(EWTN Online Services highly recommends the new edition of "The
Art of Natural Family Planning" by John and Sheila Kippley.)
The Art of Natural Family Planning by John and Sheila Kippley
Newly published 4th edition
The Definitive Book on NFP: Not a Revision -- New from the Ground
Up
529 pages
reviewed by Marilyn Shannon
Those of us who use NFP know that it's far more than just a means
of spacing births. It's a way of life. Yes, NFP is practical and
physical; the wife's cycles, her nutrition, her overall health and
her age may all affect its use. Yet it deeply involves the
interpersonal, as the cycles of embrace and abstinence depend upon
the mutual agreement between husband and wife. Its interpersonal
aspects also include the child, for NFP centers on the call to
have or to avoid having a baby. Beyond the physical and
interpersonal, though, it encompasses the spiritual and moral:
What is God's plan for our lives? Our marriage? Our family? What
does the Church teach? Why?
The new Art of Natural Family Planning, 4th edition, is a big book
(529 large pages) which covers every facet of this way of life. It
remarkably combines comprehensive breadth and depth with practical
simplicity. In writing it, the Kippleys have obviously made two
commitments -- first, to include every and all topics that relate
to NFP, from newlywed days through menopause; and second, to make
this information simple to find and easy to understand. How can
thoroughness and depth combine with ease of use? The answer is in
the style. The Kippleys address the reader directly and
informally. The print is large, the margins are wide, and the
chapters are short and focused. For instance, in Part I, which
covers the observation of the signs of fertility and the rules for
interpreting them, the chapter titles act as distinct signposts.
"Getting Started with Temperatures," "Getting Started with Mucus,"
"How to Interpret Your Temperature Pattern," and "How to Interpret
Your Mucus Pattern" are all separate chapters. Even the guidelines
for shaving irregular high temperatures are in their own short but
nicely illustrated chapter. The new book also pulls together the
best features of several other CCL publications. For example, like
the old home study workbook, most chapters end with "Self-Test
Questions" which will quickly expose misunderstanding among those
who are using the book as a review or as a self-study course. The
Practical Applications Workbook, assigned for practice in the
formal courses, is incorporated as Part II of the new Art. Updated
information previously available only in CCL's excellent new
pamphlets on tubal ligation and vasectomy now appears in Chapter
1. I am particularly delighted to see "Practical Helps for Seeking
Pregnancy," a pamphlet with key recommendations on health habits,
nutrition, timing of intercourse, and so forth, integrated into
one of the chapters on infertility.
The Physical
When it comes to the "nuts and bolts" of NFP, you may be surprised
to learn that several of the basic Sympto-Thermal rules have been
modified. Rule B to establish post-ovulatory infertility is now
useable even if the three rising or elevated temperatures are not
quite consecutive. Rule R now allows "shaving" of one irregular
high temperature. The shaving rules themselves have been changed.
The pre-shift base has been renamed the "low temperature level;"
the thermal shift level is now the "high temperature level." These
changes reflect both the ongoing refinement of the method itself
and the move toward simpler terminology. The 4th edition maintains
the Kippleys' previous commitment to ecological breastfeeding, in
fact expanding this topic to two chapters. Even more good reasons
to breastfeed are given compared to the older editions. For
example, Sheila Kippley now includes the value of breastmilk to
brain development of the child, and she provides updated research
on breastfeeding's ability to lower the risk of breast cancer. The
second chapter on breastfeeding offers many helpful guidelines for
detecting the gradual return of fertility during breastfeeding;
readers familiar with the earlier editions will notice that it is
much easier to use than before. Completely new to the book is an
interesting discussion of whether a moral obligation to breastfeed
exists.
New but Already Indispensable
On original chapter on drugs and fertility, written by Paul
Weckenbrock, R.Ph., CCL Central's pharmacist and Director of
Teacher Training, is a high point of the new Art. In the past,
Paul has spent many hours on the phase answering questions about
how particular medications affect the mucus and temperature signs.
