First of all, having learned to determine basal temperature, women will be able to calculate the optimal day for conceiving a child. Many ladies strive to gain this knowledge only in order to accurately identify “dangerous days” on which they should not have unprotected sex. This method of natural contraception helps them avoid unplanned pregnancy. In general, every woman would do well to learn how to measure her basal temperature. It is about the intricacies of its measurement and charting that we will talk about.
Why and how to measure basal temperature
We’ll still have time to chat about how to measure basal temperature; first, it’s worth figuring out why it’s needed. A number of girls have heard how important it is to know the nuances of measuring basal temperature. But not everyone understands that such knowledge can improve the quality of sexual life. Yes Yes. My words may seem strange to you, but by learning to measure your basal temperature, you can finally reach the highest peak of pleasure during sex. How are basal temperature and satisfaction in intimate life related? Let's figure it out.
Often women cannot relax during sex and enjoy the process, because while making love they constantly scroll through vital issues in their heads. These out of place thoughts prevent you from relaxing. The dilemmas that pop up in women’s heads and kill desire can be divided into two categories. The first includes questions of the following nature:
1. Is this position the most suitable for conceiving a child?
2. How much will “birch tree” increase my chances of getting pregnant?
3. Why can't I get pregnant?
4. Maybe I or my partner are infertile?
5. What should I do if this time nothing works out?
6. God, have I really done something bad that you won’t give me a child?
But not all women are fixated on conceiving a baby. Many, on the contrary, do not want this. Completely different questions swarm in their heads, which also prevent a woman from relaxing. So, the second category of questions is something like this:
1. I can’t get pregnant if I use the calendar method, right?
2. If you have sex during menstruation, can you get pregnant?
3. Wondering which natural contraceptive methods are effective?
4. Have I determined the safe days correctly?
5. How will a partner react to a pregnancy resulting from an incorrect determination of the ovulatory period?
6. Dear God, you understand that I’m not ready to give birth to a baby yet?
This is what usually goes on in women's heads during intimacy with a partner. What kind of relaxation are we talking about here? Despite accurate calculations, girls get pregnant on safe days, which they determined using the calendar method of contraception. Ladies often conceive children by making love during their periods. Often unlucky are women who want a child, but for some reason cannot determine the optimal day for conceiving one. Oh, if all women understood how to measure basal temperature, with which it is easy to determine the day of ovulation, pregnancy, then they would probably learn to get more pleasure during sex, stopping asking themselves silent painful questions in the process.
We must understand that the temperature method of natural contraception is based on measuring basal temperature, which, together with the cervical method, is not inferior in reliability to a high-quality condom. That is, knowing how to measure basal temperature, you can minimize the possibility of getting pregnant during unprotected sex on certain days, freeing yourself from pleasure-killing fears. Women who want to have a child, thanks to changes in basal temperature, can easily determine the fertile days that are most favorable for conception. In general, if you want to get pregnant or, on the contrary, are afraid of it, you want to learn how to enjoy sex without worrying about what you don’t need, then you really need information on how to measure basal temperature.
Scheduling
In order for the data obtained to be as accurate as possible, it is necessary to monitor BT from the first day of the menstrual cycle.
What does he look like?
Conventionally, the BT schedule for a healthy woman can be divided into two parts. The first is the phase before ovulation, then ovulation occurs and the second phase begins.
Step by step instructions on how to build
To build an individual chart, a checkered sheet is perfect , each of which will correspond to a day of the cycle.
- It is advisable to start measuring your temperature from the first day of your cycle.
Throughout the entire cycle, you cannot change the thermometer, otherwise the readings will be inaccurate! - 14 days before the expected menstruation, a vertical line must be drawn on the chart. This will be the approximate date of expected ovulation.
- It is necessary to vertically divide the schedule for each day of the cycle.
- Place temperature readings horizontally, starting from 36.3 °C and up to 37.6 °C.
- Every day, when measuring the temperature, you must place a dot opposite the corresponding value.
- At any time you can connect the dots and look at the resulting line.
