Charting a basal temperature is one of the methods for assessing the work of the reproductive system, which is available to almost every woman.
Maintaining the schedule and its decoding require compliance certain rules and subtleties, otherwise there is a high probability of obtaining distorted results.
Keeping a graph of basal temperature allows you to determine the correct functioning of the female ovaries and identify a number of problems that affect the ability to conceive a child.
The chart can be used to determine:
- egg maturation time;
- in a particular cycle or its absence;
- favorable and not auspicious days for conception;
- the presence of hormonal problems;
- diseases of the pelvic organs;
- the reason for the delay of the next menstruation.
The measurement results will be informative only if the graphs were kept for at least three menstrual cycles.
Some gynecologists observe for at least six months to make an accurate diagnosis. For a correct interpretation it is necessary. Otherwise, the graph data will not be representative.
Building a BT schedule during pregnancy
The method of basal temperature charting is becoming more common due to its availability. All you need is a thermometer, a checkered notebook and a pencil.
Basal body temperature is measured in anus daily, immediately after waking up. The obtained value is entered into the table and marked on the graph.
The graph reflects the daily measurement results for menstrual cycle(not months). A normal cycle is 21 to 35 days. The beginning of the cycle is considered the first day of menstruation (and not its completion, as some people think).
Each menstrual cycle should have its own basal temperature curve.
On the vertical axis of the graph, degrees are marked (1 cell = 0.1 ° C), on the horizontal axis - the days of the cycle and the date corresponding to this day. The obtained temperature value is marked on the graph with the corresponding point, after which the neighboring points are connected to each other. Thus, a curve of basal temperature changes during the cycle is built.
Factors that may affect the reliability of the measurement should be noted against the corresponding day of the cycle.
These include ailments, alcohol intake, sex shortly before measurement, insomnia, stress, moving. Unusual temperature jumps caused by these factors can be eliminated from the curve.
Deciphering the different types of graphs with examples: high, low and normal temperature
The graph reflects the dependence of basal temperature on the phases of the menstrual cycle. In the first phase, which is called the follicular, the maturation of several follicles occurs. This period passes under the influence of estrogen, the temperature value varies between 36.4-36.8 ° C.
The first phase takes about half of the cycle. At this time, one of the several follicles remains, the maturation of the egg occurs in it.
Then the follicle bursts and the egg is released from the ovary, that is, ovulation occurs.
Before ovulation, basal temperature drops to its minimum.
The second phase of the cycle begins, in which a corpus luteum appears in place of the bursting follicle. Its cells synthesize a hormone, under the influence of which there is a jump in basal temperature by 0.4-0.8 ° C. This phase is called the luteal phase.
If conception does not occur during the cycle, the level of progesterone drops, and the basal body temperature drops slightly 2-3 days before the upcoming menstruation.
Normal biphasic schedule
The graph of basal temperature in a healthy woman has clearly demarcated phases of the menstrual cycle: follicular with a low basal temperature and luteal, which is distinguished by an increase in temperature. Before ovulation and the onset of menstruation, there is a drop in temperature.
The graph is divided into phases by the ovulation line. The follicular phase is a curve segment from the first day of the cycle to ovulation, the luteal phase is from ovulation to the end of the cycle. The duration of the first phase of the cycle is an individual feature of each woman and there are no clear requirements for it. The second phase should normally last 12-16 days.
If for several months of observation the length of the luteal phase does not fit into this range, a consultation with a gynecologist is necessary. This may indicate the insufficiency of the second phase.
In a healthy woman, the duration of each phase should not vary significantly with different menstrual cycles.
Normally, the average temperature difference between cycle phases should be 0.4 °C or more.
To determine it, it is necessary to add up all the values of the basal temperature in the first phase and divide by the number of days of the phase. Similarly, the average value of the basal temperature in the second phase of the cycle is calculated.
Then the first one is subtracted from the second received indicator; the result obtained characterizes the difference in average temperatures. If it is below 0.4 ° C, this may be a sign of the presence of a hormonal imbalance in the body.
Basal body temperature chart at conception
If conception occurred in the menstrual cycle, then the basal temperature in the second phase behaves somewhat differently. It is known that after ovulation, BBT normally stays above 37 ° C. However, in a cycle when pregnancy occurs 7-10 days after ovulation, the temperature drops below 37 ° C. There is a so-called implantation retraction.
estrogen deficiency
In the case of estrogen deficiency, there is no division of the cycle into clear phases on the graph, since low estrogen levels provoke an increase in temperature in the follicular phase of the cycle. The curve is chaotic, it is impossible to determine the date of ovulation.
Conception in this case is unlikely, it is necessary to seek the advice of a gynecologist. If estrogen deficiency is confirmed after additional examinations, the patient will be prescribed hormonal treatment.
