Tracking Basal Body Temperature
To Pinpoint Your Fertile Window
What is your basal body temperate? Your basal body temperature (BBT) is your body’s lowest daily temperature. And it occurs after at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. In women, your BBT rises and falls with your hormones allowing you to track your cycle and fertility.
Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and goes until your next period starts. Your temperature will be the lowest during the first half of your cycle. Then at the time of ovulation we see a dip and spike followed by the second half of your cycle showing at least a half of degree higher temperate.
You can not manage what you cannot measure ~ Phil Murphy
About 8 months into our journey to get pregnant with our first, my husband and I had planned a winter getaway
First, you will need:
A thermometer that measures temperature to at least 2 decimal places
And a method of recording your temperature. This can be a paper charting system, an app on your phone, or a more robust method such as OvuSense which I will discuss more below.
If you choose to use an app you will want one that creates a graph of your temperature. Here are a few I recommend.
Premom Ovulation Calculator (This app has the option of a BBT that will sync via Bluetooth)
Once you have gotten your thermometer and chosen your method of tracking you are ready to get started.
How to take your BBT
Take your temperature each morning at the same time. Be sure to measure your temperate to at least 2 decimal places. The fluctuations in temperature are so slight you need to take your temperature first thing before getting up or moving around. Also you need to be consistent about the time you take your temperature. If you wake up at 6 am during the week but sleep in a little on the weekends. Then you will want to set an alarm take and record your temperature at 6 am and then you can go back to sleep.
If this sounds like a pain in the neck, well it kind of is. That is why I recommend and many women opt for OvuSense. OvuSense works by recording your core temperature at night while you sleep.
OvuSense is a clinically proven fertility and ovulation monitor that uses your unique Core Body Temperature data to give you an 8-day fertile window with 24 hours advanced prediction of ovulation. Designed for your complete fertility journey, from knowing the best time to conceive right through to tracking the effect of medication if you need it.
Connivance aside, I encourage you to consider OvuSense is for your emotional well-being. Struggling to conceive is emotional and stressful along with many other emotions. being able to step away from the numbers and data on a daily basis can in and of itself promote healing.
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Interpreting your BBT Chart
The anovulatory PCOS cycle (a cycle where you did not ovulate) will not show a clear lower temperature the first part of your cycle with a clear elevated temperature in the second half of the month.
A month where ovulation occurred will show lower temperature readings for the first half of the cycle. followed by a spike and then temperature readings that continue to remain elevated.
If you are not ovulating don’t panic. This is very common in PCOS and there are many natural ways to restore ovulation.
It may take a couple of months for you to see trends but you will be able to start improving your efforts to conceive right away if/when you see that temperature spike indicating ovulation.
If you would like even more help and guidance to decipher what’s going on with your cycle head over to the PCOS Society Facebook Group and post your questions there!
Ashlene Korcek PA-C
Hi there! I’m Ashlene Korcek, the PCOS Mama and founder of Nourished to Healthy
I help women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome balance their hormones naturally so that they can take back control of their bodies, boost their fertility, and ultimately live free from the symptoms of PCOS. Like you, I have PCOS, I was diagnosed while struggling with infertility and was told I likely would never have children. Even as a board-certified Physician Assistant I felt lost about what to do and very alone! Fast forward 5 years and I have 3 healthy children, but I never want another woman to feel lost and alone the way I did!
You can break free from the downward spiral of PCOS and feel amazing in your own skin again!
