Temperature as an ovulation prediction

Before getting serious about dealing with my infertility problem, I had no idea about the correlation between the temperature and ovulation.
Only when I started digging into the infertility issue I found out that there were many things I should have known, among them, the importance of temperature and the fragile balance between estrogen and progesterone.

Let’s start with: Cycle overview
The first day of the dreadful period is the beginning of a new cycle. From this moment until ovulation occurs, the temperature starts dropping.
During the first part of the cycle the temperature is anywhere between 96.5 and 97.5°F. The temperature is low due to the presence of estrogen in higher amount.
In majority of the cases, the transition from estrogen dominated phase to the progesterone dominated one is marked by a thermal shift. How big is the temperature rise? It depends on the body, but as a rule of thumb, a minimum of 0.4 to 0.6°F should occur.
Between 24 and 48 hours after the temperature shift, the ovulation is said to occur.
We enter into the progesterone dominated phase, when the temperature rises to ensure a warm and fertile environment for the fecundated egg to implant and develop.

Let’s move on to the next step: Taking the temperature
You have to get a basal thermometer, and from my experience, a digital one works fine.
Over the years I had 2 glass basal thermometers. Pros: not very expensive and they were accurate. Cons: glass. I broke one while washing it after one use.
Then I switched to a digital thermometer. It’s got a temperature probe capable of pretty accurate reading.
You don’t need a super scientific precision, all you need is to identify the thermal shift, meaning that any accuracy will do it.
Pros: flexible tip, easy to insert the thermometer in the vagina (I highly recommend taking the temperature vaginally, because it’s by far the most reliable one).
Cons: more expensive than glass ones.

Notes:
- It’s very important NOT to switch from one thermometer to another within any given cycle!!!
If possible use only one thermometer for the whole time you monitor your cycles. That’s why the glass thermometer may become a liability down the road.
- Make up your mind if you want to take your temperature vaginally or orally before starting monitoring your cycles. They differ a lot!! Vaginal temperature is higher than the oral one.

When to take the temperature?
There are many school of thoughts, the most popular one recommends taking the temperature first thing in the morning, after at least 4 hour sleep, while still in bed.
This method did not work for me, because I did not want to wake my husband and you know what? men DO get bothered after a few months of hearing the beeping of the thermometer. And it’s a private moment you may want to spend with yourself only.
So, I used to take my temp in the bathroom and it was not different than the one taken while in bed.
Also it’s said that it’s pretty important to take the temperature at the same time each day.
I did not take it at the same time for the simple reason that I did not want to wake up in weekend at the same time I woke up during the week. But to be true, during the week I used to wake up at 6:30 and in weekends I slept until 7:30. One hour would not make a big difference, if any at all.
Of course that if you usually sleep until noon in weekends, you will have to wake up earlier, please don’t follow my ‘it-does-not-matter-it’s-weekend’ rule.

Next step: What to do with the temps?
That is simple : you have to make a chart.
You can use a simple excel spreadsheet, handy to everybody. Enter the data and get the graph.
Or you can go on line and download a more fancy version.

Now that you mastered temperature taking, you have to learn to ‘read’ you body and trust me, you will become aware of so many things you would be amazed.
It’s the same old body you have known for the past 40 years, and still… it’s so new.

In my next installment I will talk about other gizmos available on the market to complete the ovulation picture.