NFP Charts and Information

Couples and individuals who use the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Method, Cervical Mucus Method, the Symptothermal Method, and those who wish to record their fertility observations, may view and print the Natural Family Planning Chart for personal use.

View and print a PDF version of the Temperature Chart. (46K PDF file) This file format requires that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.

To download Adobe Acrobat Reader, go to http://www.adobe.com/supportservice/custsupport/download.html

An example of a completed NFP Temperature Chart

View and print the above example of the completed NFP Temperature Chart (357K PDF file).

How to Complete the
Natural Family Planning Chart

The Natural Family Planning Chart can be used with the Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Method, Cervical Mucus Method, and/or the Symptothermal Method. It can also be used for Fertility Awareness Observation.
In the Cycle Length Box:

• Write the number of days in the shortest of your previous six menstrual cycles.
• Subtract 19 from the length of the shortest cycle and write this number in the next box. (For example, 28-19=9). Then, draw a vertical line before this cycle day on your chart.
• Write the length of this cycle after the cycle is over. Your cycle begins on the first day of bleeding and ends the day before your next menstrual bleeding.
• Count the number of days between one bleeding and the next.

In the Temperature Box:

• Record the time of day you usually take your basal body temperature.

In the Menstrual Cycle Day Box:

• The line of numbers at the bottom of the temperature chart represent the days of your menstrual cycle, starting with the first day of your period. Each day you have sexual intercourse, circle the corresponding day of your menstrual cycle.

To Record Temperature:

This is an example of one woman's
temperatures during one cycle

• After taking your temperature each morning upon waking, put a dot in the middle of the square which corresponds to your temperature on that particular date.
• Connect the dots each day with a straight line.
• After recording your temperature for the first ten days of the cycle, draw a horizontal line on the line just above the highest of the normal low temperatures recorded during those first ten days. This is called the cover line.
• Once your daily temperature goes above this cover line, draw a vertical line just before the temperature rise.
• Count 1,2,3 temperatures above the cover line.

To Record Cervical Secretions:

This is an example one woman's observed
cervical secretions (marked in purple)

• After checking the feel, look and touch of your secretions throughout the day, fill in the box that best describes your most fertile secretion for that day of your cycle. At the end of each day, mark the box for only one of the following options:
  • period, for days of menstrual bleeding
  • dry, no secretions seen or felt
  • thick, cloudy or sticky secretions
  • wet, slippery, transparent or stretchy secretions

To Record Changes in the Cervix:

This is an example one woman's
cervical changes (marked in purple)

• If you choose to check the cervix, fill in the box that best describes the position, feel, and openness of the cervix. At the end of each day, mark the box that best describes the changes in the cervix position: - low, firm or closed cervix - high, soft or open cervix

To Record Comments:

Example of one woman's comments

• Use the comments section at the bottom of the chart to record other signs of fertility, disturbances, schedule changes and other things that may influence your interpretation of the chart.

For Natural Family Planning, follow the rules of your method and mark the fertile days with a bracket.