The Creighton Model System is a holistic system that recognizes that the sexuality of a woman is more than just what is going on in her ovaries; it involves all of her relationships, none more so than the relationship with her spouse. That is why it is so important that during times when genital activity is not possible for whatever reason, the couple has recourse to other forms of intimacy that ultimately strengthen their bond and deepen their relationship.

Below is the content of an educational handout we provide to our clients to help them seek out the SPICE in their own relationships.

SPICE stands for Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Communicative (or Creative) and Emotional ways of showing love and affection without genital contact.  During the days that you choose to avoid genital contact, don’t avoid each other!  Instead, plan SPICE activities in order to enhance your relationship.

Make a SPICE List:

• Make a list of ten non-genital activities that you enjoy—think loving and fun!

• Swap lists and talk about the activities.  Are there interests and activities that appeal to you both?

• Make a plan to do some of these activities.  For more spontaneity, write the individual activities on strips of paper and put the strips in a “SPICE jar.”  When you’re ready to have some SPICE fun, pull out a strip and do that activity.

Plan a Date Night:

• Make a “date” with your loved one.  This might be something as casual as going for a walk or as special as getting dressed up and going out to eat.  The important thing is to make a date—a day and a time—and stick to it.  Unless there’s an emergency, don’t let anything keep you from your plans.

• Take turns deciding what “date night” might be, this way both of you have a chance to plan a special evening.  You can also plan a “surprise” date night.

• Date night can also be “date day” or “date weekend,” but the most important thing is to make “date night” a regular event.

Plan a Talk Night:

• Get comfortable, settle in, get something to eat or drink, cuddle together on the couch and talk about what’s going on in your lives.

• Your chat can be about external things:  what’s happening at work, at home, in the news, with your friends, in your church, or in the world.  Just talk.  Turn off the TV, turn off the computer, put away the newspaper, and chat.

• If the conversation turns deep and emotional, that’s okay too.  Sharing personal feelings about what’s going on in your lives or in our world will bring your relationship to a deeper and more intimate level.

Play “Do You Know This About Me?”

• Make a list of five or more things you don’t think your loved one knows about you.  Does he (she) know that you always wanted to play the cello but never had the chance?  Or that when you were ten you got lost while you were on a camping trip?  Or that your favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip?

• After you’ve both made your lists, take turns revealing, one by one, those things you think your loved one doesn’t know.  Take some time and talk about each item; don’t simply rush through the list.

• You can also play “Do you know this about me” as a quiz.  Take your items, one by one, and take turns asking each other, for example, “Do you know what instrument I always wanted to play?”

Play “This Is What I Love about You”

• Sit down facing each other.  Taking turns, say out loud what you love about the other.  Don’t write down or plan your comments ahead of time.  You can be serious or silly, but stick to what you love (not what you’d like to change!).

• These things can be physical (“I love the color of your eyes” or “I love how you laugh”).

• They can be emotional (“I love how you always comfort me when I’m upset).

• They can be personal characteristics (“I love how you’re so organized”).

• They can be experiences you’ve shared (“I loved when we went sled riding last winter”)

Use Your Imagination:

• Not all couples are alike in how they show non-genital affection.  As a couple, talk about what feels “right” to each of you, and how you as individuals and as a couple can maintain and enhance your relationship during those times when you are avoiding genital contact.

• Write your ideas down.  Talking about how you might find ways to express love and affection without genital contact and then putting those ideas into action will deeper your regard and respect for one another and improve your communication.

Tampons:
“How often should they be changed?” Ideally, ever 4-6 hours–however it is safe to leave them in up to eight hours.

“Can I put in a super plus tampon for all-day or all-night coverage?” No. Using the lowest possible absorbancy decreases the risk of developing Toxic Shock Syndrome, a very serious blood infection. If you are having a moderate flow day, use a regular absorbany tampon. Tampons should never be left in over night!

“When I insert tampons it feels like tampon is going toward my back; is there something wrong with the placement of my vagina?” No, in fact it’s normal to aim the tampon toward the small of your back for easier insertion. Anatomically, your uterus is situated behind your bladder. Your vagina, the passageway that leads to your uterus is angled up toward the small of your back.

“I always use deodorized (scented) tampons but my practitioner told me not to. Why?” The chemicals used as deodorizers or perfumes in tampons, toilet paper and bath products can cause irritation of the delicate vaginal tissues. In response to this irritation, the vaginal glands produce mucus to “wash away” the irritants. Women who are sensitive to these perfumes and deodorizers may find themselves having abnormal discharges and, in some cases, daily mucus.

Panyliners:
“I wear a pantyliner every day. I like to feel fresh. That’s okay, right?” It’s best to wear all cotton underwear and save the pantyliners for days when you have a heavy flow of cervical mucus or the light days of your period. But if you like to wear a pantyliner every day, be sure to change it several times throughout the day. Also, consider using cloth pads rather than pantyliners to lower the risk of irritation and abnormal vaginal discharge.

Do you have any other questions about feminine products? Please let us know!

Dating the pregnancy and determining the due date of the baby is fun to do—and couples are happy to know an accurate due date. Most important, having an accurately dated pregnancy is crucial to ensuring that mother and baby receive the best care.

Traditionally, a pregnancy is dated based on the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP). This method of dating assumes that the woman has 28 day cycles and that she ovulated on cycle day 14. With these assumptions, the due date given to the woman is actually 2 weeks LATER than the actual fetal age.