Anovulatory cycle
In the absence of ovulation, the graph looks like a monotonic curve without division into phases. In the second phase of the menstrual cycle, the basal temperature remains low and does not exceed 37 ° C. In such a cycle, the formation that synthesizes progesterone does not occur, so the basal temperature does not increase in the second half of the cycle.
A couple of anovulatory cycles per year is a variant of the norm, but if the situation repeats for several months in a row, you should consult a doctor. Pregnancy without ovulation is impossible, so you need to find the root of the problem together with a gynecologist.
The average temperature difference between cycle phases is 0.2-0.3 °C. If such graphs are built for several cycles in a row, this may be a sign of infertility due to hormonal disorders.
If the corpus luteum does not function effectively and does not produce the required amount of progesterone, the temperature in the second phase of the cycle rises slightly. At the same time, the duration of the second phase is reduced to 10 days and there is no drop in basal temperature before the onset of menstruation.
In case of insufficiency of the corpus luteum, fertilization of the egg is possible, but the risk of its rejection in the same cycle is high.
To confirm the diagnosis, a woman needs to take a blood test for progesterone.
The diagnosed insufficiency of the corpus luteum is corrected by taking artificial analogues of progesterone ("" or "") in the luteal phase of the cycle.
Prolactin is the hormone responsible for pregnancy and breast-feeding. Normally, in a non-pregnant woman, it is absent or its level is extremely low.
If for certain reasons it rises, the basal temperature graph becomes identical. In this case, there may be a lack of menstruation.
Inflammation of the appendages
The presence of an inflammatory process can be suspected by a jump in temperature in the first segment of the graph. There is a high basal temperature in the first phase of the cycle.
It rises sharply to 37 ° C and drops sharply after a few days. Such a jump can be mistaken for an ovulatory rise in temperature, so it can be difficult to determine the onset of ovulation with this type of schedule.
endometritis
normal with arrival critical days basal temperature should decrease. With endometritis (inflammation of the uterine mucosa), there is a drop in temperature before the onset of menstruation and its rise to 37 ° C in the first phase of the menstrual cycle.
Keeping charts of basal temperature is an affordable and safe method for determining favorable and unfavorable days for conception. But due to its high sensitivity, it requires a responsible and competent approach, otherwise keeping a schedule loses its practical meaning.
Even if the graph is plotted correctly, it must be remembered that the final diagnosis is never made only on the basis of the analysis of the curve data. Any diagnosis must be confirmed by tests and additional studies.
Basal body temperature (BT)- the lowest temperature reached after a long rest. This indicator is recommended to be measured by all women planning a pregnancy, since it is a method for calculating favorable days for trying to conceive a baby.
Basal temperature during pregnancy helps to monitor the course of the childbearing period. Its changes can indirectly judge complications - ectopic implantation of an embryo or a miscarriage that has begun. Also, the basal temperature helps to diagnose the onset of pregnancy before the delay.
Basal temperature before pregnancy
The average duration of the menstrual cycle is 28 days. Approximately 12-14 days from the beginning of the last menstruation, ovulation occurs - the release of the female germ cell from the ovary. From this moment, within 3 days, conception becomes possible. With a shorter cycle, it can be observed on days 8-12. With a long cycle, the exit of the germ cell occurs on the 16-18th day, sometimes even later. Some women experience 2 or more ovulations between two periods.To determine ovulation, you can use or special tests. However, the first method may have low reliability, since in all women the days favorable for fertilization correspond to different days of the cycle. Using an ovulation test is quite accurate, but quite expensive.
BBT measurement - free and effective method ovulation calculation. From the beginning of the cycle, the indicator is 36.5-36.8 degrees. BT depends on the activity of progesterone - the more it is in the blood, the higher the rate. At the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the amount of the hormone is minimal. The low temperature supports the process of maturation of the female germ cell in the ovary.
A day before the release of the female germ cell from the ovary, BT can drop sharply by several tenths of a degree, the next day it rises to 37.1-37.3. With ovulation, a new organ appears - the corpus luteum, which synthesizes progesterone. It is the increase in the amount of the hormone that raises BT to the named values.
By calculating BBT, a woman can prevent pregnancy. However, this method of protection is not very effective, since spermatozoa retain their fertilizing capacity for 7 days after intercourse. For reliable protection against unwanted pregnancy, the calculation of BT should be combined with other methods of protection.
How to measure basal temperature to determine pregnancy?
Basal temperature before delay
Measurement of basal temperature to determine pregnancy is one of the methods for calculating the onset of conception. However, its reliability depends entirely on how correctly the procedure was carried out. If all conditions are met, the measurement of basal temperature will report pregnancy before the delay of menstruation.In the absence of pregnancy, the corpus luteum synthesizes progesterone for 7-10 days, then it dies off, and the amount of the hormone gradually decreases. Therefore, some time after ovulation, the basal temperature becomes several tenths of a degree lower, amounting to about 36.9-37.0 degrees Celsius. After the onset of menstrual bleeding, these numbers again take values of about 36.7 degrees Celsius.
