What is sensiplan®?
All natural: NFP method according to Sensiplan
Sensiplan represents the combination of a deep or intense body awareness and fertility monitoring. Sensiplan thus offers girls and women of all ages access to their bodies and their own fertility, in addition to family planning options.
Observations include cyclical signs such as basal body temperature changes, cervical mucus, cervix, mittelschmerz, breast symptoms, and bleeding patterns. The combination of observing the symptoms of cervical mucus or cervix (sympto) and body temperature (thermal) also gives the method its name: symptothermal method.
The reasons why women and couples switch to Sensiplan are many. Often "chemical fatigue" is cited - about 35 percent of new users had previously taken a hormonal contraceptive. Or there are health reasons. The question of partnership also plays a role that should not be underestimated.
Support is offered by competent Sensiplan consultants (nationwide) and an online consulting service.
Who is behind Sensiplan?
The Arbeitsgruppe Natürliche Familienplanung (AG NFP) belongs to Malteser Werke gGmbH and is based in Cologne. The Malteser Arbeitsgruppe NFP exists since 1981.
Since 2009, the natural family planning method developed by the Arbeitsgruppe NFP and offered beyond Germany's borders, together with all the associated materials and concepts, has been marketed under the trademark sensiplan®.
The Arbeitsgruppe NFP is headed by an interdisciplinary team. The team consists of Petra Klann-Heinen, head of the working group, qualified pedagogue, the gynecologist Dr. Tanja Freundl-Schütt, Agathe Lülsdorff and Anja Plasil, administrative staff, as well as freelancers from the fields of medicine, pedagogy and psychology.
The main tasks of the NFP working group include the target group-oriented development, preparation and continuous updating of information on all aspects of Natural Family Planning and quality assurance in Sensiplan counselor training and counseling.
Since the 1980s, the Section Natural Fertility (SNF) has provided scientific support to the Arbeitsgruppe NFP. The SNF deals with the scientific background of the individual methods and accompanies the current developments from the scientific side.
The Malteser Arbeitsgruppe NFP provides literature tips on the use of Sensiplan, arranges qualified Sensiplan consultations and provides online cycle sheets for the use of Sensiplan in different languages.