Restorative Reproductive Medicine

What is Restorative Reproductive Medicine?

Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) is an approach to evaluation and management of common gynecologic problems and concerns about fertility that seeks to identify causes, restore proper function, promote healing, and ultimately respect the natural design of the human body and human sexuality. The foundation of RRM is the utilization of Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABMs) that equip the woman with understanding of her natural fertility cycles, empower the couple with confidence to meet their family planning goals, and inform medical investigation and treatment to restore or optimize normal reproductive function.

For more information, please visit IIRRM.org.

What are Fertility Awareness Based Methods?

Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABMs) are methods of family planning in which a woman observes external signs (“biomarkers”) that reflect underlying hormonal changes and combines it with an effective set of instructions to help identify times during the woman’s cycle when pregnancy can or cannot occur. Using this information, couples may choose whether to engage in sexual intercourse according to their desire to achieve or avoid pregnancy. Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a more familiar term, and highlights that these methods are based on observations of natural signs and exclude the use of artificial barriers or chemicals.

Charting is the term often used to describe the FABM practice by which a woman or couple tracks the external signs, times of fertility, and sexual intimacy. Charting can be used for health monitoring, evaluation/treatment of gynecologic concerns, and helping couples meet their fertility goals.

There are several well-proven effective FABMs available to women. A wonderful resource to explore evidence-based information on FABMs is the Fertility Appreciation Collaborative to Teach the Science (FACTS), which can be found at https://www.FactsAboutFertility.org/what-is-charting/.

What is NaProTechnology and FEMM?

NaProTechnology, or Natural Procreative Technology, specifically uses the Creighton FertilityCare charting system as the basis for medical evaluation and treatment. You can learn more at NaProTechnology.com.

FEMM is another fertility awareness model and medical system that uses a proprietary set of observations and a sleek smartphone app as the basis for helping women achieve their health and reproductive goals. You can learn more at FEMMHealth.org.

What Does Dr. Holly Do?

Dr. Holly is a certified medical consultant in both the Creighton Model FertilityCare and NaProTechnology, as well as the FEMM medical model. She is also personally familiar with Symptothermal and Marquette methods of family planning. She endorses and highly encourages using FABMs for health monitoring and family planning! She loves to talk about the many benefits and help women/couples find the fit that is right for them!

Consistent with the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare, Dr. Holly does not condone, promote, prescribe, or refer for contraception, sterilization, or abortion.

The following is an example of the process of evaluation and management with Dr. Holly:
1. Charting your cycles (Creighton and FEMM are recommended)
2. Complete patient history packet – meet to review your history, problems, and goals
3. Obtain and review any pertinent records
4. Evaluation (often includes blood work, ultrasound, and physical examination)
5. Follow Up to review results of evaluation and develop treatment plan
6. Follow Up every 1-3 months (in person or virtually) while implementing treatment plan
7. Between appointments, Dr. Holly is available for questions, concerns, or confusion that may arise before subsequent follow up appointments.

Where Can I Learn to Chart?

Dr. Holly strongly encourages all women/couples to learn and use FABMs through a trained instructor, teacher, or practitioner for their chosen FABM method. Dr. Holly does NOT teach women or couples how to chart their fertility cycles.

Availability of teachers can be variable. Please contact our office for the latest list of recommended teachers.