If pregnancy has occurred, the corpus luteum does not die, but continues to synthesize progesterone, which supports gestation. BT in this case does not fall, and sometimes even becomes higher by one tenth of a degree, amounting to 37.1-37.4.
By measuring BT, one can judge the success of IVF. During in vitro fertilization, a woman is stimulated by progesterone, which increases the values \u200b\u200bof the indicator above 37.1 degrees. With a successful course of the procedure, BT will be in the range characteristic of physiological pregnancy.
The basal temperature in early pregnancy is 37.1-37.4 and can serve as a method for determining the onset of conception and monitoring the process of bearing a child.
Basal body temperature after delay
The onset of the delay corresponds to the 5th week of pregnancy. When the expectant mother does not have an hCG test at hand, she can use the method for determining BT. If its figures are 37.1-37.4 degrees, with a high probability one should judge the onset of conception. When BBT is less than 37.0-36.9, pregnancy is unlikely.Progesterone, which is responsible for maintaining BT, continues to be actively synthesized by the corpus luteum in the 1st trimester. Therefore, its normal values up to 11-12 weeks of gestational age exceed 37.0 degrees.
As the second trimester begins, the corpus luteum begins to gradually decrease in size and produces less progesterone. That is why BT, which is 36.8-36.9 degrees at 16-18 weeks of gestation, is a variant of the norm. From the middle of the 2nd trimester, the corpus luteum does not function, which reduces the amount of the hormone, so the measurement of the indicator has no predictive value from the 20th week.
Table of BT values in the absence of pregnancy
cycle day
day 7 - ovulation
Ovulation - 3 days after ovulation
4th day after ovulation - 2-4 days before menstruation
2-4 days before menstruation - 1 day of a new menstrual cycle
Table of BT values during pregnancy
cycle day
7th day - ovulation
fertilization day
Fertilization day - 4th day after fertilization
Implantation (7th day after conception)
8-10 days after conception
11 days after conception - the end of the 1st trimester of pregnancy
End of first trimester - middle of second trimester
Mid-second trimester - childbirth
Rules for measuring basal temperature
Basal temperature in pregnant women can serve as a reliable sign of its normal course only if it is measured correctly. Failure to comply with the rules described below may cause inconsistencies with real numbers and unreasonable worries for the expectant mother. For the correct measurement of basal temperature, you should:- spend it after waking up, without making movements in bed;
- measurements should be taken at about the same time every day;
- the duration of sleep before measurement should be more than 6 hours;
- the thermometer must be inserted into the anus by 20 millimeters;
- the duration of the measurement must be at least 4 minutes.
To track ovulation and monitor the course of pregnancy, a woman can keep a graph of basal temperature. The expectant mother should take a large piece of paper lined in a cage and draw two lines perpendicular to each other.
On the vertical line of the future mother, it is proposed to mark the temperature with an interval of one tenth of a degree, starting from 36.0 and ending with 38.0. Horizontally, a woman needs to arrange the days of the menstrual cycle, starting from the very first.
Next, the woman should note the daily measurements of basal temperature, putting a dot at the intersection of the day of the menstrual cycle and the value obtained. Then the expectant mother needs to connect the dots, thanks to which she will receive a line graph. For a more thorough control of the woman it is recommended to sign the symptoms that could provoke an increase in basal temperature- stress, infection, diarrhea, sexual intercourse, etc.
When pregnancy occurs, an implantation drop can be observed on the chart on the 21st day of the cycle (with a menstrual cycle length of 28 days). From 21 to 24 days there will be a slight rise. From the 25th day of the menstrual cycle, the basal temperature will take on a linear form, slight fluctuations of one to two tenths of a degree are possible.
Reasons for a decrease or increase
1. Endometritis.With this disease, before menstruation, there is a slight drop in basal temperature, as it should be normal. However, on the 3rd-4th day of the cycle, the indicator is more than 37.0 degrees (normally, it should decrease by about 36.5 degrees).
2. Inflammatory process.
Most often, a strong increase in basal temperature above 37.4 degrees indicates an infection. Inflammation can occur in any organ, however, pathologies of the reproductive system (, chlamydia, etc.) have the greatest impact on the indicator.
3. Ectopic pregnancy.
Not always this pathology can be detected by measuring basal temperature. But sometimes, due to the addition of the inflammatory process, there is a rise in the indicator above 37.4 degrees. Up to this point, the basal temperature is normal, since the corpus luteum produces progesterone as in normal pregnancy.
