute for Natural Family Planning, Marquette University, College of Nursing, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fehring
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D012252:Natural Family Planning Methods / Q000592:standards*; D010061:Ovulation Detection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000592:standards; D011247:Pregnancy; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data