Measurement of basal temperature. Video

Measurement of basal temperature. Video

A woman’s basal temperature changes throughout the menstrual cycle. The method of measuring it will help determine the day of ovulation, identify problems due to which it is impossible to conceive a child, and determine the onset of pregnancy.

How to measure basal temperature

What is basal temperature

Basal body temperature is measured in the mouth, rectum, or vagina at rest. It changes on different days of the menstrual cycle. Usually, a woman’s indicators are below 37 ° C before ovulation, that is, until the middle of the cycle. After the release of the egg, it can slightly increase and remain at this level throughout the second half of the cycle.

The first phase (days before the onset of ovulation) can have a different duration, which depends on the length of the menstrual cycle, but the second phase (after the release of the egg), as a rule, is 14 days in a healthy woman. An increase in temperature can be seen on the graph, if you take daily measurements, the difference in indicators between the second and first phases of the cycle is more than 0,4 ° C.

For 1-2 days before the onset of menstruation, the basal temperature drops to its original values. The temperature does not drop only with the onset of pregnancy. Thus, if its decrease is not observed, and menstruation does not begin, we can conclude about the possible fertilization of the egg.

Drawing up a basal temperature chart helps to determine the optimal time for conception, affect the sex of the unborn child, avoid unwanted pregnancy, evaluate the work of the endocrine system, calculate the date of the next menstruation, and diagnose pregnancy.

Baseline temperature measurement rules

The human body temperature fluctuates during the day due to the influence of various external factors: overheating and cooling, physical activity, stress, meals. Therefore, the true temperature can be measured only immediately after waking up in a state of rest. This indicator is called basal temperature.

For the results to be informative, you need to adhere to certain rules when determining the basal temperature:

  • measure the temperature only in the mouth, vagina, rectum, and not in the armpit (preferably in the rectum);
  • you need to start measurements on the first day of the cycle and conduct observations to draw up a schedule for several months;
  • sleep before measurement for at least 5-6 hours continuously;
  • do not get out of bed, do not talk, do not make sudden movements before measuring the temperature;
  • take measurements constantly at the same time;
  • use the same thermometer.

When working on a basal temperature chart to determine pregnancy, deviations in the measurement time of no more than 30 minutes are permissible

When drawing up a basal temperature chart, you should enter into it information about factors that could affect the result: stress, illness, overwork. When planning a pregnancy, you can add to this data the dates of unprotected intercourse, the nature of vaginal discharge.

Basal temperature during pregnancy

With the onset of pregnancy, the basal temperature changes. You can see this on the graph.

Fertilization is highly likely if:

  • in a potentially pregnant woman, the temperature remains higher than in the first phase of the cycle for more than three days;
  • with a two-phase schedule, there is a sharp drop in temperature (implantation retraction) 5-10 days after ovulation, followed by a rise.

The increase in temperature during ovulation is due to the effect of hormones that prepare the walls of the uterus for fertilization and the attachment of the ovum. If the sperm do not reach their target, the egg dies, the cycle starts over, and the temperature drops.

During fertilization, hormones continue to act, so the temperature in a pregnant woman rises to 37 ° C and above, remains at this level throughout the first trimester of pregnancy, after which it gradually decreases to normal values.

A sharp drop in basal temperature during pregnancy may indicate a lack of hormones, that is, the presence of a threat of miscarriage. If the measured values ​​decrease in the first three months of pregnancy, you should definitely consult an obstetrician-gynecologist. A significant increase in temperature can indicate various kinds of inflammatory processes in the body, which also requires the intervention of medical workers.

Basal temperature during pregnancy

Thus, the measurement of basal body temperature and the construction of its graphs is recommended for women who use this method as a method of protection against unwanted pregnancy, to identify the day of ovulation when planning the birth of a child and its sex, to determine the onset of pregnancy, to track hormonal levels in women in an interesting position. in the first three months, identifying the reasons for the absence of pregnancy in the multiple attempts of a couple to conceive a child. The results obtained when building a basal temperature graph can help a woman, with the help of a doctor, make an assumption about a particular process in the body, but are not decisive in making a diagnosis.

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