4. The threat of interruption.
Pregnancy with a low basal body temperature of less than 37.0 degrees may indicate progesterone deficiency. With poor functioning of the corpus luteum, there is a constant threat. This condition is often accompanied by pulling or cramping pains in the lower abdomen and lower back, sometimes bleeding is added to them.
5. Frozen pregnancy.
Due to the presence of chromosomal abnormalities or the action of other adverse factors, the embryo may die and not leave the uterine cavity. The basal temperature during a missed pregnancy will be below 37.0-36.9 degrees, since the corpus luteum stops synthesizing progesterone. Usually, intrauterine death is accompanied by other symptoms: a sharp disappearance of toxicosis, a decrease in the mammary glands.
With the help of measuring basal temperature, you can plan favorable days before conception, find out about pregnancy before a delay and control the course of the first trimester. However, this method is not 100% reliable, since there are many factors that affect the correctness of the results.
For the reliability of the results of BT the expectant mother must strictly follow all the rules of measurement. She should remember that even a banal cold or increased physical activity on the eve of calculations can provoke incorrect indicators. Also, the use of low-quality thermometers leads to unreliable results.
The basal temperature in a particular expectant mother may not fit into the above-mentioned norms. In this case, a woman should observe the dynamics of changes in indicators. If during ovulation the basal temperature did not reach 36.5 degrees, it is likely that after conception it will not exceed 37.0. Such results are rare, but they do not indicate complications.
All women are advised to monitor the basal temperature to detect its sharp jump in one direction or another. Any violations in the basal temperature chart do not always indicate the development of pathology. But at plummet or an increase in the indicators of the expectant mother, it is recommended to consult a doctor for additional studies. Sometimes regular measurements of basal temperature help to diagnose complications such as an ectopic or miscarriage in time.
Measuring your basal body temperature will help you determine your hormonal stability. Why are these measurements made? Firstly, it is necessary to calculate a day favorable for conception and to determine “dangerous” days if you do not want to become pregnant. Secondly, the measurement is carried out in case of a woman's concerns about infertility.
Thirdly, this method helps to detect hormonal failure in a woman's body, as well as determine pregnancy.
BBT measurement during pregnancy?
Basal temperature during pregnancy is measured not only to determine pregnancy, but also to identify abnormalities in the development of the unborn baby. But do not confuse measuring BBT with measuring normal body temperature.
Many factors can affect changes in body temperature: physical exercise, air temperature, stress, overeating and much more. That is why basal temperature during pregnancy should be measured under certain constant conditions.
How to measure basal temperature during pregnancy?
It is worth taking a measurement in the morning, immediately after you wake up, while your night sleep must be at least six hours.
The best way to measure BT is considered rectal, it takes 3-4 minutes to measure it in this way. You can also measure basal temperature during pregnancy vaginally and orally.
With the latter method of measurement, the procedure time increases to five minutes. For measurements, you can use both a mercury and an electronic thermometer.
It is worth measuring every day at the same time, the allowable time difference should be no more than half an hour.
Influence the accuracy of the results illness, travel, stress, alcohol consumption, and some medicines. It should be noted that it is impossible to combine the measurement of BBT with the use of contraceptives.
Measurement results must be recorded in order to be able to plot.
Basal temperature chart during pregnancy
Having measured the basal temperature, the values obtained during the procedure should be recorded in order to then draw up a graph of the basal temperature.
It is very easy to build a graph, you need to place degrees on the y-axis, one cell should equal 0.1 degrees.
The abscissa shows the days of the menstrual cycle. In these cells, factors that could affect BT can be noted.
Having marked the temperature on certain days with dots, connect all the dots in series: what you get is the BT schedule. Approximately it looks like this:
Do I need to control basal body temperature during pregnancy?
BT during pregnancy can tell a lot about the course of pregnancy and complications. After fertilization of the egg, in the normal course of pregnancy, BBT remains elevated until the 20th week. After four months of pregnancy, it does not make sense to control it.
Very often, not only a gynecologist, but also an endocrinologist and therapist advise to control the basal temperature in early pregnancy.
The schedule of BBT measurements during pregnancy will help specialists to get a more complete picture of the course of pregnancy and will help to monitor the hormonal system of a pregnant woman. BBT during pregnancy is considered normal from 37.1 to 37.3 degrees.
It happens that the basal pregnancy temperature drops , in this case, you should immediately consult a doctor observing the pregnancy. A drop in BT below 37 degrees may indicate unstable hormone production and about.
It is worth noting that during a frozen pregnancy, BT also decreases, but you should not immediately panic, it is necessary to conduct additional examinations in order to find out about the development of pregnancy.
There are cases when during pregnancy basal body temperature rises . What can this mean? If the basal temperature rises to 37.8 degrees and above, then this may indicate an infectious or inflammatory process. In the case of an increase in BBT, the risk of miscarriage is much less than with a sharp drop, but this situation cannot be ignored. A pregnant woman with increased BBT needs an examination by a gynecologist to find out the reasons for the temperature jump.
