Basal temperature chart for a 26-day cycle. How does basal temperature differ from body temperature? Is there a normal basal temperature?

Dear women! Did you know that body temperature can be not only general, but also basal? Yes, yes, these are completely different things!

Do you know what the difference between them is, why basal temperature measurements are needed in general, and what the thermometer readings should be during pregnancy? If not, we recommend that you read this article. It talks in detail about basal temperature and everything connected with it.
So let's get started!

Phases of the menstrual cycle and fluctuations in basal temperature: briefly about the main thing

Procreation is inherent in the body of every woman. The ability to bear children appears in adolescence with the arrival of the first menstruation.

Menstruation is a monthly process that occurs in a woman's reproductive organs, the purpose of which is to prepare the body for a possible pregnancy.

On average, the duration of one menstrual cycle is 28 calendar days. However, the duration of the cycle for each woman is strictly individual and can range from 21 to 35 days. The main point is the constancy of menstruation throughout a woman’s reproductive period until menopause.

Cycle fluctuations of 3-5 days in one direction or another are quite acceptable. There is nothing wrong if menstruation starts a few days later or earlier. A woman's body is very sensitive, and this happens for a number of reasons, such as changes in weather or stress.

However, any changes in the established rhythm, such as a delay of menstruation by 5-7 days, scanty or excessive discharge, cramps and pain in the lower abdomen, can be symptoms of some kind of malfunction in the female body. In such cases, it is advisable to consult a gynecologist.

Basal temperature: why measure it

Measuring basal temperature is one of the main methods for diagnosing ovarian function. For several decades now, gynecologists around the world have been advising women to keep a chart of basal temperature readings to determine the causes of infertility, monitor hormonal imbalances (if any) and to monitor the condition of the woman’s reproductive system as a whole.

In addition, a properly constructed schedule can be used to track safe days to protect against unwanted pregnancy and enjoy intimacy with your loved one without additional contraceptive measures.

Who needs to keep a schedule?

Most often, women who dream of pregnancy face the challenge of keeping a schedule. If you are already waiting for a miracle, then, knowing what the basal temperature should be during pregnancy, you can easily navigate the state of your body without getting out of bed.

For expectant mothers who have just started planning their pregnancy, we recommend monitoring your cycles while measuring your basal temperature.

By filling out the chart daily, you can accurately identify the day of ovulation and calculate the most fertile days for conception. After all, the body is practically unpredictable, and many people who want to get pregnant often do not feel the physical signs of ovulation. And the usual calendar method and computer programs for calculating favorable days for conception are, as a rule, ineffective.

You can, of course, use tests to detect ovulation, but they are quite expensive and not always true. But the basal temperature chart is easy to use, accessible and always at your fingertips. By taking measurements throughout the entire cycle, you can easily “catch” ovulation, and therefore you will certainly not miss such a favorable moment for conceiving a baby.

Ovulation is a unique ability of the female body

Let's first clearly define what ovulation is. Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the follicle, ready for fertilization. For most women, ovulation occurs in the middle of the menstrual cycle, thereby dividing it into two phases.

In the first phase, before ovulation, the basal temperature is always 0.4 - 0.6 degrees lower than in the second, after ovulation. In a normal cycle and in the absence of any diseases or hormonal imbalance, the temperature during and after ovulation is normally should be higher than in the first phase.

How to correctly measure basal temperature and keep a chart?

Basal body temperature is measured in the mouth, under the tongue, in the vagina, or in the rectum. You can choose any method convenient for you - it does not matter. After the measurement, the result is recorded on a form, which can either be drawn out in a notebook by hand, or downloaded from the Internet and printed on a printer. In addition, especially for those ladies who keep up with the times, many online programs have been invented for tracking mercury readings. Choose any option you like - and start measuring indicators. Based on the marks on the thermometer, a cycle graph is constructed, in which ovulation and favorable days for conception are clearly visible.

There are several rules for the most accurate measurement of basal temperature. Follow these recommendations and your schedule will be as informative as possible:

1. It is best to start recording the thermometer data from the first day of menstruation - this way you will have a detailed picture of the activity of your reproductive organs. In addition, by starting to keep a schedule from the first day of the cycle, you will not get confused in the transcripts. And it will also be more convenient for you to track all changes in indicators throughout the full menstrual cycle.

2. You need to measure your temperature in the morning, after a full night’s sleep, preferably at the same time, and always without getting out of bed.
If you are pregnant and tracking your temperature to monitor the progress of your pregnancy, you should remember that the basal temperature during pregnancy during the day and evening is significantly different from the basal temperature in the morning! The most reliable results are only in the morning after sleep!

3. It is best to prepare in advance: in the evening, put a thermometer, a pencil and a form on the bedside table, so that immediately after waking up, without making sudden movements, measure the temperature and enter the readings into the chart.

4. It is best to use an ordinary mercury thermometer - it will show a more accurate result than an electronic thermometer. It is advisable not to change the thermometer and use the same one.

5. The procedure should take 5-7 minutes if measured rectally or vaginally and 3-5 minutes if measured in the mouth under the tongue.

