October 31, 2022


MILWAUKEE – The Marquette Model of Natural Family Planning and Fertility Awareness Method, a product of Marquette University College of Nursing, has been named an Academy Edge Runner by the American Academy of Nursing, recognizing their ingenuity and collaboration in developing a new way to deliver care and promote health equity.

Eleven new models of care have been named Edge Runners and recognized at the 2022 Health Policy Conference, October 27-29, in Washington, D.C. Each Edge Runner is an innovative model of care or intervention, grounded in evidence-based, nurse-designed, with proven results to improve health, impact costs and influence policy.

“The Institute for Natural Family Planning is a source of pride for the College of Nursing in its innovative, science-based approach to supporting women and couples considering starting a family,” said Dr. Jill Guttormson, acting dean of the Middle School. nursing care. “The institute contributes to the advancement of knowledge in this very important field. Through scientific innovation, international collaboration and training, the Marquette Method is an excellent example of those models of care that the AAN recognizes as “Edge Runners”.

Marie-SchneiderThe Marquette Institute for NFP has been providing professional services since 1985. In 1999, a new NFP method was developed that used the ClearBlue Easy Fertility Monitor. Today, the Marquette Model of NFP uses an algorithm that helps women and couples find their fertile window by interpreting these biological signs of fertility. These signs of fertility are manifested by the activity of reproductive hormones present in the urine, changes in cervical mucus and/or fluctuations in basal body temperature. The purpose of using natural biological signs of fertility is to help women and couples identify the day closest to ovulation and reduce the estimated fertile window. This improves the objectivity and effectiveness of the method for women and couples wishing to avoid or achieve pregnancy.

The method is taught by specially trained healthcare professionals in an asynchronous online teaching environment. Healthcare professionals trained in the Marquette Method help new learners gain confidence in managing and self-interpreting a woman’s natural biological signs of fertility. Biological signs of fertility are important in understanding women’s menstrual and reproductive health.

Dr. Richard Fehring, Emeritus Professor of Nursing, is one of the principal developers of the Marquette Method and the first director of the NFP Institute at Marquette. He was recognized alongside Dr. Mary Schneider, the current director of the institute, and Susanna Crespo, coordinator and Spanish teacher, among others.

About the American Academy of Nursing

The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Scholars are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improving health locally and globally. With more than 2,900 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.


About Kevin Conway

Kevin Conway

Kevin is the Associate Director of Academic Communications in the Office of Academic Relations. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or [email protected].