Realizing that it exists new life, a woman seeks to learn as much as possible about her situation. This is especially important for those who are anxious for any reason. Basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy will help to monitor the process daily, to identify dangerous signs, so that the expectant mother can get help in a timely manner if necessary.
Read in this article
Why measure BBT
Basal temperature is another indicator of gynecological health. Due to the natural difference in its values at each stage of the cycle, women are planning a pregnancy. Daily measurements and scheduling make it possible to find out the day of ovulation. Before menstruation, the value of BT reaches 36.7-36.9 degrees. By the time of egg maturation, it increases to 37-37.1. If conception did not occur, after ovulation, its values decrease again. If there was no ovulation at all, then the temperature will be approximately the same throughout the entire cycle.
Basal temperature 37 is a sign of pregnancy, which appears, perhaps, earlier than others. Delayed menstruation, morning sickness and other symptoms will announce it later. In the meantime, keeping BT at this level for 2 weeks will let the woman know that she is now responsible for another life, and it's time to start providing suitable conditions for her development. And although this is not an indisputable sign of pregnancy, it can be a reason for a test, leaving bad habits that interfere with her, and establishing a normal regimen.
The norm of basal temperature after conception
A fertilized egg needs special conditions to attach to the wall. The body creates them with the help of the hormone progesterone, which begins to be produced in an increased amount compared to the previous one. With its help, the uterus prepares to accept the fetal egg, then allow the membranes, the placenta, to develop. For this reason, the basal temperature during early pregnancy also goes up, but up to certain limits.
Usually its value varies in different women from 37 to 37.3 degrees. Keeping within these limits means that the process goes without unpleasant surprises, as it should. What basal temperature in early pregnancy may depend on the characteristics of a particular organism. It is normally able to deviate from the average values, reaching 38 degrees. But to make sure that this is not evidence of any danger, it is better to visit a specialist.
Daily fluctuations in BT
Measurement of bt in early pregnancy should be carried out at the same hours in the morning. Such indicators can be trusted, since the body has rested, and no external factors have not yet been able to influence him. Physical activity inherent in wakefulness, eating, emotions, even wearing clothes inevitably change its meanings. Usually, the basal temperature in early pregnancy rises above 37.3 degrees during the day, but there is no danger hidden in this. At this time, its values can change every hour under the influence of the factors already mentioned.
By the end of the day, the body “digests” everything accumulated during the day, but is already preparing for rest. However, taking measurements at this time of day is just as pointless. The indicator will still be high, and it is impossible to understand whether this is caused by natural causes or health problems. Basal temperature in early pregnancy in the evening is usually about 1 degree above normal. An informative measurement at this time will be if the woman slept for at least 5 hours during the day. But it is unlikely that anyone will observe such a strange regime for all 12 weeks of the initial stage.
When and how to measure BBT
Bt during early pregnancy is measured in the morning before getting up, when the biological activity of the body is minimal. The thermometer is placed in the vagina or rectum for 2 cm and held for 3-5 minutes. During this time, the device will sense and display the actual temperature values.
Each measurement must repeat the previous one. That is, it is impossible to insert a thermometer into the vagina today, and tomorrow into the anus. And it is necessary to carry out manipulations at the same time, you can be late and rush only for an hour. The thermometer should always be the same as before.
Basal temperature is important in early pregnancy in accurate measurement. This is real if:
- Do the procedure only in a horizontal position, without turning on your side, without getting up. Sitting in bed, the woman increases the flow of blood to the pelvis. The thermometer in this case will show high values \u200b\u200bthat do not correspond to reality;
- Take measurements after at least 5 hours of sleep, only in this way the readings will be correct;
- Do not have sex during the entire period of BT control. Sexual activity stimulates its increase. Or at least make sure that the interval between the measurement and the act is at least half a day;
- Do not take medication. Most of them will distort the picture, and the indicator may be significantly higher or lower than normal values. But the basal temperature is controlled in the early stages of pregnancy due to the likely threat to the condition. In this case, there may be no danger, and the number on the thermometer will show what is;
- Have breakfast after measurement. Food also affects the value of the indicator;
- Do not be sick. Even a slight runny nose can change the value of BT.
Why you need a schedule
A BBT schedule during early pregnancy is necessary if a woman seriously decides to track this indicator. As the fetus develops in the mother's body, different kind changes, mainly associated with hormones. It is not surprising that the basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy is also unstable, the graph will prove this. It usually looks like this:
- On the day of fertilization of the egg, the value balances between 36.4 and 36.7 degrees;
- For the next 3-4 days, it rises by 0.1 degrees daily and reaches 37;
- For another 2-3 days, the value of the basal temperature remains the same;
- On the day of implantation of the ovum into the uterine mucosa, it decreases to 36.5-36.6 degrees;
- The next 2-3 days, the values of the indicator gradually go up, reaching 36.8-37 degrees;
- For about 2 weeks, the numbers on the thermometer can range from 36.7 to 37.1. But the values should not be lower than those observed on the day of ovulation.
