The possibility to measure the temperature without problems in the armpits without any problems today is owed to Dr. Marshal, who, in the 57th year of the last century, discovered this method of research.
He discovered that a hormone called progesterone acts on a thermoregulation center. However, to estimate its quantity and effect is real precisely with the help of a thermometer, which will be used in a not quite traditional way.
What is basal temperature, why measure it
The basal temperature gives a fairly vivid picture of hormonal balance or deviation from the norm. It is measured in the mouth, in the vagina and in the rectum.
Thus, the mercury column shows the general condition of the body, the presence or absence of viral or bacterial diseases. But when it comes to reproductive function, here this method will be uninformative.
In gynecology, the term "basal temperature" is used, which is practically absent in the practice of an ordinary doctor.
This is explained by the fact that it not only identifies inflammatory processes occurring in the genitals, but also hormonal disorders.
Most often, pregnancy is detected first (although this fact will still need to be confirmed by tests, ultrasound, analysis for hCG, etc.).
Not only the future motherhood is confirmed by the basal temperature, but also ovulation. Before such a so-called "failure" can be traced, when the mercury column drops sharply down.
And then there is his rise, which is evidence of an accomplished ovulation. After it, such a temperature can be kept at a certain level (above 36.9) and gradually lower immediately after the arrival of menstruation.
If there is a delay and the mercury column does not fall below 37.2, we can talk about pregnancy or a serious pathology.
How to measure basal temperature: basic rules
In fact, there is nothing difficult in the process of measuring the temperature in the vagina or rectum. But there are some postulates that gynecologists advise to follow.
Rules for measuring basal temperature:
- Such procedure must be performed in the morning (as early as possible), after sleep;
- You can not get up before the measurement, go to the toilet and stuff;
- This is done in complete rest, in bed, after sleep;
- You can not measure the basal temperature after activity;
- If you are awake, you need to rest for three hours in bed;
- Thermometer previously rubbed with alcohol and insert it gently into the anus;
- You need to wait, as in the case of measurement in the armpits, up to seven minutes (at least 5 minutes)
How to measure the basal temperature of an ordinary thermometer to determine ovulation
The basal temperature is normally measured solely by an ordinary mercury thermometer. It is more indicative and gives accurate information. At the same time, the most inappropriate option is its electronic "competitor", which often gives false numbers and is misleading.
Normally, hormone tests are prescribed on the third or fifth day of the menstrual cycle. At this time, follicle-stimulating hormone exceeds luteinizing one and a half or two times, since the first is necessary for the maturation of future eggs.
At this point, the basal temperature is relatively low. By the middle of the cycle, the woman's body (regardless of her desire) prepares for motherhood and does everything possible to make the egg mature.
The follicle-stimulating hormone gradually decreases, and the temperature in the vagina or rectum first drops (about 0.2 degrees), this can be observed for one or a couple of days.
Then it rises to a fairly high level - from 37 to 37.3 degrees. This is due to the increased production of progesterone, which prepares the woman's body for future motherhood.
If it does not occur, there is a decrease in the amount of progesterone, estrogen, and this process is accompanied by normal physiological bleeding.
It is best to hold the thermometer in advance in alcohol, dry it and insert it into the rectum, to a small depth. The main thing that he did not slip out.
A woman should lie on her side. Before that, she should not get out of bed after sleeping. After 7 minutes you can watch the result and put it in the table.
How to make a basal temperature chart
To determine the safest days for intimate sex or vice versa - favorable for conceiving a child, you need to keep a special schedule. To do this, it is necessary to measure daily basal temperature, and the resulting data is entered into it. No gaps should be. Otherwise the information will be incorrect and possible errors.
What you need to know:
- Schedule lead every day, including the days of menstruation;
- Information in the days of ARVI will not be indicative;
- Incorrect result can be obtained after severe fatigue;
- Antidepressants, other drugs may affect the outcome;
- If alcohol was taken on the eve (large dose), the data will be uninformative, as well as after night work.
How to make a schedule:
- More often for convenience paper is used in a cage to make it easier to draw lines;
- One of the lines will indicate the date, the second - the days of the week and the third - the temperature indicators;
- The first line can be drawn vertically on the left, the second - on the right, and the third - horizontally below;
- Every day of the menstrual cycle (which begins on the first day of the month) a temperature is noted.
Pathology diagnosis
Temperature in the rectum is measured not only in order to know what day conception may occur.
Basal temperature is measured to:
- confirmation of pregnancy;
- exclusion of ectopic pregnancy;
- exclusion of inflammation or tumors in the ovaries, uterus, tubes;
- detection of sexually transmitted infections;
- estimates of the norm of hormonal levels.
Sometimes there is a threat of interruption, missed abortion or ectopic. Also, gynecologists in their practice are faced with cases of rupture or torsion of the legs of the cyst.
These are very dangerous states that should alert and make immediately take the necessary measures. You may need an emergency operation, as it does not exclude a threat to the life of a woman.
