Creighton Model FertilityCare System

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The Creighton Model FertilityCare System (CrMS) is another method of Natural Family Planning.  CrMS was developed by the Pope Paul VI Institute, founded in 1985 by Thomas W. Hilgers, MD.  It has developed into a whole system that can be used with medical specialists. The method itself claims to be a standardized variation of the Billings Ovulation Method, but there are some disagreements over that because BOM proponents say that the method is completely different. Either way there are both key similarities and key differences.

Like BOM, CrMS is a mucus only method.  There are no other symptoms that are charted or used to determine fertility. But, of the main differences is the way you check for cervical mucus and note its appearance.  With CrMS you determine the sensation by using toilet paper and if there is any visible mucus, finger testing is needed to figure out how stretchable it is.  Instead of using your own words, there are pictures for you to compare yours to when making note of it.  CrMS also requires or suggests Kegal’s to be done an hour after intercourse to expel seminal fluid.

While CrMS does use a sticker chart and many of the same stickers, it has a completely different meaning for each sticker.  The main reason I mention this is if you’re planning to switch from one method to the other it would be important to be aware of this.  CrMS uses a green stamp when you’re no longer dry, colored baby stamps when there’s more than two days of change, and yellow stickers are determined by the teacher. There are also different rules for figuring out the peak day and the essential sameness pattern.

Beyond being mucus only, the biggest similarity I’ve found is that it’s hard to find information on this method without actually taking the class.  And while some women do learn the method without it, CrMS does not recommend going the self taught route.

For more information:

http://www.creightonmodel.com/index.html

http://www.fertilitycare.org/creighton-model/

Image used under Creative Commons by User:Acaparadora (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-2.5 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)

Vanessa Pruitt, PLMHP, MS

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