How and why basal temperature is measured

How accurate is ovulation tracking based on basal body temperature (BBT)?

According to statistical data, in the first year of taking measurements, this contraceptive method of basal body temperature is 99% effective if the menstrual cycle is regular.

During this period, women were more responsible and committed. Afterward, studies indicate that regular temperature measurement becomes a burden and the method’s effectiveness drops to as much as 85%.

Basal Body Temperature (BBT) charts should not be used as the sole method of contraception.
What basal thermometer should you use?

You can use an electronic or mercury thermometer to follow the ovulation process with your basal body temperature (BBT).

You choose. The important thing is that you use the same thermometer throughout the entire measurement period.

The electronic thermometer has some advantages over the mercury one. It is safer to use, and it indicates when it has reached the maximum temperature, and its memory stores the measurement value (in case you forget to write it down immediately).

The electronic thermometer is easy to use, while the mercury one needs to be shaken. It is best to do this before bed so that the movement of the hand does not affect the body temperature that you are going to measure in the morning.

If the measurement made with the mercury thermometer is between two marks, record the lower one.
What is the most accurate way to measure basal body temperature (BBT)?

Basal Body Temperature (BBT) can be measured in three ways: orally, vaginally, or rectally. It would be best if you always did it the same way throughout the measurement period.

The rectal method is considered the most accurate.

If you are taking your temperature by mouth, place the thermometer under your tongue. Check your temperature with your mouth closed for at least 5 minutes (if you have a mercury thermometer) or until you hear a beep (if you use an electronic thermometer).

For vaginal or rectal basal body temperature methods, the waiting period for the mercury thermometer is reduced to 3 minutes.

Do not measure your basal body temperature (BBT) in your armpit, as the values ​​will not be exact.
How to measure your basal body temperature (BBT) if you’ve been active at night

If for any reason, you have had to get out of bed at night or have had insomnia, you should measure your basal body temperature (BBT) after having slept continuously for at least 3-4 hours.

Otherwise, the results will be inaccurate, and you will not take them into account.

If you work at night, you should measure your basal body temperature (BBT) during the day after you’ve had at least 3-4 hours of sleep. This will give you a more accurate basal body temperature (BBT) graph.

Other symptoms of ovulation to watch out for

When measuring basal temperature and charting, it is also essential to look at the cervical mucus naturally produced by the body to defend the uterus. Their changes in appearance mark the initial and final stages of ovulation.

When the mucus has a watery, almost transparent appearance, it means that you are in the pre-ovulatory phase. At this time, the level of estrogens in the blood, the female hormones that regulate the ovarian cycle, increase. Then the second hormone of the ovarian cycle, progesterone, comes into play. When estrogen decreases and this hormone increases, cervical mucus changes appearance, becoming more lumpy and yellowish.
Learning to measure basal temperature when we are in the search stage of having a baby or, otherwise, avoiding pregnancy is essential to have good family planning.

Currently, there are many contraceptive methods, and measuring the basal temperature is one that our doctor makes available to us; the idea is to protect our body and avoid something unexpected. Surely you know some of them:

Vaginal condom
Tablets
Rhythm method
Intrauterine device
Pills for one day after sexual intercourse
Injectable medication
Vaginal ring

You probably know them and have used some or maybe all of them. It happens that our body often rejects this type of contraceptive; later, some are not as safe as the “rhythm method,” but it is only a matter of choosing something that adapts and making part of your daily life.
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How and why basal temperature is measured

The basal temperature in our body works in the following way: when they learn, Let’s measure the basal temperature we know the fertile days of our menstrual cycle.

This is a contraceptive method that all women can use, and it is straightforward, since we only need preferably a gallium or galinstan thermometer (if you do not have it, you can use a digital thermometer)

It would help if you waited for the menstrual cycle to start the measurement. You wonder how to do it.

You must know that using this method, you can get to know the most fertile days of ovulation if you want to get pregnant, but if not, it will also help you take precautions.

It is necessary to have your thermometer and a schedule at hand to write down and keep control in this way. Remember that basal temperature is our body temperature when we wake up.

In the same way, you must bear in mind that it is a process that needs a lot of perseverance and knowing how to do it; for that reason, these are the steps you must follow to measure the basal temperature and thus have a correct control of our menstrual cycle.
How to do it

It is necessary to write down the basal temperature every day of the menstrual cycle; in this way, we have the certainty of which will be our fertile days.

Take the temperature on the first day of menstruation, write down the days; that is, if your menstruation started on January 1, write it down and then the other days until the last.

This method can be the most reliable as long as we learn to do it; you should take the temperature as soon as you wake up; that is, keep the thermometer very close so that this is the first thing you do. If you do it differently, the measurement will not be valid.

Are you irregular in your menstrual cycle? To do this, write down all the fluctuations in temperature for three months to know more about your body, know how irregular you are, and the result will be more accurate in this case. “Create your calendar.”