Why measure basal body temperature?

Basal temperature is  a valid method to understand if and when you ovulate when you have an unregular cycle and cannot figure out your fertile days.

Think of it as a way to understand your body’s rhythms, and to discover your menstrual cycle.

Once you understand what happens between periods, your fertility and all  related symptoms will no longer be a mystery.

The calculator   is a very fast way to identify probable fertile days but, based on general statistics and not on the individual person, it is not a reliable method.

Even those who have a regular cycle and use the calculator should actually verify that they ovulate in those days by paying attention to the signals that their body sends, and such signals are not few, indeed! One of all a specific trend of cervical mucus that accompanies the most fertile days, followed by the increase in basal temperature which undergoes a rise (compared to preovulatory measures) from the day following ovulation.

Cervical mucus , i.e. those losses we have every month, are an excellent indicator of fertility. In the days preceding ovulation they have a consistency very similar to that of egg white, they are transparent and elastic. They are used to guarantee the spermatozoa an environment conducive to their survival on a par with the sperm fluid, to facilitate their journey towards the egg to be fertilized. The spermatozoa in these conditions can survive up to 5 days inside the woman’s body while waiting for the emission of the egg from the ovarian follicle.

Basal temperature, if taken correctly and constantly, helps us understand if and when we ovulate and to verify that our reproductive system is functioning properly.

The information we get from the basal temperature

Taking the basal temperature daily and recording the data obtained and the symptoms detected on a graph allows us to understand:

• what is the typical preovulatory temperature
• if and when ovulation occurs
• how long is the luteal phase
• if you are pregnant

Usually the preovulatory basal temperature is below the coverline which varies from person to person.

After ovulation, the temperature undergoes an increase above the coverline values, the basal temperature graph assumes a typical biphasic trend:

What happens to temperature after ovulation

The post-ovulatory phase is called the luteal phase, which runs from ovulation to the day before your next period.

The luteal phase is more or less constant for every woman, but can vary by an average of one or two days.  The luteal phase is usually between 11 and 16 days. Lower luteal phases may indicate a  progesterone deficiency . Higher luteal phases indicate that a pregnancy test is in order .

TB remains high for at least 10-11 days even if you are not pregnant. After this period, if there has been no conception, the corpus luteum degenerates and the progesterone in the circulation decreases. As a result, progesterone drops. The basal temperature usually drops significantly one to two days before the arrival of menstruation.

Knowing how long the luteal phase lasts at most, after that period, if the temperature is still high, a pregnancy test can be done.

We remind you that 18 consecutive days of raised temperature after ovulation, pregnancy is practically certain.

If there are any problems

If the TB demonstrates in at least 2 consecutive cycles that the luteal phase is short (less than 10-11 days) then it is advisable to inform the doctor as if there is a progsterone deficiency, this could prevent the continuation of a pregnancy. This condition is treatable but it needs to be tested, and TB is a great help in that regard.

Monitoring TB and any symptoms that occur during a menstrual cycle is an aid to the doctor in diagnosing any hormonal imbalances (such as polycystic ovary  or progesterone insufficiency, or other imbalances) or the lack of ovulation when the ovulation is not visible. temperature increase, or even the absence of fertile mucus near the temperature rise. In short, it is  a very valuable aid to discover any obstacles that are not allowing the establishment of a pregnancy.

So arm yourself with patience, measure the temperature but also write down all the various symptoms, you will thus learn to know your body and you will see that after all it will seem very clear to you.

To fill in the graph on the site and receive personalized (free) advice through the graph itself: