What is Your Basal Body Temperature (BBT)?

The basal body temperature (BBT) is a person's at-rest temperature. Women can track their BBT to find out when they are ovulating. With this time line, a woman can learn when she is most likely to become pregnant.

About 2 weeks before your period you will ovulate, which means that one of your ovaries has released an egg. Your egg is fertile for about 12 to 24 hours after you ovulate, and sperm can survive in the uterus 3 - 5 days. So, you are most likely to get pregnant if you are having intercourse during the 5 days leading up to ovulation, as well as the day of ovulation.

Your body temperature dips a bit just before your ovary releases an egg. Then, 24 hours after the egg's release, your temperature rises and stays up for several days. Before ovulation, a woman's BBT averages between 36.1°C (97°F) and 36.4°C (97.5°F). After ovulation, it rises to 36.4°C (97.6°F) to 37°C (98.6°F).

Why do Naturopath ‘s Recommend Tracking BBTs?

Naturopathic Doctors recommend tracking BBTs for two reasons. Firstly, BBTs can help determine whether or not you are ovulating, and how to best time intercourse for successful conception. Secondly, BBTs can help determine whether the luteal phase of your menstrual cycle is long enough to support healthy implantation.

Instructions for BBT Charting:

1) Each morning, upon awakening, but before you get out of bed, place your basal thermometer under your tongue for at least two minutes. Do this every morning at the same time, even during menstruation. Be sure not to eat or drink before taking your temperature.

2) Accurately record temperature reading on graph by circling your temperature for each day. Also circle which days you had intercourse.

3) The first day of menstrual flow is considered to be the start of a cycle (ie. Cycle day 1). Indicate each day of flow by writing a “S” for spotting and “P” for full period flow. Day 1 is the first day you have a full flow.

4) Any obvious reasons for temperature variation such as colds, infection, insomnia, indigestion, etc., should be noted on the graph above the reading for that day.

5) Ovulation may be accompanied, in some women, by a twinge of pain in the lower abdomen. If you notice this, indicate the day it occurred on the graph.

6) Your cervical fluid will change depending on where you are at in your cycle. On your most fertile days, your cervical fluid will be an “egg white” consistency. On the graph, check off which days of your cycle you noticed “egg white” cervical fluid. The “egg white” cervical fluid occurs on the days just before ovulation.

7) If you are using ovulation prediction kits (OPKs), record which days you had a positive test. Ovulation prediction kits measure the surge in Leutinizing Hormone (LH) which rises 24 hours prior to ovulation.

For downloadable BBT charts click here: https://www.tcoyf.com/downloadable-charts/

There are also a variety of Apps that provide tracking for BBTs. including Glow and Kindara.