How, you can quickly look up the answer yourself. The chapter
covers medications class by class, and each drug profile includes
a subtitle, "Common effects on fertility cycle." Other comments
identify drugs which may cause birth defects, drugs which may
cause breast tenderness, and drugs which may encourage yeast
infections. Acne drugs, analgesics, antibiotics, antidepressants,
and antihistamines begin the list of drug classes. Brand names are
included; for example, under "Hormones," Premarin, Provera,
Synthroid and many more are listed. In this section I discovered
that fertility drugs such as Clomid "...will most likely cause a
drying effect on the cervical mucus. . . Also, the cervix will
most likely not show the normal changes..." I was also surprised
to find that common painkillers such as Motrin and Advil can
decrease mucus and delay ovulation. Believe me, this chapter will
be an essential reference in my NFP counseling, starting now!
Paul's innovative contribution will surely result in a higher
method effectiveness for all NFP users, particularly those who
choose to use mucus-only methods. No such work has ever been
published before; marketed separately, it would probably cost half
the price of the entire Art.
Also new is a complete chapter on miscarriages. This chapter is a
perfect example of the synthesis of the physical, the
interpersonal and the spiritual that is characteristic of the
entire book. It provides possible explanations for several of the
known causes of miscarriage, particularly for the common but often
puzzling losses that occur without apparent development of the
tiny child. It moves on to preventive steps -- improving
nutritional habits, avoiding X-rays, avoiding medications, and a
number of other suggestions. It also debunks a couple of myths --
that intercourse at the margins of the fertile time ("old" sperm
or "old" egg) is related to miscarriage; and that exercise,
lifting or running cause miscarriage.
A section on what to do if you have a pregnancy loss reviews the
physical events as well as the spiritual aspects. In a touching
anecdote, the Kippleys share their own experiences with the three
miscarriages that they have suffered. The define "conditional"
baptism and recount John's conditional baptism of their 13-week-
old son, whose body they recovered after a miscarriage. They
relate how they were able to bury the child in a Catholic
cemetery. A sidebar by CCL board member, Dr. Joy Kondash,
recommends that such children be named and their dates entered in
the family record book. The sidebars, by the way, that appear here
and there in the margins are another nice feature. They are like
little asides, many of them comments that the reviewers made
during the preparation of the book. In fact, I made an
embarrassing number of them myself, not expecting to see them in
print! A similar helpful feature is the subtitling in large print
in the margins. Comprehensive as the new edition is -- and it is
exhaustively comprehensive -- it is really easy to find the topic
you're looking for. For example, the chapter, "Cycle
Irregularities" has these sidebar subtitles: "Eat right,"
"Exercise right," "Consider night light," "Medical checkup,"
"Anovulatory cycles," "Premenstrual spotting," and so forth. In
the chapter on achieving pregnancy, the margins carry in large
print, "Pre-pregnancy nutrition," "The proper timing," "Knowing
you are pregnant," "Estimating your due date," "Sex during
pregnancy," and "Trying to pre-select the sex of your baby."
Unlike the old editions, which were primarily reference manuals,
this book is a browser's delight.
The Moral
The new Art of Natural Family Planning has greatly expanded
coverage of moral considerations. That most difficult question --
do we have a serious reason to avoid a pregnancy? -- is dealt with
thoroughly yet practically in a beautiful chapter, "Planning,
Providence and Prudence." The chapter strikes a perfect balance
between "the call to generosity and the call to Christian
prudence." Many couples of good will will be greatly helped by a
section called "Sufficiently Serious Reasons." It offers the most
practical guidelines I have ever seen to couples trying to discern
whether or not they are called to conceive. For example, the
emotional and energy reserves of the parents and the ability to
educate already born children are discussed as potentially serious
reasons to postpone or to avoid another pregnancy. Conversely, the
Kippleys exhort newlyweds to avoid the traps of materialism and
debt so that children can soon be welcomed into the home.
