If you constantly monitor the change in basal temperature, you can use the so-called natural or calendar method of protection against unwanted pregnancy, or vice versa, accurately calculate the day when a successful conception is possible. The plotted basal temperature graph will allow you to track and know exactly what phase of the woman's monthly cycle is observed at the moment.
Basal temperature after ovulation and before it is a key indicator of the processes occurring in the female reproductive system. It is ovulation and about two days before and after ovulation that are most favorable for getting pregnant. At other times of the monthly cycle, the possibility of conception is practically reduced to zero.
Therefore, if you are able to read the chart correctly and understand what the basal temperature after ovulation, as in other periods, is the norm, you can calculate the days when conception is most likely.
The last article was devoted to the features of basal temperature during ovulation. Now let's take a closer look at what changes occur in the female reproductive system after ovulation.
Basal temperature after ovulation if fertilization has occurred
Basal temperature is a variable value, and with a normally functioning body, it changes, clearly following a specific program. These changes are influenced by hormones.The menstrual cycle has two phases, separated by ovulation, during which various processes take place in the female body, aimed at preparing it for possible conception and pregnancy. Basal temperature on the graph reflects the balance of hormones - estrogen and progesterone. BT decreases at a time when the level of estrogen is increased in the body, and when the hormone progesterone goes up, the basal temperature also increases.
How can basal temperature change after ovulation?
Ovulation occurs between the two phases of the cycle. In the first phase, when a decrease in temperature is observed, one of the follicles matures. After ovulation has occurred, the follicle enters the corpus luteum stage and the so-called corpus luteum phase follows. During this period, progesterone increases and the degree of basal temperature increases.What should be the normal basal temperature after ovulation?
Basal temperature after ovulation becomes elevated by about 0.3 degrees and has an indicator slightly higher than 37 degrees. This growth is progressing over several days. You may notice fluctuations in temperature from one to three tenths of a degree during this phase of the monthly cycle, and this is the norm. The increase in temperature persists until the onset of menstruation, and then begins to decrease.When the basal temperature after ovulation does not increase or even becomes lower, this is an alarming sign, indicating a disturbance in the female reproductive system. If this is not explained by external influences and there was no measurement error, then this will be the reason for contacting the gynecologist so that the reason for this phenomenon can be clarified.
The level of basal temperature after ovulation should normally be around 37 or slightly higher. If the temperature during this period (the second phase of the cycle) is significantly lower, this may indicate a lack of progesterone, which means that the body is functioning with impairments, and the possibility of conception will be unlikely.
If you monitor your basal temperature, you can not only accurately determine the day of ovulation, but also timely notice some violations or diseases of the female genital area.
There are several ways women use to determine when they are ovulating.
Basal temperature measurement Is one of the oldest methods.
In contact with
However, he possesses a number merits... Firstly, it is a low cost, the ability to carry out it at home, and it is also an excellent reason to treat yourself more carefully, to listen to your body.
Besides, when charting basal temperature everything is taken into account and recorded in a more or less global sense of departure from the usual regime. For example, a sleepless night, drinking, waking up earlier, or some kind of physical ailment.
Determination of ovulation by basal temperature
As you know, a woman's menstrual cycle is divided in two phases (or two periods).
First begins with the onset of menstruation. At this time, the egg matures. After the ovulation process begins.
Fertilization of an egg is possible within one to two days after the start of ovulation... At the end of this period, the egg dies.
Then immediately comes second phase woman's menstrual cycle.
There is a release of a hormone necessary in order to fully prepare the soil for the adoption of the embryo. If the egg is not fertilized, the cycle starts again.
Basal body temperature in the first phase, before ovulation, lower than during the transition to the second phase.
After ovulation, basal temperature increases, but only if there is a sufficient production of a special hormone - progesterone.
The second phase lasts on average from thirteen to fourteen days, and immediately before the onset of menstruation, the temperature drops sharply by 0.3-0.4 degrees.
but in case of successful conception, basal temperature not only does not decrease, but also increases.
Basal temperature is measured in three ways:
- Orally (keep the thermometer in your mouth).
- Vaginally.
- Rectally.
Most correct use the third or second method.