Basal body temperature chart during pregnancy early stages should include not only the numbers of the indicator and the days of the cycle, but also the accompanying circumstances. BBT values can be affected by illness, medication, stress. The attending physician should learn about each of them in order to have a complete picture of the development of pregnancy.
When the basal temperature deviates from the norm
It is worth saying that an increase in basal temperature and keeping it at certain values is not at all an absolute sign of pregnancy. Sometimes it can mean something completely different. But if a woman is convinced by a test that conception has occurred, it is not always necessary for her to control this indicator. Usually, the doctor insists on measuring BBT for problems with gestation in the past in order to catch them at an early stage. So more opportunities to neutralize negative factors.
Why is the basal temperature too high
An excessive increase in basal temperature is due to the inflammatory process occurring in the body. In most cases, it is associated with the reproductive sphere, but not always.
Another reason for too high BBT may be ectopic pregnancy. The fetal egg, despite the abnormal localization, develops, which means that progesterone is produced in the usual amount for pregnancy. At the same time, there is an inflammatory process in the body that can increase both body temperature and BBT.
A woman needs to listen to the sensations in the lower abdomen and monitor the discharge. If brown instead of transparent ones come out, an ultrasound of the fallopian tubes and the abdominal cavity should be done.
Possible threat of interruption
A decrease in basal temperature in early pregnancy occurs with the threat of its interruption. main reason this in most cases becomes a lack of progesterone. The hormone provides the creation of conditions for the development of the fetal egg: loosening the upper layer of the inner lining of the uterus, fixing the embryo in it.
Thanks to him, the basal temperature also rises in the early stages of pregnancy, 37 is its average value for the first 2 weeks after conception. A lower indicator is a reason to take measures to prevent the rejection of the ovum, which may begin soon. If, in addition, a woman feels pain in her abdomen, notices blood-colored discharge, she needs help immediately.
Frozen pregnancy
Low basal temperature in early pregnancy can also be a sign of fetal fading. This means that the embryo has stopped developing. Why this happens, we can only speculate. But you need to know about such a situation, since the fetus does not always come out on its own. It is necessary to remove it, and the sooner the safer for the woman. For a short period, this is done using the vacuum method, and after recovering, after a while, you can plan a pregnancy again.
Stopping the development of the embryo is accompanied not only by a decrease in BT, but also by other symptoms, the main of which is the disappearance of other signs of its existence. In a woman, the increase in the mammary glands also stops. In this case, the level of progesterone also falls, because the corpus luteum no longer needs to produce it.
Is there a low BBT during normal pregnancy
The norm of basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy is rather arbitrary. It is not at all necessary that the body will demonstrate its values as in a textbook. Its individual characteristics may turn out to be such that with a normally developing pregnancy, the indicator will not reach the average for all 12 weeks, when it makes sense to measure it. And low bt during pregnancy in the early stages will not interfere with bearing and giving birth to a healthy child.
The indicator must be monitored and compared over time. If at other times its values \u200b\u200bare also not the same as the norm, you should not take this as a threat to pregnancy. For example, with BT during ovulation less than 36.4, the indicator in the first 2 weeks may not reach the milestone of 37 degrees.
Measurement of basal temperature is useful for the first 3 months, when its values are informative. Beyond that, they don't matter. But in the first trimester, you should not overestimate them. Basal body temperature only takes on meaning in the context of other signs. Therefore, for any discrepancies with the average numbers, you should not worry, but it is better to go to women's consultation to make sure everything is ok.
Ovulation is a key event in a woman's menstrual cycle. If you accurately determine the day when it occurs, it is possible not only to plan conception, but also to slightly influence the sex of the unborn baby.
Get information about when the egg leaves the ovary various ways: Ultrasound of the ovaries or determination of the concentration of sex hormones during the cycle several times. But the simplest and free method that every woman is able to carry out at home has been and remains the conduct of basal thermometry. A careful analysis of how the basal temperature changes daily will make it possible to study the work of the ovaries, to understand whether ovulation occurs or not, to determine pregnancy before the test can show it.
The essence of the method of basal thermometry
The key role in the management of the female body is played by sex hormones: progesterone and estrogen, prolactin, gonadotropic hormones of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The balance between them is reflected in many processes, including body temperature, which is called basal.
