Marquette University | Natural Family Planning

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Breastfeeding protocol
for fertility monitor

Breastfeeding protocol
for mucus

NFP and long cycles

NFP and short cycles

Perimenopause

NFP after using
hormonal contraception

Stress

Vaginal Hygiene
and Vaginal Infections

Premensteual Syndrome (PMS)

Continuous Mucus
and Other Body Fluids

Management of
Continuous Mucus

Return to fertility
after child birth

Medical referral
for women's health problems

NFP and unusual bleeding

NFP and Long Menstrual Cycles

A long menstrual cycle will occur when a woman ovulates later than usual in her menstrual cycle. This could happen in any cycle for many reasons, including stress, medications, or the natural changes of a maturing woman. In a long cycle, the biological markers of fertility, i.e., the peak day of cervical mucus, and the monitor peak will occur later in the cycle. The ClearBlue monitor is designed to monitor cycles up to 42 days in length. If you have cycles longer than 42 days, please consult with your NFP nurse for a special long cycle protocol. See instruction below for managing long cycles with cervical mucus monitoring.
(See Example Long Cycle Chart below)

Example of two long cycles within the first 6 cycles of charting with mucus:

Example of two long cycles with the second 6 cycles with the mucus sign:

Click to enlarge

THE BEGINNING OF FERTILITY:
1.	Fertility BEGINS on day 6 of the first 6 cycles.
2.	After 6 cycles, fertility BEGINS on the earliest day of “peak” type mucus during the last 6 cycles minus 6 days or the first "high" mucus reading - whichever comes first.

THE END OF FERTILITY:
3.	Fertility ENDS on the last “peak” day of cervical mucus plus 3 full days.
4.	After 6 cycles, fertility ENDS on the last “peak” day of the last 6 cycles plus 3 full days, or the last "peak" day of cervical mucus plus a count of 3 full days - whichever comes first.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MANAGEMENT OF MUCUS PATCHES
any days of High or Peak type mucus is fertile along with three full days after the last High or Peak mucus day.

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