How a RISE in your temperature could signal Ovulation
It’s that time of the month again and I don’t mean your period! It’s time for ovulation! Planning to have a baby is very exciting and knowing the optimal time to try is key to optimizing your chances of conceiving. Checking your resting temperature can be one way to determine if you have ovulated, this is known as Basal Body Temperature (BBT).
The best time to check your BBT is when you first wake up. BBT will rise after ovulation has occurred due to the increase in progesterone from the corpus luteum. BBT does not detect when ovulation will occur but will help to determine a trend month to month so that you can estimate when you will ovulate going forward.
How will you know that you ovulated?
Ovulation occurs on the last day of low temperature. The rise in temperature is about 0.2 Celsius or 0.4 Fahrenheit. When your temperature is at least 0.4 degrees higher for 3 consecutive days you can assume that ovulation occurred before the spike in temperature.
Follow these guidelines to accurately take your BBT each morning:
- BBT should be tested first thing upon waking. Try not to move around too much in your bed as this can affect the temperature.
- Do not get up, sit up, walk around or go to the bathroom before taking your temperature.
- Keep your thermometer beside your bed so that it is easily accessible in the morning.
- Try to take your temperature the same time each morning.
- You need to have at least 3 hours of sleeping before taking your temperature in the morning. If you woke up during the night and got out of bed it can throw off the results.
- Record your temperature as soon as you take it. You can chart it on a graph or use an app called Fertility Friend to track it.
- Use an accurate thermometer. Shopper’s Drugmart Life Brand sells a light pink thermometer in the family planning section for taking BBT.
- Use the same thermometer throughout the whole cycle.
Once you have tracked your basal body temperature for a few months, you will be able to determine the best days to try and conceive and optimize your chances of a successful pregnancy! If you would like to learn more, check out the book “Taking Charge of your Fertility” by Toni Weschler.
Dr. Samina Mitha, ND has a strong passion with helping women to conceive. To learn more about Samina check out her profile HERE.
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