Naprotechnology

Naprotechnology (also NaProTechnology® referring to the medical theories and values ​​presented in The Medical & Surgical Practice of NaProTechnology by Thomas W. Hilgers, published by Pope Paul VI Institute Press, Omaha, Nebraska, 2004) is a term referring to natural procreative technology, meaning medical methods and technologies  to support natural mechanisms of fertility, according to the individual physiology of woman’s menstrual cycles.

• The individual course of the woman’s cycle recognition allows you to specify its regularity, understanding the causes of the existing problems and the effective treatment..
• Many years of research on the menstrual cycle of women led to the determination of the regular cycles characteristics and the symptoms of disorders and pathological situations.
• The observations of cervical mucus characteristics and its changes during the cycle, recorded on Creighton observation card, are an excellent tool in the diagnosis of couples having problem with getting pregnant.
• The infertility treatments used in Naprotechnology depend on problems diagnosed for the particular couple: it might be a supplementation of vitamins and minerals, a special diet, a medication to improve semen and cervical mucus, a hormone therapy correlated with an individual course of the menstrual cycle, a  laser therapy and so-called close contact surgery.
• Naprotechnology can also be used as a natural method of birth control to avoid pregnancy.

Naprotechnology is rooted in the Billings’ Ovulation Method based on a very detailed observations of cervical mucus and the sensations in the area of the vaginal vestibule. Naprotechnology classifies the mucus symptoms according to the characteristics of fertility and standardizes them (according to Vaginal Discharge Recording System - VDRS). Naprotechnology is based on the years of  menstrual cycle and fertility observations which helped to store data on typical cycles of the regular course and identify unusual or pathological situations. Thanks to  this approach you can identify the causes of fertility problems or diagnose diseases and treat them effectively. The Creighton Model FertilityCare ™ System, used to conduct daily observations, is based on the study of mucus produced in the crypts (glands) of the cervix and seen on the external genitalia.

The observation card was introduced primarily for diagnostic purposes to identify the causes of the married couple fertility problems. It is also important to assess the biomarkers, in particular: the type and quantity of mucus, the dynamics of the changes, the length and course of the preovulatory phase, the length and stability of the postovulatory phase, the cycles length, the occurrence of spotting, the extending of brown spotting after menstruation, etc.

The problems Naprotechnology deals with:

•  Infertility of various etiologies (according to prof .Hilgers infertility can be diagnosed after a 6 months of observations and regular sexual intercourse and the effectiveness of the treatment is 50-80%);
• Unplanned pregnancy preventing; ;
• Endometriosis;
• Pelvic and fallopian tubes adhesions;
• Miscarriages;
• Premature Births;
• Polycystic ovary syndrome;
• Premenstrual syndrome;
• Postpartum depression;
• Irregular bleedings;
• Low progesterone level;
• Fibroids and fibroid tumors of the reproductive organs;
• Symptoms of the premenopausal period (removal of unpleasant symptoms in 95% of cases);
• Control or even elimination of migraine headaches (50% efficiency).

Anomalies and irregularities which can be identified by the Creighton Model card:

1. Too short cervical mucus phase and the presence of poor quality mucus can cause some problems with fertility. In the case of completely dry cycles estradiol 17β and progesterone level is usually low. This course is characteristic for the improper follicular phase, that is the growth and maturation of the follicle, and it often causes abnormal luteal phase, the development and functioning of the corpus luteum.
2. The short cervical mucus phase with the lengthened luteal phase (the time after the mucus peak is longer than 16 days) suggesting the follicle which has not cracked. It is an ovulation defect associated with the lower level of estrogens and progesterone.
3. Too short postovulatory phase (Post Peak), indicating a corpus luteum insufficiency and inadequate production of progesterone, which can cause an inability to sustain a possible pregnancy.
4. The appearance of brown or black spotting in the postovulatory phase of the cycle, or just before the next menstruation, usually indicating a suboptimal level of progesterone. The inadequate endometrium support by hormones secreted by the corpus luteum usually leads to problems with the implantation of the embryo and can cause recurrent miscarriages.
5. The lack of the mucus phase that may indicate an absence of the ovulation, and in combination with the rare occurrence of menstruation - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
6. The occurrence of any abnormal bleeding or significant extending of the light bleeding and spotting that can mean very serious disorders  and they require an immediate inspection at the doctor.
7. Variations in the length of the postovulatory phase exceeding 4 days may indicate
    (according to professor Hilgers) a breast cancer disposition in the future.
8. Severe pain during menstruation - often caused by endometriosis.
9. The PMS symptoms observed before the first  menstruation caused by a deficiency of progesterone (the same applies to postpartum depression).

The main goal of Naprotechnology is to teach patients how to observe their natural rhythm of fertility. This detailed, conducted for  at least 3-4-months observation is intended to diagnose any abnormalities that may cause the failure in conceiving a child.

The next stage of this method is a regular analysis of the physiological and biochemical parameters for several months. These observations lead to the determination of the existing hormonal or anatomical disorders. Any anomalies that are not diagnosed and left untreated, can cause pathological changes in the genital area, hypertension, strokes or osteoporosis. Determining the source of these disorders and anomalies allows for an effective treatment and prevention.

Naprotechnology doctors emphasize the making use of the available medical technology such as: ultrasound, analysis of hormone levels and their designation with reference to the individual woman’s cycle course, medication and close contact surgery. Decisions of  the type of treatment are taken accordingly to the woman’s menstrual cycle physiology. Depending on the type of disease and the cause of  infertility Naprotechnology uses various therapeutic procedures, such as: a vitamin supplementation and a tailored diet, a pharmacotherapy to improve the production of mucus or semen, a laser treatment of endometriosis, a pharmacological induction of  an ovulation, fallopian tubes patency, or even operations which correct an anatomy of the uterus and fallopian tubes.