Basal temperature is the lowest temperature indicator, indicating the actual temperature of the internal organs. It is determined immediately after rest (usually after a night's sleep), before the start of any physical activity that will create a measurement error. For its establishment, only departments that have communication with body cavities are suitable. These are the vagina (it is connected with the uterus), the rectum (it is directly connected with the large intestines) and the oral cavity, which passes into the oropharynx.
Set the level basal rate the hormones estrogen and progesterone. They "dictate" what basal temperature a woman should have during ovulation.
The normal amount of estrogen in itself does not affect the temperature. The task of this hormone is to prevent progesterone from affecting the thermoregulatory center located in the hypothalamus (this is the area associated with the brain).
In the first half of the cycle, estrogen dominates. It keeps your basal body temperature from rising above 37°C. During the period of ovulation, when an increased amount of estrogen first enters the bloodstream, there is a decrease in the temperature index by about 0.3 ° C. When the egg leaves the follicle, and in its place a corpus luteum appears, producing progesterone, the thermometer shows 37 ° C or more. At the same time, the graph of basal thermometry becomes similar to a bird with open wings, whose beak symbolizes the day of ovulation.
Further, when the corpus luteum dies (if conception has not occurred) and the amount of progesterone decreases, the temperature drops. During menstruation, the indicator stays at 37 ° C, then decreases and everything repeats again.
If pregnancy occurs, more and more progesterone is normally produced, so the temperature does not decrease, as before menstruation, but, on the contrary, increases.
What will determine the day of ovulation
Knowing on what day the oocyte leaves the follicle, a woman can:
- plan pregnancy: after 3-4 months of scheduling, you can practice sexual intercourse not “approximately”, counting 14 days from the expected start of the next menstruation, but knowing exactly the day of ovulation;
- plan the gender of the unborn baby (the method is not 100%). If you want a boy to be born, then it is better to plan sexual intercourse on the day of ovulation (basal temperature decreases on this day and vaginal leucorrhoea acquires the color and texture of raw chicken protein). If the dream is to give birth to a girl, it is better to have sex 2-3 days before the expected ovulation;
- knowing when ovulation occurs, you can, on the contrary, avoid conception, since a few days before it, the day the egg is released and the day after are the most “dangerous” days;
- the graph will show if there are hormonal problems, inflammation of the reproductive organs or lack of ovulation (), which is why conception does not occur.
In addition, drawing a graph of basal thermometry in some cases will allow you to determine pregnancy without buying a test. And if you continue to lead it for the first time after conception, you can see the threat of miscarriage in time and take the necessary measures.
How to properly conduct basal thermometry
It is very important to know how to correctly measure basal temperature to determine ovulation. After all, a woman's body is extremely sensitive to minimal changes in external conditions, and the units of measurement in which the graph is maintained are tenths of a degree (it is here that a fluctuation of 0.1-0.05 ° C can be important).
Here are the basic rules, under which the temperature graph will become as informative as possible:
- Measurements are taken either in the rectum (optimal), or vaginally, or in the mouth (this requires a special thermometer).
- The thermometer should be inserted 2-3 cm and lie down quietly, taking measurements, for 5 minutes.
- Before taking measurements, sit down, spin, get up, walk, eat. Even shaking the thermometer can give false readings.
- Choose a good quality thermometer (preferably a mercury one) that will take your temperature daily for 3-4 months.
- Put on a table (shelf) near the bed, which you can reach in the morning without getting up, 3 things: a thermometer, a notebook and a pen. Even if you start keeping your schedule on a computer - in online or offline programs, it is best to read the thermometer readings and immediately write it down with the number.
- Take measurements every morning at the same time. Plus or minus 30 minutes.
- Be sure to sleep for at least 6 hours before taking measurements. If you got up at night, take measurements later so that 6 hours have passed.
- Thermometry should be taken at 5-7 am, even if you can sleep until noon. This is due to the daily biorhythms of the hormones of the adrenal glands and the hypothalamus, which affect the basal temperature.
- The accuracy of measurements is affected by travel, alcohol intake, physical activity, sexual intercourse. Therefore, try to avoid these situations as much as possible during the basal thermometry, but if they happen, mark them on the chart. And if you get sick and a fever develops, all measurements for the next 2 weeks will be completely uninformative.
When to start measuring basal temperature?
From the very first day, menstruation, that is, from the first day of the cycle.
How to schedule?
You can do this on paper in a box by drawing 2 lines: on the horizontal line (along the abscissa) mark the day of the month, draw the vertical (y-axis) so that each cell indicates 0.1 ° C. Every morning, put a dot at the intersection of the thermometry indicator and the desired date, connect the dots together. You don't need to take your temperature in the evening. Under the horizontal line, leave a space where you will take daily notes about highlights and events that have occurred that could affect the indicators. On top of the measurement results, from day 6 to day 12, draw a horizontal line. It is called covering and serves for the convenience of deciphering the graph by a gynecologist.