To measure basal temperature need to use an ordinary glass mercury thermometer. Electronic can give different readings depending on the angle of entry into the anus.
Also, do not forget to shake off the thermometer the day before. By directly shaking it off before measuring the temperature, you may get results with errors.
What you need to know when measuring basal temperature?
First of all, metering should take place immediately after a long night's sleep, in the morning upon waking up, in bed. It must be preceded by a continuous sleep of at least 6 hours.
The day before it does not follow take alcoholic beverages. The time for going to bed and the time for waking up should not change.
Keep the thermometer from five to ten minutes... This time must also remain unchanged.
Do not replace the thermometer with another during the entire drawing up of the schedule (errors are possible).
You can draw up a basal temperature chart, or simply make notes in a specially designated notebook. If suddenly for some reason you have to violate any of the points described above, you must write it down.
For instance, You had to wake up a couple of hours earlier due to the fact that you had to visit the toilet. In this case, it is best to measure the temperature two hours earlier, but be sure to note this on a graph or notepad.
What's the best way to chart? For clarity, we recommend using a regular sheet of paper in a box. It contains the temperature for a full cycle (not to be confused with the month).
Take one cell per unit - it will represent one day and 0.1 degrees horizontally and vertically, respectively.
Do not forget to leave space for entering information about any disturbances in the rhythm of the day (sleep disturbances, drinking, stress, etc.).
If you were tormented by insomnia, measure the temperature, but do not enter it into the main schedule, but it is best to write it down in pencil, indicating the reason ("insomnia").
Do the same if you drank alcohol the day before or slept longer in the morning than usual.
What should be the basal temperature during - you are unlikely to get an answer to this question. A small percentage of women experience a sharp drop in basal temperature on the day of ovulation.
However, in order to calculate the maximum day, it is necessary keep a schedule carefully, writing down there all the indicators and all possible events that can affect the temperature (birthday celebration, overtime working hours).
You must track metrics not less than three cycles in a row. You need to show your records to the doctor, who will make calculations on their basis and reveal the approximate time of the onset of ovulation.
Also, the information written in the schedule will serve as an excellent help for a specialist who can better understand the state of your body.
Usually ovulation occurs on about the fourteenth or sixteenth day of the menstrual cycle, but everything is purely individual.
Also worth bearing in mindthat there is a phenomenon of the so-called anovulatory cycle, when the temperature is kept about the same all the time, and ovulation does not occur.
Do not be afraid and panic - this is one of the possibilities of the norm, and, on average, a woman has such cycles without ovulation up to about twice a year. With age, such anovulatory cycles become more frequent.
Basal temperature before and after ovulation
The second half of the cycle is normal characterized by a temperature rise of 0.5 degrees. Also, ideally, the increase should continue until the onset of menstruation, and before the increase, there should be a decline from 0.4 to 0.6 degrees, which indicates ovulation.
But, as mentioned earlier, this "ideal" temperature behavior is observed in only a small percentage of women.
After ovulation in a woman's body, the hormone progesterone is actively produced. As a result, the temperature rises from about 0.3 to 0.6 degrees.
This happens within two to three days after ovulation. On this basis, and on the basis of many other factors, the specialist gives the most accurate answer as to when a woman ovulates.
Temperature may vary from a variety of both external and internal factors. Body stress, recent intercourse, slight hypothermia.
Even a banal change in room temperature (ventilation, switching on additional heating) - all this has a great impact. Therefore, try to avoid the listed things, as well as any other deviations from the norm.
And in the event that it did happen, do not forget to change the schedule. In addition, if possible, draw up a schedule in the morning, immediately after taking the readings from the thermometer - so that you do not forget anything later or shake off the thermometer ahead of time.
Measuring basal body temperature and building a graph is in any case an excellent help for you and your gynecologist.
More information about your own regime and rhythm of life will never be superfluous in the process. However, it is still worth combining this process with tracking and carefully studying the vaginal discharge.
There should be a significant increase in performance.
Basal temperature during ovulation
Basal temperature is a parameter that characterizes body temperature in resting state... It is measured rectally, every day, at the same time. The analysis is carried out in dynamics. For the procedure, a conventional mercury or electronic thermometer is used. Manipulations are carried out immediately after waking up, before the woman got out of bed.
