GotoMyDoc - Education - Sexual Health - Learn

What It's About | Did You Know? | Learn More About | For More Info

Sexual Health

Checking your basal body temperature

Your basal temperature is your body temperature at rest. During the period after ovulation, the body’s basal temperature becomes slightly elevated and stays that way through the remainder of the menstrual cycle. Measuring your basal temperature can be a simple, inexpensive way of determining ovulation. But it’s important to note that your temperature will rise AFTER ovulation. You should, therefore, not wait until your temperature has risen to have intercourse, as you will have missed your most fertile time.

Basal body temperatures are taken each morning prior to getting out of bed to start the day. The temperatures are charted on a special graph to follow the rise in temperature. The rise is a small fraction of a degree, so it is helpful to purchase a special basal body thermometer, which has 1/10 of a degree ranges, plus charts to monitor your menstrual cycle. Basal body temperatures can rise for other reasons such as fever, stress, and poor sleep, smoking and being overheated in your bed. Noting any physical changes on your basal body chart will help you evaluate your temperature pattern.

This method works best after having several months of charts to compare the patterns in your basal body temperature. You should save all of your charts and so you can review them with your doctor. Three or four months of charting should be adequate to determine your pattern of ovulation.