Women's Health Articles

The body temperature of a woman will rise and fall a tiny bit each day. On the day immediately following ovulation, her temperature will usually rise several tenths of a degree. By taking her temperature every day, in a few months she can begin to predict when this temperature rise will take place, and thus find the date of ovulation.

A basal thermometer is a special kind of thermometer that measures the body temperature to the tenth of a degree. A normal thermometer only measures to the degree, so you will be unable to determine your exact temperature close enough to be able to chart the differences. The thermometer is used under the tongue, just like you do when you are coming down with the flu. (Is that a sigh of relief?) The way to use a basal thermometer is to have it beside your bed. Take your temperature immediately upon waking up, before getting out of bed, or even moving around much. If you're prone to forgetfulness, you can have your chart and a pencil handy, too. Record the temperature each morning at about the same time.

In the appendix of this ebook, you will find a sample chart for keeping track of your basal temperature. The days across the top of the chart begin with the first day of your cycle. If you tend to spot a day or two before, choose either the spotting day or the real first day, but always use the same day. The goal is to find the day when your temperature peaks each month, and plan your marital encounters (i.e. sex) for the day right before. Obviously, you will have to record temperatures on the chart for several months in order to be able to predict the day. It will probably take at least that long for a pattern to appear.

Basal thermometers are available in digital, regular, and non-mercury models. You should be able to get either type for well under $20. The thermometer you get will probably come with a chart that you can make additional copies of.

There is another aspect to the recording, too, which you will note on the bottom of the many of the charts used for recording basal temperature. This symptom to record each day is the texture of your vaginal secretions. The fluid or discharge changes from day to day throughout your monthly cycle. On the day of ovulation, the secretions will be slimy and stretchy with a texture somewhat like mucous or egg white. To test for this "egg white" fluid, you can place two fingers of one (clean!) hand into your vagina. Get a little of the fluid on your fingers and pull them out. If the vaginal secretion is of the right texture, it should stay intact, stretching while you spread your fingers four inches or more apart. For best results, you need to keep track of the texture and amount of secretions each day.

Between these two indicators, you should be able to get a pretty good idea of when ovulation is taking place. Some women feel a little pain in an ovary when it releases an egg, and this can be a tip off as well. Breast tenderness and discomfort in the middle abdomen are other possible indicators that ovulation is taking place, but the majority of women have no symptoms beside the temperature rise and the change in discharge.

There is one other physical sign that can be checked when trying to predict the time of ovulation, and that is cervix position, sometimes called CP. When you feel internally for fluids to check the consistency, you can also feel the cervix itself. After your period and before ovulation, it tends to be felt lower in the vagina and harder in texture. It has been said to feel like the tip of your nose in firmness. Later, just preceding ovulation, it gets higher and softer. You might not be able to reach it. It will feel soft, like your lip, when ovulation takes place. You can keep track of CP conditions on your chart along with your basal temperature and fluid texture.