Research

Research and Scholarship in NFP
For the past five years, Marquette University College of Nursing INFP has developed and presented a yearly scholarly National NFP Conference. In 2002, the INFP collaborated with the Diocesan Development Program (DDP) of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to provide a National NFP Conference titled "Integrating Faith and Science Through Natural Family Planning." The conference was held on June 21-23, 2002 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. National and international experts in NFP presented scientific and scholarly papers on NFP and related topics. A proceedings book of the conference is available through the Marquette University Press.

The Marquette University College of Nursing INFP also collaborates with the DDP/USCCB in editing and writing current medical research (CMR), a supplement of the NFP forum. CMR is published biannually through the DDP/NFP, USCCB. http://www.usccb.org/prolife/cmr.htm

The staff of the INFP is currently involved with a number of collaborative research projects in NFP. One is a multi-site effectiveness study of the Marquette model (i.e. hormonal monitoring) of NFP. Another study, in collaboration with the Georgetown University Institute for Reproductive Health, involves the statistical analysis of the Standard Days Method (SDM) of NFP. In addition, we are collaborating with the Saint Louis University Nursing Center for Fertility Education in developing a breastfeeding protocol with use of the Clearblue fertility monitor.

Professional Innovative NFP Services
Marquette University College of Nursing has been providing professional services in NFP since 1985. In 1999 a new method of NFP was developed at Marquette University that integrates new technology (the Clearblue Easy Fertility Monitor - Unipath Diagnostics) with traditional natural biological markers of fertility. http://www.clearplan.com

The ClearPlan/Clearblue monitor is a hand-held device used to measure urinary female hormones that can help a woman confidently determine her fertile time. The Marquette Model of NFP is currently being evaluated in a number of cities in the United States including Milwaukee, Madison, Atlanta and Saint Louis.