You may have heard of the term basal body temperature from women who are trying to conceive. It can help you track your ovulation and, if the method is used correctly, it can be quite accurate and efficient. First, let’s look at what basal body temperature is and how you can measure it correctly.
What is basal body temperature?
Our body temperature changes throughout the day, depending on different factors. At night, when we are sleep, it steadily drops to the lowest level and this is what is referred to as basal body temperature. Once you wake up, and your metabolism kicks in, our temperature will start to increase.
How can basal body temperature help me to conceive?
During a menstrual cycle, a woman’s basal temperature is slightly modified.The hormone, estrogen, is dominant during the first part of your cycle, right up until ovulation, giving you a normal basal body temperature. However, during ovulation, progesterone slightly increases your temperature by 0.4 to 1 degree. So, if your body temperature is 36.5 degrees before ovulation, it will increase to 36.9 degrees or 37.5 degrees, during and after ovulating.
For couples trying to conceive, you need to track your basal temperature for at least a few months. Create a chart and observe the pattern during your menstrual cycle. Establish when ovulation occurs by noticing the spikes in temperature, the increase in temperature will show you that ovulation has occurred. However, it is the moment right before ovulation that is most significant for couples trying to conceive.
How to measure basal body temperature?
Find out how to measure basal body temperature on the next page…