In 1950, Professor Marshall developed a method for measuring basal temperature. It is based on the fact that in different phases of the menstrual cycle, a different amount of hormones is produced, which influences the temperature.
Why measure basal temperature?
Not all women have a menstrual cycle stable. It depends on climate change, psychological stress, level of physical activity, medication intake and many other reasons. In this case, it is recommended to measure the basal temperature. If you measure the basal temperature correctly, you can both determine the favorable days for conception, and find out whether pregnancy occurred when the cycle is violated. Also this method allows you to check the correctness of hormone release by the ovaries.
What is the thermometer to measure the basal temperature?
There are three types of thermometers that measure body temperature, these are mercury, electronic and infrared grades. Thermometers of the latter type are not suitable for our purposes. The basal temperature can be measured with both a mercury and an electronic thermometer. Care should be taken when using a mercury thermometer. Mercury is a dangerous substance, and there is a great chance of breaking the thermometer. But you can not change the thermometers for measurement. The basal temperature should be measured with the same thermometer to avoid a large error in the measurements.
Baseline temperature measurement rules
Only if you follow all the rules, the basal temperature measurement method will be effective. How to measure the basal temperature correctly, we now consider.
- Where is the basal temperature measured? There are ways to measure basal temperature in the rectum, in the mouth or in the vagina. Choosing one of the methods of measurement, you must adhere to it only, not alternating with others.
- When you need to measure basal temperature, why is it measured in the morning? The basal temperature should be measured after a continuous sleep lasting at least 3 hours, so most measurements are taken in the morning. And this is done without getting out of bed and not making active movements. To do this, put the thermometer next to it so that it is easy to reach out to him. The basal temperature can be measured in the evening and in the daytime, if you have slept for a long time, at least 3 hours. But it is worth remembering, if you decide to measure basal temperature in the afternoon or evening, then the next day you will need to measure it at the same time and also after sleeping. Because the basal temperature should be measured at the same time, if the condition is not met, the measurements will not be reliable, and will have to start anew, from the beginning of the next cycle.
- How many minutes does it take to measure basal temperature? Measure it for 5 minutes, and all this time it is recommended to lie still. Because when moving, the temperature rises, and the data will be unreliable.
- The received data should be written down in the table. In order to be able to identify the dependencies more accurately, it is necessary to measure the basal temperature for three months. In this table, you must specify not only the date and the day of the cycle, but also leave a place for special marks. Such as moving, illness, stress, taking medications, etc.
It must be remembered that the method of basal temperature measurement does not suit young girls, since changes in the body still occur and the constant menstrual cycle only begins to be established. Also, measuring the basal temperature will be useless in the case of taking oral contraceptives.