It is normal if the BT readings before ovulation, that is, in the first phase of the graph, were lower than the second phase, and by the time menstruation began they dropped again.
Depending on what goal a woman pursues when measuring her basal temperature, how she can see the line on the graph depends. If fertilization of the egg occurs, then the basal temperature readings will be high throughout the entire second phase on the chart and will not drop by the time of the expected date of the next menstruation.
How to measure basal temperature correctly
The best decision when you don’t know how to measure basal temperature correctly is to ask your gynecologist about it. But we will talk about the main nuances of its measurement right now. So, basal temperature actually directly depends on the phase of the menstrual cycle. Temperature measurements must be taken throughout the entire cycle. This should not be done only when a woman is on her period.
Basal temperature measurements should be taken in the morning. It is very important that the woman does not get out of bed before this. To measure your temperature, you should use a simple mercury thermometer, which is carefully inserted into the rectum. You need to keep the thermometer there for at least five minutes, and best of all – all seven. Data should be recorded in the table daily. After taking measurements throughout the cycle, you need to create a graph. Indicate the days of checks at the top, and the possible basal temperature on these days on the side. At the junction of the lines we place points that we connect with a straight line. On days when there is a sharp increase in the straight line after its rapid decrease, ovulation occurs.
It is also possible to use an electronic thermometer. Of course, it does not need to be kept in the anus for five minutes. The result can be read after one minute from the moment the thermometer is placed in the appropriate place. When measuring temperature on different days, you must use the same thermometer.
Important: you need to measure your temperature after sleeping for at least three hours.
Is it possible to determine ovulation?
It can be felt physically without using aids. To do this, you need to develop your observation and sensitivity.
At the level of physical sensations
Body language itself will tell you when significant changes occur in the body.
It is impossible to feel how a tiny follicle ruptures. It has no nerve endings. But at this moment, the fallopian tubes begin to contract, which literally “suck” the egg, moving it to the uterus.
PECULIARITY! This is accompanied by nagging pain in the lower abdomen or sensations of a different nature that are localized in the area of the internal genital organs.
By emotional state
During ovulation, hormonal levels change. The release of hormones when the follicle ruptures leads to the following changes:
- Increased activity.
- Feeling of satisfaction.
- Self-confidence.
- Increased sexual desire.
The higher the estrogen concentration at this time, the better the woman feels.
Presence of cervical discharge
Before ovulation and throughout the fertile period, the nature of vaginal discharge changes.
These days their volume increases. The discharge becomes more transparent in color compared to other days of the menstrual cycle. In consistency they resemble egg whites and become thicker. They sometimes contain small streaks of blood.
There is a feeling of dampness, and wet spots can be found on your underwear. At the end of ovulation, the amount of discharge decreases.
How to measure basal temperature to determine ovulation
As you can see, you don't need to absorb an immense stream of information to understand how to measure your basal temperature to determine ovulation. After all, you need to measure it with a simple thermometer, which is usually placed in the butt. After this, we regularly record the indicators, build a graph, etc. The only thing that needs to be thoroughly understood is how the basal temperature will change before ovulation.
Note: some women use oral or vaginal methods when measuring basal temperature, but they are not standard.
So, on the eve of the release of the gamete from the ovary, the basal temperature reaches its lowest possible level. The next day there is a rapid rise of half a degree or more. This level lasts for two weeks. An increase in temperature is caused by the action of progesterone, which affects the thermoregulation center in the brain. The most favorable days for pregnancy are two days before and after ovulation.
Attention: it is easy to create a basal temperature chart using special applications that are posted on some women's websites.
But remember that basal temperature charts can also be influenced by a woman’s general health. Therefore, if you feel unwell, have inflammatory or infectious diseases, or have chronic conditions, then it is better to postpone measuring basal temperature until the causes of the development of disorders are eliminated and women’s health is restored. In addition to illness, stress, lack of sleep, sex, and alcohol can lead to changes in temperature. Don't forget to mark each of the violations that occurred at the bottom of the graph.