TIP! For a more accurate result, it is recommended to set the alarm at the same time every day.
The parameters change depending on. This process is influenced by the level of hormones in the female body. The temperature is lowered due to the high level of estrogen and is in the range of 36.2-36.5 degrees.
The chances of pregnancy are highest a few days before and a day after ovulation. By recording measurements, it is possible to determine whether conception has occurred. In this case, it will be marked implantation retraction about 5-12 days after fertilization. Then the chart scale will increase again.
ON A NOTE! With the help of a correctly constructed schedule, as well as when it is possible to determine the presence of diseases of the genital area.
How do I decode the graph?
When evaluation of the result need to be aware of. can vary in duration from 7 to 22 days. It depends on the work of the woman's hormonal system. almost always 14 days +/- 2 days. For convenience, you need to draw an ovulation line, which will conditionally divide it into two parts.
Further evaluated general form scheme. In cycle parameters should increase or stay at an elevated mark after ovulation. Before the onset of menstruation, they gradually decrease. If conception has occurred, then the temperature remains high.
IMPORTANT! You should not draw conclusions based on the schedule of one menstrual cycle. It is necessary to analyze the result in dynamics, based on the results of several months of measurements.
In what cases does the temperature not rise during ovulation?
It also happens that in research result can be identified. In this case rectal temperature the cycle does not rise.
Allowed up to 1-2 times a year and in healthy women. If this phenomenon is repeated more often, then we can talk about developing infertility. Don't panic ahead of time. The woman is shown a more detailed examination, which will help determine the cause of this phenomenon. For this, the following procedures are carried out:
- Donating blood for hormone levels, in particular - progesterone.
- Folliculometry.
- Diagnosis of thyroid diseases.
The most common occurrence in which the chart does not scale up is ovarian dysfunction... There is a lack of hormones, due to which the follicles do not grow properly. This phenomenon is caused by estrogen deficiency.
Sometimes there is another problem. When the dominant follicle does not burst, but develops into a cyst that causes delay in menstruation... In this case, there will be a decrease in the level of progesterone. Treatment involves taking hormonal drugs.
CAUTION! If the temperature remains high throughout the cycle, then we can talk about inflammatory process in organism.
It should be borne in mind that a number of external factors can influence the measurement result. These include:
The information obtained in the course of observations must be recorded in a separate notebook or notebook. Not a single day should be missed, as this will violate the integrity of the overall picture. Research based on basal temperature analysisrequire maximum precision and self-discipline. Violation of the measurement rules can lead to an incorrect result.
Basal temperature after ovulation is a good way to find out not only about the possible conception, but also about the state of women's health in general.
Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the follicle into the abdominal cavity, which is ready for fertilization. Then the mature egg moves along the fallopian tubes, where there is an opportunity to meet with the sperm. After the egg meets the sperm, fertilization and conception takes place. It is impossible to get pregnant on days when ovulation has not occurred.
If you are planning a pregnancy, you can calculate the days of ovulation at home that are favorable for conception by measuring the basal temperature. In addition, by measuring it, you can find out favorable days for safe intercourse, without the risk of getting pregnant if pregnancy is undesirable. However, this method cannot be 100% safe, since it is possible to calculate the days of ovulation approximately, and the sperm that has entered the uterine cavity lives there for up to two days and may well wait for its time. Therefore, if pregnancy is not desirable in the near future, it is better not to hope for a schedule.
To roughly determine the days of ovulation, you can keep a special schedule. Basal temperature depends on the phase of the menstrual cycle, which is divided into: follicular, ovulation and luteal phases. With a change in one or another phase, the level of the hormone changes and, as a result, the basal temperature changes. The measurement should be taken throughout the menstrual cycle, in addition to the days when there is spotting.
A woman should measure the basal temperature in the morning without getting out of bed, since even the smallest physical activity can affect her. This can be done using the usual mercury thermometerwhich is used to measure body temperature. To measure basal temperature, you need to use the same thermometer, since each device may have a small error in degrees, which will negatively affect the reliability of the data. The thermometer should be inserted into the rectum, through the anus, and held for about 7 minutes.
