THE COUPLE BEAD METHOD
A Fertility Awareness and Natural Family Planning Program
The Couple Bead Method builds and supports relational health and is part of health catechesis for married couples. With “Couple Beads”, a husband and wife learn to observe and chart the infertile and fertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle and use this knowledge to achieve or avoid pregnancy.
As a visual-based system charted by using inexpensive colored beads, the CBM can be used by couples of all educational and income levels. The CBM is ideally taught after couples go through “The Faithful House” program. Renewing their marriage and creating a platform of respect and improved communication sets the stage for successful use of Natural Family Planning.
The CBM is based upon scientific studies that show there is only a six-day time frame a woman can conceive each menstrual cycle. If a couple has intercourse during the fertile window, conception is possible. If they have intercourse outside of the fertile window, then conception is not possible.
The CBM offers a natural, non-hormonal alternative to artificial contraception. In addition to its role in healthy child spacing, educating women about their fertility cycle provides a means for them to monitor their hormonal and overall health. Such monitoring is important in resource-limited settings where chronic disease and sub-standard nutrition may affect a woman’s endocrine and ovulatory function.
Like the Faithful House, the Couple Bead Method, encourages couple respect, communication, faithfulness and sharing of life tasks and responsibilities. With the CBM, women are freed from the short- and long-term side effects of hormonal contraception and the couple does not have to pay for ongoing contraceptive supplies.
WHY NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING?
What are the benefits of Natural Family Planning?
MEDICAL BENEFITS
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NFP teaches a couple to understand their bodies and their combined fertility.
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NFP works with fertility, rather than masking it or overriding it.
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NFP can be used by women to help women track their hormonal and general health. It can help doctors help identify problems such as infertility, thyroid dysfunction and polycystic ovarian syndrome.
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NFP is 100% natural, no artificial hormones or devices, adding no artificial hormones or devices to your body, and has no harmful side effects.
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NFP is effective for both achieving and avoiding pregnancy, and has helped many couples struggling with infertility to conceive.
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NFP can be used throughout a woman’s reproductive life (e.g., post-partum, breastfeeding, perimenopause, etc.).
RELATIONAL BENEFITS
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NFP respects and honors God’s design for married love and human sexuality and is deeply aligned with cultural and religious values in Africa.
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NFP values children as a natural end of both sexuality and of marriage and always respects their life beginning at conception.
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NFP fosters respect for and acceptance of the total person and the complementarity of women and men.
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NFP requires mutual responsibility by both husband and wife, and promotes couple communication.
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NFP inspires other forms of intimacy and bonding during times of abstinence.
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The bead sets used in the CBM can be made for 8 US dollars and once learned does not require further expenditures. This is important for many segments of the population in Africa, where the average couple cannot afford the ongoing costs of artificial contraception.
What is Birth Spacing?
Optimal birth spacing is defined as inter-birth intervals between 2 and 5 years. Birth intervals shorter than 24 months are associated with increased risk of maternal mortality, more adverse birth outcomes such as stillbirth and prematurity as well as childhood stunting. Long birth spacing (greater than 5 years) is also linked to adverse birth outcomes and increased risks of obstetrical problems.
NFP leads to optimal birth spacing by promoting exclusive breast feeding for 6 months, prolonged breastfeeding up to two years, appropriate introduction of complementary infant feeding at 6 months and careful application of NFP in the breast feeding transition. As well, NFP, provides education and support for the holistic care of mothers during the postpartum time frame– helping them be physically, nutritionally and relationally healthy after the birth of a child.
By attending to optimal birth spacing and the health of the mother, NFP promotes and supports the well-being of the whole family.
*If you would like to learn more about the Couple Bead Method, and receive a copy of our training manual, please contact MLI at maternallifeinfo@gmail.com