Days of safe sex and desired conception
The body of any woman obeys certain laws, regardless of what she does and what kind of lifestyle she leads. Whether she writes scientific works or attends exhibitions, every minute her hormonal background changes imperceptibly, adapting to the law of the extension of the genus.
It is known that the onset of menstruation indicates a failed conception and a decrease in the concentration of hormones that are needed for pregnancy. The leading role is taken by the follicle-stimulating hormone, which gradually increases, and in the middle of the cycle begins to decline, giving way to the luteinizing hormone (corpus luteum).
The safest for sex without the risk of conceiving a child are the first days after menstruation (up to about five days) and the last few days just before menstruation. However, it is important to understand that the female body is not a clock and any hormonal disruptions can seriously “play a trick”, giving an unexpected surprise.
Therefore, even on such safe days, it is better to use some contraceptives. However, if a woman is OK with her health and her cycle is perfectly debugged, you can not be afraid of accidental conception.
Couples wishing to wait for the heir, on the contrary, are advised to have sexual intercourse in the middle of the menstrual cycle. This is approximately the 13th day with a cycle of 26 days or the 14th day with a cycle of 28 days. However, it is better to try to conceive a baby for several days until the middle of the cycle and for a couple of days after.
Few people know that the viable and viable sperm are able to survive in the genitals of a woman for several days and even weeks, waiting for the maturation of a full-fledged egg cell. And as soon as such leaves the follicle, the spermatozoa are sent to it with a clear purpose.
The best days for conception are when the basal temperature first "sinks" and then rises. This indicates the readiness of the body to receive the unborn child. For reliability, you can purchase a special test for determining ovulation.
How to measure the basal temperature to determine pregnancy
The temperature, called basal, does not have much in common with normal. Because it can vary with it in a certain range. And to be an indicator of completely different conditions.
If the therapist, asking to insert a thermometer in the armpit, seeks to find the symptoms of diseases in which he is strong, then gynecologists advise to measure the basal temperature. It shows a change in hormonal levels throughout the entire menstrual cycle.
The maturation of follicles, the way out of the main (dominant) egg cell depends on the ratio of certain hormones. Due to the correct production of the hormones that are needed for fertilization, it happens. Otherwise it does not.
The same hormonal background has a serious mission - the preservation of pregnancy, the growth and development of the fetus. When its normal balance is disturbed, miscarriage, early termination of pregnancy occurs.
It happens that conception has come, and the period still comes some time (this is due to late signals about the need to develop new portions of hormones to prepare the uterus for the embryo).
A decrease in temperature is observed in about a couple of days before menstruation. It reaches the mark 37 and gradually becomes lower. Between the first and second phases of the cycle there is normally a difference in temperature of at least half a degree.
But some deviations from generally accepted standards do not always talk about pathology. The result of the temperature measurement procedure depends on the correctness of the procedure. Otherwise, such data will be uninformative.
Usually, the temperature drops before menstruation. But if there is a delay in the thermometer and the numbers from 37 and above, we can say that the pregnancy occurred.
This is due to the fact that the amount of progesterone required to prepare the uterus for life in the baby has not decreased, as it should happen in the absence of conception. However, the fact will need to be confirmed with the help of hCG analysis, ultrasound examination and examination of the gynecologist.
What is the basal temperature during pregnancy: the norm and deviations
During gestation, a woman undergoes changes in her body at the hormonal level. So that the baby really develops normally, grows, there was no threat to his life, it requires the development of the correct set of hormones necessary for the preservation of pregnancy.
If one of them is lacking or it breaks the balance, the balance, unforeseen circumstances happen. The basal temperature at certain times may indicate certain deviations or indicate that the development of the embryo proceeds according to the norm.
The fact that conception occurred, says the basal temperature, which exceeds the mark 37 and lasts after the expected monthly period. If, with regular maintenance of the schedule, the pregnant woman discovers that the temperature has decreased, she should immediately contact the doctor, as this may be evidence of the threat of interruption or of the abortion itself (spontaneous).
If everything has gone too far, no specialist will be able to stop this process. That is why it is so important to constantly monitor your well-being and measure the basal temperature, recording it in a graph.
Every woman should know that today there are very few women who can boast an ideal hormonal background. This is influenced by stress, the desire to achieve improvement in career, lack of sleep, diet.
Therefore, if conception is undesirable, it is better to be safe from contraceptives. And for those who want a baby, it is advisable to go on a vacation beforehand (sea, forest, mountains), a small temperance increases the quality of sperm and the risks of conception.
Sexual intercourse while experts advise in the middle of the cycle, or after an ultrasound is determined approaching the release of the egg from the dominant follicle. It is important to remember that basal temperature cannot diagnose a case of ectopic pregnancy.
Therefore, you can not rely only on this method. He is very effective, but along with the rest of the research methods under the supervision of a gynecologist-endocrinologist.
Additional information from the gynecologist on the measurement of basal temperature - in the next video.