For example, if on October 1st a pregnant woman told her doctor that her last period began on September1st, the doctor would tell her that she was 4 weeks and two days pregnant. This is known as dating the “Gestational Age” of the pregnancy; it assumes the woman conceived exactly fourteen days after her last period began. The actual “Fetal Age,” however, may be very different.

When we look at a woman’s menstrual cycle, there are two phases that are relevant: the pre-ovulatory phase, and the post ovulatory phase. The pre-ovulatory phase is highly variable from month to month and may be short or long; the post ovulatory phase is stable in length. This means that the first day of a woman’s last period has absolutely no bearing on the time of ovulation during her conception cycle. So, how does assuming that all women ovulate on day 14 effect a woman and her unborn baby?

For a first example, let’s assume a woman had a short pre-ovulatory phase in the cycle in which she conceived and that ovulation occured not on day 14 but on day nine. Her baby is actually five days older than the date that would be given to her based on her last menstrual period. Throughout her entire pregnancy, she may be told that her baby is large or that her abdomen is measuring “big” beause the due date given to her is five days later than it should be. Depending on her medical and obstetrical history, she may be encouraged to have labor induced or to have a cesarean section because her baby is “measuring large for its gestational age.”

More concerning is if this same woman should carry past her due date. (Physicians usually allow a woman to carry one to two weeks past her due date at which time labor is induced or a cesarean section is performed. This is done because the placenta which supplies the baby with oxygen and nutrition can fail if a pregnancy carries on too long. Post-term babies are at higher risk for stillbirth, stress during delivery and meconium aspiration. Also, post-term babies tend to be larger, which can pose a difficulty for vaginal delivery.) But in our example, if this woman is allowed to carry to 42 weeks according to her doctor’s dating, the fetal age would actually be 42 weeks PLUS five days. Accurate dating is information that can change and improve the care for a woman and her baby!

Let’s look at a second example: we’ll assume that a woman experienced a long pre-peak phase and ovulated on day 21 of her cycle. At her first pregnancy visit, the doctor will think she is one week farther along than she really is. Her initial blood work—which because of inaccurate dating will be drawn too early—may be concerning because the hormone levels in her blood will be lower than expected. When the first ultrasound is done, her baby will also be measuring “smaller than expected.” This can lead to undue concern of miscarriage or complications.

When this same woman comes close to term she may be offered a repeat cesarean section if she had one previously, but it will be offered to her one week BEFORE her baby is actually full term. If she carries post-dates, her doctor may recommend induction or cesarean, not realizing that her baby is not really post dates at that time but is in fact just at term. Incorrect dating of the pregnancy can have a substantial effect on the prenatal care a woman receives!

Pregnancy evaluations are as accurate as early ultrasounds in determining the actual age of a pregnancy. Since Creighton Pregnancy Evaluations are based on ovulation and conception, not on the LMP, FertilityCare Practitioners are able to provide a couple with the most accurate information regarding their baby’s due date!

Endometriosis is a condition in which cells which normally line the uterus are also found outside of the uterus. These endometrial implants can be found on the bladder, the intestines, in and on the fallopian tubes and on the ovaries. When a woman has normal cycles, the developing follicle (egg) on the ovary secretes estrogen; the estrogen acts on the lining of the uterus, signaling it to proliferate, becoming thicker and more vascular so that it can potentially support a baby. In a woman with endometriosis, the estrogen tells the lining of the uterus to build up, but it will also stimulate the endometrial implants outside the uterus to grow and proliferate. The theory behind prescribing hormonal contraception is that if the woman does not ovulate then the endometrial implants will not be stimulated, therefore the endometriosis won’t progress further.

There are many things to consider regarding the treatment of endometriosis with The Pill. First, there are the numerous side effects and contraindications of hormonal contraceptives. Side effects may include nausea, weight gain, sore breasts, blood clots, spotting, and decreased libido. The traditional birth control pill is not recommended for women over age 35, smokers, or those who are nursing. Also, although the birth control pill is supposed to suppress ovulation, it does not always do so. The Pill’s other actions include thickening the cervical mucus in order to impede sperm transport, and thinning the lining of the uterus, making unable to support a developing baby. In addition, there is a risk of breast cancer and infertility down the road for women taking birth control pills.

The only way to actually diagnose endometriosis is with a surgical procedure that allows the doctor to see and eliminate the endometial implants in the abdominal cavity. Many women are being treated with the birth control pill for presumed endometriosis, meaning they have heavy bleeding and cramping but have never been diagnosed. These women may end up taking medication for all of their reproductive years without a real diagnosis, or real treatment.

In the Creighton Model System, women with symptoms of endometriosis are sent for a consult with a NaPro Technology trained surgeon. Surgical treatment with a NaPro trained surgeon results in a very low incidence of adhesions or recurrence of implants, two of the primary concerns of endometriosis surgery. Because endometriosis can be a factor in infertility, surgical intervention is the only treatment that results in the greatest improvement in symptoms and the best chance of achieving a pregnancy in the future.

In the Creighton Model System, the cause of a woman’s symptoms such as heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, or infertility must first be diagnosed—and the cause may or may not be endometriosis. Hormone imbalances or other conditions such as fibroids can also cause heavy bleeding. The woman is treated based NOT ONLY on her symptoms but also on the actual disease process, resulting in real curative treatment as opposed to a mere suppression or temporary limitation of symptoms which is the effect attained with hormonal contraception.