For couples struggling with infertility, an entire chapter
illuminates the moral issues involved in the new reproductive
technologies such as in vitro fertilization. Using analogy,
examples from other cultures, and a careful explanation of the
Catholic document, Donum Vitae, the book eloquently defends God's
plan for marriage and children. It exposes the abortion and other
moral disasters that result when technology rather than religion
defines the limits of procreation. The title is aptly and
sensitively named, "Thy Will Be Done."
There and other moral concerns are discussed from the perspective
of the Catholic Church, but I must assert to all my brothers and
sisters in Christ, no matter what your denomination: Despite other
agreements you may have with Catholic belief, the Catholic
teachings on procreation are a beacon of light for all in this age
of sexual darkness. Couples of all faiths will certainly benefit
from the emphasis on Catholic documents which are extensively
quoted in the chapters which deal with moral issues.
Menopause, and Much More
The thorough new chapter on the premenopausal time will be a
welcome guide to women in their forties and fifties. The chapter
clearly explains this period as a natural life transition caused
by changes in the ovaries. Many questions are answered: When will
it start? How long does it last? What will the cycles be like? The
Kippleys discuss common symptoms of this natural life transition,
and suggest nutritional improvements first. They take a stand
against hormonal replacement therapy(HRT) because of its
association with breast cancer. Also, they are cautious about the
unknowns: "The enthusiasm for HRT concerns us because there was
this same sort of enthusiasm for the Pill in the Sixties." They
balance their opinions by noting that HRT does help ward off
osteoporosis.
The chapter uses graphs and statistics to illustrate the sharp
decline of fertility in the forties. It emphasizes the important
point that "fertility declines during your premenopausal years
even though you may have every external sign of fertility." Unlike
most writers who assume that all older women are delighted to
experience the inability to become pregnant, the Kippleys have a
section on "Pregnancy during premenopause" for those who wish to
conceive. It contains accurate data about the incidence of Down
Syndrome in older mothers. However, for the majority who will be
avoiding pregnancy during the premenopause, a great deal of
specific new advice will help such couples to confidently use NFP,
even if great cycle irregularity occurs. There are numerous other
improvements throughout the new Art. It contains excellent new
information on effectiveness, which will be reassuring to NFP
users and convincing to their critics. It has a complete section
on educating your physician and clergyman. It even has a chapter
on overcoming PMS. I would never have guessed that the mature
insights for dealing with abstinence, which have been an
outstanding feature of the old editions, could be significantly
improved upon. But they have been. Numerous gems of wisdom are
sprinkled throughout the recognizable old chapter on marriage
building through NFP.
Here's a question that may be on your mind since you probably
already own a copy of an earlier edition of The Art of Natural
Family Planning: Should you spend the money to purchase the new
Art? Even if your budget is tight, my answer is an unqualified
yes. NFP works only through knowledge, and the 4th edition expands
that knowledge base in all directions. What is between the covers
of this book will assist you from your newlywed days through the
years following menopause. Cycle irregularity, pregnancy,
breastfeeding, miscarriage, drugs you might take, premenopause
changes -- it's a lifetime guide. Should infertility be your
cross, the new Art contains essential self-help information you
will find nowhere else. Its chapters on marriage building and
discerning your family size will foster Godly, self-giving love,
even during the rough times. The moral perspectives illuminated in
the book will guide you in safeguarding your health, your marriage
and ultimately your immortal soul.
May I make a suggestion for those who are materially blessed?
Donate a copy of the new Art to your church or public library.
Through your charity this beautiful book can then minister to
other couples, fertile or infertile. To the extent that The Art of
Natural Family Planning , 4th edition, is read and its counsels
heeded, the health, the family life and the morals of all society
will be leavened.
To purchase this book please contact:
The Couple to Couple League
P.O. Box 111184
Cincinnati, Ohio 45211-1184
ph: 513-471-2000
Email address:
[email protected]
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