Learn to identify healthy patterns or health problems. (90 minutes)

Participants learn to understand the cycle—both its biomarkers and the underlying hormonal activity—as an indicator of their overall health. They are taught the phases of the cycle with an emphasis on the time of ovulation, the dominant hormonal activity in each phase, and what biomarker observations within each phase are necessary for a woman to be considered healthy. Attention is given to the understanding of the cycle as a holistic fertile process, which is fundamental to understanding cycle variations. The session includes analysis of various cycle types, including those of health concern. Exercises, Q&A, and case studies accompany this session.

Learn to manage your fertility. (90 minutes)

In this session, participants are taught the principles of FEMM Family Planning. The session includes a review of male and female reproductive physiology, the dominant reproductive hormones, and the key stages in and differences between male and female fertility throughout reproductive life. With regard to family planning, the key event in a woman’s cycle is ovulation, and so participants learn to relate cycle biomarkers to ovulation and a woman’s fertility. Primary biomarkers are estrogenic cervical fluid and the surge of the luteinizing hormone (LH) just prior to ovulation. Participants apply this knowledge to identifying ovulation and fertility in variable cycle types. Exercises, Q&A, and case studies accompany this session.