Trying to Conceive (cont.)
Basal body temperature method
Basal body temperature
is your temperature at rest as soon as you awake in the morning. A woman's basal body temperature rises
slightly with ovulation. So by recording this temperature daily for several
months you'll be able to predict your most fertile days.
Basal body temperature differs slightly from woman to woman. Anywhere from 96
to 98 degrees orally is average before ovulation. After ovulation most women
have an oral temperature between 97 and 99 degrees. The rise in temperature can
be a sudden jump or a gradual climb over a few days.
Usually a woman's basal body temperature rises by only
0.4 to 0.8 degrees Fahrenheit. To detect this tiny change, women must use a
basal body thermometer.
These thermometers are very sensitive. Most pharmacies sell them for around $10.
You then record your temperature on a special chart.
The rise in temperature doesn't show exactly when the egg is released. But
almost all women have ovulated within three days after their temperatures spike.
Body temperature stays at the higher level until your period starts.
You are most fertile and most likely to get pregnant:
- two to three days before your temperature hits the highest point (ovulation),
and
- 12 to 24 hours after ovulation.
A man's sperm can live for up to three days in a woman's body. The sperm can
fertilize an egg at any point during that time. So if you have unprotected sex a
few days before ovulation there is a chance of becoming pregnant.
Many things can affect basal body temperature. To get the most useful chart
you should take your temperature every morning at about the same time. Things
that can alter your temperature include:
- drinking alcohol the night before
- smoking cigarettes the
night before
- getting a poor night's
sleep
- having a fever
- doing anything in the morning before you
take your temperature -- including going to the bathroom and talking on the
phone
Next: Calendar method »
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