The obtained thermometer readings must be recorded in a special table, according to which the basal temperature graph will be plotted. On the eve of ovulation, before a mature egg leaves the ovary, the basal temperature will be as low as possible. The next 2 weeks will be enhanced.
The next day, you can observe a sharp rise in basal temperature by 0.5 degrees or more. This temperature level can persist for several weeks and the reason for this is the production of the hormone progesterone, which affects the temperature exchange in the brain.
Favorable days for conception are 2 days before and the next 2 days after ovulation.
In turn, there are indirect signs by which you can determine the possible onset of ovulation. These signs include:
- transparent, proteinaceous discharge;
- drawing pains from the side of one or the second ovary.
It is not always possible to judge by indirect signs, since they are completely absent in some women.
Special tests for measuring basal temperature
Determination of ovulation at home is possible with the help of special tests. They are sold in any pharmacy, and they are much easier and faster to use than to measure basal temperature rectally. Ovulation tests come in the form of test strips, in the amount of 5 pieces. in one package, and in the form of cassette tests, 7 pcs. packaged.
The test strips visually resemble pregnancy tests and work the same way. Before ovulation, luteinizing hormone rises, which is the reaction of the test strip soaked in a special reagent. The day before the onset of ovulation, the test strip will show changes in the female body, and they will be displayed as two bright stripes on the test. The reliability of such a check is high and amounts to about 99%.
To use, the strip must be removed from the package, placed in a cup with collected urine up to the limiter on the strip, and after a while you can see the appearance of another line on the test: a bright line that appears will indicate the onset of a pre-ovulation day.
Cassette tests are intended for women with irregular menstrual cycles, so there are 7 of them in the package, which is quite enough for a test control. They work like regular ovulation test strips.
The tests should be started on the 17th day from the beginning of the menstrual cycle. For example, if the cycle is 30 days, then from these 30 you need to subtract 17, the resulting figure (13) will be the number of the day the testing started.
For testing, the most suitable period is from 10 to 20 hours during the day. When the test shows a positive result, intercourse should be planned for the next 3 days.
During ovulation, the body temperature should be higher than on normal days. If on the approximate days of ovulation, the basal temperature does not rise and this is repeated every month, that is, you need to contact your gynecologist.
Basal temperature before and after ovulation
Basal temperature before and after ovulation is different. Before ovulation, it is normal or slightly lowered the day before, after ovulation it rises by 0.5 - 0.6 ° C and lasts for two weeks. If the basal temperature after ovulation remains elevated after 2 weeks, then there is a high probability that conception has occurred. If the body temperature does not rise after ovulation, and this is observed for 2 or 3 months in a row, this may indicate the presence of health problems. This is especially true if the couple is not protected for a year, and pregnancy does not occur. This sign may indicate the absence of ovulation. There is no need to be afraid of this, modern medicine successfully corrects and corrects this fact.
Body temperature can change not only after or before ovulation. Temperature changes can occur against the background of various diseases, for example, ARVI. On such days, it is better to refuse temperature measurements, since they are likely to be unreliable. Also, the correctness of the temperature measurement, the general health of the woman, and the individual characteristics of the body will affect the correctness of the indicators.
Basal temperature measurement graph
To record the measurement of basal temperature before planning a pregnancy, you need to draw a special graph. To do this, a table is drawn on a notebook sheet in a box, where there will be days in one plane, and degrees in the other. In order to find out what the temperature was the day before, it will be enough to look at the graph and compare it with the current indicators.
Thanks to modern technology, you can download a special application to your mobile device, with which you can easily track your fertile days. The only disadvantage is that such an application can crash and the temperature measurement graph can be completely lost. Therefore, it is better to give preference to the old method, namely, to record the basal temperature in a hand-drawn graph.
The most favorable temperature for conception is considered to be 37 ° C. Why, then low temperature should serve as an impetus for sexual intercourse? Because it is on the eve of ovulation that the basal temperature drops by 0.2 - 0.4 ° C, which will clearly be seen on the graph. Unfortunately, not all women are able to recognize such small changes in temperature, so it is best to use tests to determine ovulation along with a schedule, which will make it possible to get as close as possible to the time of fertilization.
