Basal Body Temperature Charting- What Is It and Why Should You Do It?

Chances are, if you are trying to conceive, you have heard people talking about basal body temperatute charting. Many women have found that they can conceive much sooner if they chart their basal body temperature (BBT). So why is this possibly the best way to get pregnant? In this article, we define BBT and explain how you can use it to help you take charge of your fertility.

When trying to conceive, it is important to understand how your hormones work during your monthly cycle. During the first half of your cycle (from the first day of your last period through ovulation), estrogen is the primary hormone in charge. The estrogen is what produces an egg each month to be released from your ovaries. This part of your cycle is called the follicular phase. The second half of your cycle (from ovulation until your next period) is called the luteal phase. During this time, the hormone progesterone takes over and will be the primary hormone in charge until it drops off just before your next menstrual period.

Why is Basal Body Temperature Charting Important?

It's really quite simple. When estrogen is in charge, your body runs slightly cooler than when progesterone is in charge. When your basal body temperature increases, or "spikes", it means you have ovulated. So, while ovulation predictor kits can tell you when ovulation is pending, they really only give you a window (a positive ovulation test means ovulation will likely occur within 24- 48 hours). Charting your BBT, on the other hand, will tell you when ovulation has occurred, so you know for sure when your timing is most effective.

How Do I Get Started with Basal Body Temperature Charting?

You will need a good quality digital basal thermometer, which is much more sensitive than a traditional fever thermometer, but you can purchase one for about the same price. Your Basal temperature is your temperatute when your body is at rest, first thing in the morning. To make sure you are charting accurately, keep a notebook and pen on your nightstand and take your temperature before getting out of bed each morning. This should be done every day at the same time, which may mean that you will have to wake up early on the weekends to record your temperature. Some people prefer to use computer programs or websites to chart. Some websites also offer printable graphs to record your information on.

What Should I Look For?

When you have ovulated, you can expect to see a spike in temperature ranging from about 0.5 to 1.6 degrees. you are most fertile in the 2-3 days before ovulation, and up to 24 hours after ovulation has occurred. you will know for sure that you have ovulated when you have 3 consecutive days of increased temperatires. Of course, three days after ovulation is too late to become pregnant, so it's best to have intercourse as soon as you notice a temperature spike. You may need to chart for a couple of months to see when you tend to ovulate. Try to have intercourse every day in the days leading up to ovulation. To identify your exact fertile window, and the best way to get pregnant, use a basal thermometer in conjunction with an ovulation predictor kit. If you do not see a consistent rise in temperature in the second half on your cycle, it is possible that you are not ovulating. In this case, you can bring your basal body temperature chart to your doctor to seek possible treatments.

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