You need to understand that not all women’s temperature rises by almost half a degree in the second phase, just as for some women it is difficult to see its significant drop before menstruation or ovulation. If the temperature rises by no more than 0.3°, this may indicate estrogen-progesterone deficiency. When the second phase is short and there is no drop in basal temperature before menstruation, most likely the woman has a second phase deficiency. Women who do not experience characteristic changes during their cycle should be wary. After all, this means that ovulation does not occur at all. Random factors and the same estrogen deficiency can make the curve chaotic.
If you experience atypical temperature fluctuations or it does not change at all, be sure to consult a doctor. Those women who do not want to go to the gynecologist, but still want to learn how to determine the days of ovulation even with an abnormal basal temperature, should pay attention to other factors in its approach. For example, you need to look at the discharge, which becomes stringy and less transparent before ovulation. You can also navigate by nagging, aching pain in the lower abdomen. They can occur on both the right and left sides.
It is not necessary to chart your basal temperature over the years. If you have a regular two-phase menstrual cycle, there are no delays, and your periods last the same number of days, then to determine the days of ovulation, it is enough to measure your temperature over three menstrual cycles. But do not forget that hormonal disorders, diseases of internal organs, overwork, diets can make adjustments to your established menstrual cycle. During such a period, you cannot rely on old charts.
Girls who don’t want to greet the morning with a thermometer in an interesting place can use special tests to determine ovulation. The most common tests are those that look like stripes. But in pharmacies you can also find cassette tests for ovulation. The action of the strips is identical to the action of pregnancy tests. That is, the strip reacts to an increase in certain hormones. For example, before the onset of ovulation, the luteinizing hormone makes itself known with a peak increase, to which the test strip reacts. You can determine ovulation using such a test as early as 36 hours before its onset. The reliability of the verification reaches 99%. The cassette test should be used by women with irregular periods. You can read about its use in the instructions that come with each package of ovulation cassette tests.
Rules for measuring temperature indicator
First, you need to understand what basal temperature (hereinafter BT) is. This is the base temperature of a person at rest, usually during sleep. During the day, a person moves, is exposed to external factors, plays sports, eats, and his body temperature may change. Therefore, measuring BT at rest, after sleep, will give the most accurate result .
It is possible to determine the moment of ovulation using BT only by measuring it over a long period.
It is not enough to simply measure a woman’s body temperature several times; it is very important to observe changes in temperature throughout the entire menstrual cycle and, based on the data obtained, draw conclusions and determine the days of ovulation.
To correctly measure BT, you must follow simple rules:
- Measurements should be taken every day at the same time immediately after waking up.
- It is necessary to use the same thermometer for these purposes, because Different devices may have their own errors.
- It is recommended to place the thermometer near the bed so that it is at arm's length and the woman can easily reach it without resorting to unnecessary movements.
It must be taken into account that the temperature change can be influenced by the following factors:
- alcohol consumption;
- the presence of disease and inflammatory process in the body;
- sexual intercourse performed;
- taking medications;
- stress, anxiety;
- moving, flying, climate change.
Despite changes in indicators, you must continue to keep records of your temperature.
We invite you to watch a video about observing the basic rules when measuring BT:
Existing methods
BT helps to identify not only favorable days for conception, but also serves as a kind of hint for determining safe days for sexual intercourse.
The method of measuring BT for unprotected sexual intercourse is not a 100% guarantee that pregnancy will not occur , so using only this method of contraception is very unreliable.
What's the best way to measure? In order to determine basal temperature, use one of the following methods:
- Rectal - measured in the rectum and is considered a more accurate and reliable method for determining ovulation and pregnancy. The thermometer is placed 3-4 cm into the anus, with the tip pre-lubricated with Vaseline. Measurements are carried out over 3-4 minutes.
- Vaginal - the thermometer is inserted into the vagina ½ of the length of the device. Measure over 3-4 minutes.
- Oral - the thermometer is placed in the mouth under the tongue and measured for 5 minutes with the mouth closed.
It is not recommended to measure temperature in the armpit to determine the period of ovulation. In this area, temperature does not respond as accurately to the cyclical changes occurring in the female body.