If the temperature on the schedule is equally flat, slightly elevated and does not rise, then this may indicate the presence of a disease such as endometritis. Also, frequent unreasonable changes in the graph when measuring basal temperature, when sharp jumps are observed, may be associated with an unstable hormonal background. In this case, first you will need to be examined and, possibly, a little to heal before planning a pregnancy.
Thanks to the temperature measurement schedule, you can find out about the onset of pregnancy at the most early dates, monitor safe days to prevent unwanted pregnancies, identify violations and problems with women's health before visiting a gynecologist.
In order for the graph data to be reliable, it must be kept for 3-6 months. Planning a pregnancy is not only a basal temperature measurement schedule.
A full comprehensive examination of a man and a woman, passing the necessary tests, a healthy lifestyle - all this is extremely necessary for an easy pregnancy and the birth of a healthy baby.
And the schedule will help you choose a favorable day for conception, while a high basal temperature after ovulation, lasting a week or more, will help confirm this happy fact.
Measuring basal body temperature is not only a very good method of planning pregnancy, but also a fairly effective way to determine the days during which you should avoid unprotected sex (this is the so-called calendar method of contraception). In other words, using basal temperature charts, you can determine not only the most favorable days for conception, but also the days during which you can not be afraid of having sex without a condom.
The key to determining those and other days is a process called ovulation. It is during ovulation, as well as a few days before and after it, that every woman has the best fertility (i.e. the ability to conceive a child). The rest of the menstrual cycle is impossible to get pregnant. Therefore, if you know when ovulation is about to occur, you can either maximize the chance of pregnancy or, accordingly, reduce that chance as much as possible if pregnancy is undesirable.
We have already talked about what the basal temperature should be during ovulation. Today we are going to talk about what happens after ovulation.
Why does the basal temperature change at all?
You probably already know that basal body temperature is not a constant value. And it doesn't just change from time to time. During each menstrual cycle (provided that it proceeds normally), you can notice clear changes in BT. These changes are directly related to the levels of a particular hormone.
Each of the phases of the menstrual cycle is characterized not only by the course of various processes designed to prepare the female body for a possible pregnancy, but also by a change in the levels of some hormones that affect these processes. Basal temperature clearly reflects the balance between hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. When the level of estrogen rises in the female body, BT decreases. When the level of progesterone rises, it rises. In this case, there is also a quantitative relationship. Those. the higher the level of one or another hormone, the lower or higher the temperature, respectively.
How does the basal temperature change after ovulation?
The menstrual cycle is usually divided into two, three or four phases. In different sources, you can find different opinions on this matter. However, two phases are always present in any author. These are follicular and luteal. They are the longest and practically divide the cycle into two more or less identical parts.
Ovulation occurs between the follicular and luteal phases. Sometimes it is isolated in a separate phase of the cycle - the ovulatory phase. During the first phase (follicular) in the ovary, one of the follicles matures. At this time, there is a high level of estrogen, so the thermometer readings are minimal. After ovulation, the follicle from which the mature egg came out is converted into a corpus luteum, which produces progesterone. As the level of this hormone rises, the basal body temperature rises.
Thus, you should clearly understand that after ovulation, the basal temperature should rise slightly (by about 0.4-0.5 degrees). This growth usually occurs gradually over several days. In the graph below, you can clearly see the division into two phases.
If BT does not grow or, even worse, falls after ovulation, we can say that the menstrual cycle is abnormal. In this case, you need to monitor the temperature for several more days, since, perhaps, an error in the measurements was simply made, which may be associated with a number of factors (malfunction of the thermometer, etc.). If BT does not grow to normal performance, see your doctor to find out the reason for this unusual behavior in your body.
The normal basal temperature after ovulation should be at 37 degrees or slightly higher. A temperature below 37 can indicate disorders, such as, for example, a lack of progesterone. With some of them, the likelihood of pregnancy is minimized.
Keep track of your BT, and you can not only predict ovulation, but also notice the development of certain disorders and even diseases in time.