We also suggest using ready template the basal temperature chart below by saving it to your computer and printing it out. To do this, hover over the image and through the menu right button mouse to save the picture.
Note! If you are taking birth control, you do not need to take a thermometer. These drugs specifically disable ovulation, which makes them contraceptives.
Read also about other methods for determining ovulation in ours.
What the basal temperature graph looks like during ovulation (that is, during a normal ovulatory cycle):
- in the first three days of menstruation, the temperature is about 37 ° C;
- by the end of the monthly temperature indicators fall, amounting to 36.4-36.6 ° C;
- further, within 1-1.5 weeks (depending on the length of the cycle), thermometry shows the same numbers - 36.4-36.6 ° C (it can be lower or higher, depending on the metabolic processes in the body). It should not be the same every day, but fluctuate a little (that is, not a straight line is drawn, but zigzags). The 6 values connected by an overlapping line must be followed by three days when the temperature is 0.1°C higher or higher, and on one of these days it is higher than 0.2°C. Then after 1-2 days you can wait for ovulation;
- just before ovulation, the thermometer shows the basal temperature lower by 0.5-0.6 ° C, after which it rises sharply;
- during ovulation, the basal temperature is in the range of 36.4-37 ° C (according to other sources - above 37 ° C). It should be 0.25-0.5 (on average, 0.3 ° C) higher than at the beginning of the menstrual cycle;
- what should be the basal temperature after ovulation depends on whether conception has occurred or not. If pregnancy does not occur, the numbers decrease gradually, totaling approximately 0.3°C. The most heat observed on the 8-9th day after the release of a mature oocyte. Just on this day, the implantation of the fertilized oocyte into the inner uterine membrane occurs.
Between the average figures of the two halves of the cycle - before and after ovulation - the temperature difference should be 0.4-0.8 ° C.
How long does basal body temperature last after ovulation?
Before the onset of menstruation. Usually it is 14-16 days. If 16-17 days have already passed, and the temperature is still above 37 ° C, this most likely indicates pregnancy. During this period, you can do a test (the main thing is that 10-12 days have already passed after ovulation), you can determine hCG in the blood. Ultrasound and examination by a gynecologist are still uninformative.
These are indicators of the norm of basal temperature during ovulation, as well as before and after it. But not always the menstrual cycle looks so perfect. Usually, the numbers and the type of curve raises many questions among women.
High numbers in the first phase of the cycle
If, after menstruation, the figures of basal thermometry are above 37 ° C, this indicates an insufficient amount of estrogen in the blood. In this case, an anovulatory cycle is usually observed. And if you subtract 14 days from the next menstruation, that is, look at phase 2 (otherwise it is not visualized), then there are sharp jumps in temperature indicators, without their gradual increase.
The syndrome is accompanied by various unpleasant symptoms: hot flashes, headaches, heart rhythm disturbances, increased sweating. This type of temperature curve, together with the determination in the blood low levels estrogen requires the doctor to prescribe drugs - synthetic estrogens.
Progesterone and estrogen-progesterone deficiency
If after ovulation the basal temperature does not rise, this indicates progesterone deficiency. Such a situation is common cause endocrine infertility. And if conception does occur, then there is a risk of miscarriage for early term until the placenta forms and takes over the function of producing progesterone.
The insufficient work of the corpus luteum (a gland formed at the site of the opened follicle) is indicated by a decrease in temperature indicators as early as 2-10 days after ovulation. If the length of the 1st phase of the cycle can still vary, then the second phase should be the same and average 14 days.
Progesterone deficiency can also be assumed when the numbers rise to only 0.3 ° C.
If you already have a low basal temperature for 2-3 cycles after ovulation, contact your gynecologist with this schedule. He will tell you on which days of the cycle you need to donate blood to determine progesterone and other hormones in it, and based on this analysis, he will prescribe treatment. Usually, the administration of synthetic progesterones is effective, and as a result, the woman is able to become pregnant and bear the child.
Estrogen-progesterone deficiency
This condition, when the ovaries do not produce sufficient amounts of both hormones, is indicated by a temperature graph that does not have significant fluctuations (there are large areas with straight lines, not zigzags). This condition is also indicated by an increase in temperature indicators of only 0.3 ° C after ovulation.
Anovulatory cycle
If it is already day 16 of the menstrual cycle, and there is no characteristic decrease, and then an increase in temperature, most likely, there was no ovulation. The older the woman, the more such cycles she has.
Based on the foregoing, basal thermometry is a simple and budgetary method for determining the optimal days for conception, as well as the reasons why pregnancy may not occur. It requires only 5-10 minutes of time in the morning. Whatever indicators you see in yourself, this is not a reason for panic or self-treatment. Contact the gynecologist with your schedules for several cycles, and you will be assigned a diagnosis and treatment.