It is in the rectum that the temperature changes depending on the function of the ovaries, thanks to the hormones that are synthesized in them. These temperature fluctuations can indicate when a woman ovulates.
Types of thermometers
Any thermometer, mercury or digital, is suitable for measuring temperature.:
- Using a digital device, you can reduce the time required to measure temperature; this can be recognized by the sound signal produced by the device after the measurement.
- Mercury thermometers are considered more reliable and accurate, but you need to be very careful when using them.
Since it is usually recommended to measure the temperature immediately after waking up, there is a risk of falling asleep with a thermometer inside the rectum.
Choosing a method
Regardless of the chosen temperature measurement location, it should not change throughout the entire period of drawing up the schedule. If a woman has chosen the rectal method of measurement, then she must adhere to this all the time , otherwise the data obtained will not be accurate.
Measurements need to be taken at the same time over several menstrual cycles, this will allow you to track changes in the temperature of the female body and draw appropriate conclusions.
BBT should be measured immediately after waking up , and should be preceded by at least 3 hours of uninterrupted deep sleep.
How to measure basal temperature to determine pregnancy
So, above we got acquainted with the main nuances of calculating ovulation. Now let's talk in more detail about how to measure basal temperature to determine pregnancy. Look, you need to do everything as usual - in the morning, without getting out of bed, measure the temperature, write down the indicators, make a graph, see when the temperature dropped, on what days it peaked, etc. Let us also remember that the temperature after its increase should remain at this level for two weeks. If the elevated temperature persists for more than 14 days from its peak, this often indicates the onset of pregnancy.
Of course, the best way to determine whether conception has occurred or not is to take a pregnancy test. If a home test shows a negative result, this does not mean that there is no pregnancy. This fact should be confirmed in the gynecologist’s office. To determine pregnancy, you can take a blood test, undergo an ultrasound examination, etc.
What is the norm?
We can talk about normal BT levels only when the woman is healthy and there are no hormonal disorders or inflammatory processes in her body. Any disturbances in the functioning of the female body immediately affect these indicators.
- Before ovulation . Normally, the temperature in the first phase of the cycle fluctuates between 36.3 -36.7 °C. A few days before ovulation, it seems to freeze and shows stable data for a couple of days.
- During ovulation . When a woman experiences a sharp drop in temperature (usually by 0.2 degrees), this indicates the onset of ovulation. On the graph, this day will correspond to the lowest temperature value.
- After ovulation . There is a temperature jump of 0.3 - 0.4 degrees, this is evidence of the end of ovulation and now there are days when the temperature graph increases slightly compared to the first phase.
- At fertilization or conception . If elevated BT persists for 12-14 days and does not subside and other characteristic symptoms are added (fatigue, nausea, drowsiness), then this may indicate that conception has occurred.
What does it look like during ovulation?
Before you start drawing up a schedule, you should know how it should change under the influence of hormones.
It is known that the menstrual cycle is divided into 2 phases - follicular and luteal. During the first phase, the follicle matures in the ovary, from which an egg is subsequently released, ready for fertilization. During this period, the ovaries intensively produce estrogen hormones. During the first phase, the basal temperature is usually below 37 °C. Next, on days 12-16 of the menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs. On its eve the temperature drops sharply. Then, during and after ovulation, the hormone progesterone is released, and it rises by 0.4-0.6 °C, which is a reliable sign of the onset of ovulation. The second luteal phase lasts approximately 14 days, which ends with menstruation, of course, if conception has not occurred. During this period, the temperature is usually around 37-37.3 °C. On the eve of menstruation, it again decreases by 0.3 ° C and so on in a circle.
Normally, every woman experiences fluctuations in basal temperature; if there are no rises and falls, then we can talk about the absence of ovulation. Anovulation is the first alarming sign of serious problems in the body that requires treatment.
On average, every woman has one anovulation per year and there is no need to worry about this. If this repeats from cycle to cycle, then you should contact a gynecologist.
After ovulation
If conception does not occur, then the menstrual cycle moves to the luteal phase. The body is preparing for critical days.
