Protocol for Determining Fertility While Breastfeeding and Not in Cycles

A protocol was developed and evaluated for nonovulating breastfeeding women to determine potential fertility with an electronic hormonal fertility monitor. The amount of required abstinence (i.e., days of potential fertility) through the first menstrual cycle indicated by the fertility monitor was significantly lower (17% of the total days) compared with the amount of abstinence (50% of the total days) indicated by the self-observation of cervical mucus

Efficacy of the Marquette Method of Natural Family Planning

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of the Marquette Method (MM) of natural family planning (NFP) as a method of avoiding pregnancy. Study Design and Methods: This was a 12-month retrospective evaluation of the MM system of NFP. Two hundred and four women (mean age, 28.6 years) and their male partners (mean age, 30.3 years) who sought to learn a method for avoiding pregnancy with the MM from four clinical sites were taught to track their fertility by self-observation of cervical mucus, by use of an electronic monitor that measures urinary levels of estrone-3-glucuronide and luteinizing hormone, and by use of basal body temperature. All unintended pregnancies were evaluated by professional nurses as to whether they were intended or not. Pregnancy rates over 12 months of use were determined by survival analysis. Results: There were a total of 12 unintended pregnancies, only 1 with correct use. The 12-month “correct use” pregnancy rate was 0.6 (i.e., 99.4% effective) and the “typical use” (total pregnancy rate) was 10.6 (i.e., 89.4% effective) per 100 users. Clinical Implications: When used correctly, the MM system of NFP is an effective means of avoiding pregnancy. The efficacy of the MM system includes proper preparation of the professional nurse NFP teachers

Current Medical Research: Summer/Fall 2017

This issue of Current Medical Research (CMR) includes studies that provide evidence that use of natural family planning (NFP) can be helpful for subfertile couples wishing to achieve a pregnancy, the effectiveness of a method of NFP during breastfeeding, and the effects of using NFP on marital relationships. This review also includes evidence on predicting the sex of a baby by timing intercourse, evidence that brain injuries can be reflected in changes in the menstrual cycle, and that women prefer methods of family planning that have no side effects. The issue ends with an in-depth review of new technologies that aid in the use of NFP. Topics covered include subfertile couples, breastfeeding, marriage, predicting the sex of a baby, brain injuries, and new technologies

MONTANA'S KELLOGG - EXTENSION EDUCATION PROJECT

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Basal Body Temperature Assessment: Is It Useful to Couples Seeking Pregnancy?

Advanced practice nurses in primary care settings are often asked to give appropriate advice to couples seeking pregnancy. This article examines the issue of basal body temperature (BBT), a time-honored way to establish the presence of ovulatory cycles, and asks if BBT is an outdated recommendation. The article also reviews the benefits and limitations of recommending BBT to couples seeking pregnancy in light of recent fecundity research

Influence of Motivation on the Efficacy of Natural Family Planning

Purpose: Mutual motivation is recognized as essential for effective behavioral methods of family planning. Few studies have studied this factor in family planning efficacy. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of mutual motivation on unintended pregnancy rates of couples who used natural family planning (NFP) methods to avoid pregnancy. Study Design and Methods: Using an online taught NFP method, 358women and ( their male partners) indicated “how much” and “how hard” they wished to avoid pregnancy on a scale of 0-10 before each menstrual cycle charted over 12 month of use. This motivation scale is used in the National Survey of Family Growth as a measure of motivation. All pregnancies were verified with an online pregnancy evaluation and urine based pregnancy test. A combined motivation score was used in analysis. Results: There were 28 pregnancies among the low motivation participants (N=60) and 16 among the high motivation participants (N=298). At 12 months of use, there were 75 pregnancies per 100 users for the low motivation group and only 8 for the high motivation group. There was an 80% greater likelihood of a pregnancy with the low motivation group (χ2 = 25.5, p \u3c .001) OR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.61-1.90). Clinical Implications: High motivation to avoid pregnancy by both the female user of a behavioral method of family planning and her male partner is required for high efficacy. Assessing motivation of both the woman and her male partner before prescribing NFP methods is recommended

One Year Later: September 11 and the Internet

Presents findings from a survey that looks at how the terror attacks affected Americans' views about access to online information, Internet use, and the Web after September 11. Contains scholarly studies built around analysis of hundreds of Web sites

Vowel duration in stressed position in central & northern varieties of standard Italian

We report the results of a pilot study investigating the effect of 2 regional accents on stressed vowel duration according to word-position and syllable type in Central v. Northern accents of Standard Italian. While there is overall convergence, we also find significant regional differences in some contexts, i.e. closed syllables, and antepenultimate position. We then consider the implications of our results for the phonological description and phonetic investigation of Italian