After ovulation and before your period begins, your body temperature will be slightly elevated. It reaches 36.8-37 degrees Celsius. There will be no sharp drops or jumps in the chart.
During menstrual bleeding, BT drops to 36.3-36.6 degrees. Most often, a decreased body temperature is observed. This is quite normal.
Important: menstruation is the beginning of a new cycle.
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Impact on BT
We found out how to correctly measure basal temperature to determine certain changes in the body. It is worth noting that the indicator under study is subject to strong external influence. And therefore the data received is not always valid.
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Doctors say that the following factors influence basal body temperature:
- bad habits;
- shift work;
- illness;
- presence of gynecological diseases;
- sleeping too long;
- insomnia;
- interrupted sleep;
- stress;
- overwork;
- time zone change;
- acclimatization;
- sudden change in weather;
- long trips;
- recent sexual intercourse (if it took place less than 4 hours before measurements);
- the presence of tumors or inflammatory processes in a woman.
This is not a complete list of what can affect BT. But these factors are encountered most often in practice. It is advisable to avoid them while planning pregnancy. After all, ovulation under the influence of these may occur earlier or later. Or disappear altogether.
Important: if the day before a woman encountered the listed circumstances, she is recommended to make a corresponding note on the BT chart. Then there will be no problems with data analysis.
How to calculate and determine the day of conception?
If you draw up a BT schedule correctly, then two days before ovulation the temperature stabilizes and remains in one pore. Then there is a sharp drop in indicators, which indicates the onset of ovulation. If the menstrual cycle is stable, then the woman can count and expect ovulation approximately 14 days before the next menstruation.
If the hormone progesterone is produced normally, namely it affects ovulation, then a change in temperature occurs.
About record keeping
To correctly measure basal temperature to determine ovulation or pregnancy, you need to follow some simple rules. What is it about?
The thing is that after taking readings from the thermometer you will have to write them down in a notebook. Next, you need to build a BT chart and note your body temperature on a given day of the cycle.
It is a visual drawing that helps to judge the onset of ovulation or pregnancy. You can also navigate using regular notes in a notebook; not doing this is not as easy as it seems.
Important: at the moment, maintaining a BT schedule is offered on various women's sites and forums. It is enough to enter the received readings daily on the appropriate service. The system itself will build a schedule and highlight ovulation, as well as favorable days for conception. This technique will save you from unnecessary hassle.
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Determination of ovulation by BT
The main thing that measurement of BT gives is the determination of the day when ovulation occurs. There are several ways to “calculate” ovulation:
- Test strips. Pharmacies sell special ovulation tests. The pack usually contains 5 ovulation tests and 2 pregnancy tests. You need to do tests from the 10th day of your cycle. When the second line on the test becomes brighter than the control line, ovulation occurred on that day. Such tests cost an average of 500 rubles per pack.
- Folliculometry - determination of ovulation by ultrasound. The doctor measures the follicles and analytically assumes ovulation. This method is the most expensive, but provides a 99% guarantee.
- Calendar method. In a healthy woman, ovulation occurs 2 weeks before the expected period. If the cycle is regular, then subtract 14 from the day of the expected menstruation to get the date of ovulation. This method is unreliable, since there is no guarantee that the body will behave this way.
- BT measurement. Free, easy way to find out your ovulation date. Measuring basal temperature is available to absolutely every woman. It has no contraindications.
How to determine ovulation by basal temperature? To begin with, it is necessary to conduct research for at least three months. Next, you need to analyze the BT chart . The first phase (follicular) of the cycle in the chart will be characterized by numbers from 36.4–36.8. Further, there will be one obvious distinctive date in the schedule. The temperature on this day will be lower than on all others. That is, this temperature will divide the graph in half. This is the day when ovulation begins. The next day there will be a rise in BT by half a degree. This is the day of ovulation.
After it, the second (luteal) phase of the cycle begins. The temperature during this period slowly approaches 37 degrees. Before the start of menstruation (2–3 days), BT will decrease slightly and will be about 36.8–36.9 degrees.
As you can see, determining ovulation by BT is not difficult. The main thing is to take measurements regularly, at the same time, with the same thermometer.