What can affect the thermometer readings?

1. Tiring business travel, climate change, intense physical activity, long-distance travel and air travel can significantly affect the measurement result.

2. Alcohol in large quantities, as well as taking hormonal and certain medications can radically change the thermometer readings.

3. Colds, ARVI, flu and other diseases accompanied by elevated body temperature will significantly change the basal temperature upward. Postpone measurement until complete recovery.

4. It should be remembered that a one-time or unsystematic measurement of basal temperature does not carry any useful information; on the contrary, receiving false information causes unnecessary stress.

5. In order for the graph to be as accurate and informative as possible, measurement indicators are needed for a period of at least 3 menstrual cycles.

Chart instead of a pregnancy test

If you know what your basal temperature should be when you become pregnant, you can understand that you are already “pregnant” by simply studying your chart!

Everyone knows about pregnancy test strips. But only a few expectant mothers are aware of what the basal temperature should be during pregnancy. Most women planning motherhood do not know that the onset of a long-awaited event can be determined without blood tests and home rapid tests that respond to an increase in hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). If you are not too lazy to keep a chart, this can be done simply based on the changes indicated in it.

You already know that before ovulation, basal body temperature should be 0.4 - 0.6 degrees lower than in the second phase of the menstrual cycle. By the end of the second phase, closer to the beginning of menstruation, it, as a rule, decreases by 0.3 degrees. If conception has not occurred, basal body temperature will begin to fall 1-2 days before menstruation. It also happens that the thermometer drops several notches lower on the day of menstruation.

If pregnancy has occurred, then the indicators will not decrease, and this may be one of the reliable signs of pregnancy.

Has a miracle happened? Basal temperature will give the answer

Some women who are expecting menstruation and are unaware of their interesting situation find that their general body temperature is elevated in the evening, although there are no obvious symptoms of a cold. This is explained by the fact that the body of a pregnant woman reacts to the emergence of new life in the uterus, and for this reason the body temperature rises by 0.1-0.4 degrees. If your general health doesn't bother you, don't worry. This is absolutely normal.

And if an increase in general body temperature does not happen to everyone, then the basal temperature during early pregnancy, even before the delay of menstruation, in most cases will certainly rise to a level of 37-37.5 degrees. This is how the body produces intensive progesterone, the pregnancy hormone. The level of progesterone is rising - and along with it, the numbers on the thermometer “grow”.

Thus, knowing what basal temperature during pregnancy is considered the most indicative, you can find out about the birth of a new life at the earliest stages.

After the 21st week of pregnancy, the line on the graph gradually begins to descend to lower values, as the woman’s hormonal level returns to normal, so there is no point in continuing to keep the graph.

Here is one of the options for what the basal temperature should be during pregnancy (graph), shown in the figure below.

Are you hoping to get pregnant this cycle, but your schedule doesn't look exactly like the picture above? Dont be upset! After all, even despite what basal temperature during pregnancy is considered normal, in your case the numbers may be slightly different. Remember the individuality of each organism.

If you have a slightly modified basal temperature during pregnancy, the graph may look slightly different. And if there are no significant fluctuations in indicators from the generally accepted norm, the thermometer column stands still or slowly but surely rises higher - most likely you are pregnant!

But despite the fact that we tried to clarify the question of what the basal temperature should be during pregnancy, we recommend dispelling doubts and finally being convinced of your interesting situation. Take a quick test at home, take a blood test for hCG, or visit your gynecologist.

Basal temperature during pregnancy is 37 and 36.9 degrees. Should I worry?

Some women who track their schedule over several menstrual cycles are confident that they know exactly what their basal temperature should be during pregnancy. And when the desired state occurs, they are alarmed to discover that its indicators have frozen at 36.9-37 degrees and remain so for several days.

If the birth of a new life is confirmed by a test, blood tests, or during an examination by a gynecologist, then the basal temperature during pregnancy of 36.9-37 degrees causes a lot of anxiety for the expectant mother. However, there is no need to worry ahead of time. You need to carefully analyze all your charts. It is quite possible that your temperature readings have always been below generally accepted norms due to the individuality of your body. If your temperature was low before, then most likely, its freezing at around 36.9-37 degrees does not threaten your pregnancy at all and is absolutely normal.

However, if your readings were within the normal range, and suddenly began to drop below 37 degrees every day, you should play it safe and consult with your doctor in order to take timely measures to maintain the pregnancy.

High basal temperature: time to see a doctor

A high basal temperature can alert you just as much as a low one.
Elevated readings on the thermometer in the early stages of pregnancy, present over a long period, can negatively affect the health of the woman and the fetus. Exceeding up to 37.5 degrees and above can lead to placental abruption, miscarriage or adversely affect the intrauterine development of the fetus.

A temperature during pregnancy of 37.9-38 degrees indicates that the body may have an infectious disease or some kind of pathology.

Also, such a high temperature may indicate an ectopic pregnancy. If your basal temperature is elevated, we recommend immediately contacting a gynecologist.

Low basal temperature during pregnancy: should you worry?

Every woman's body is unique. Therefore, it is impossible to say for sure what the basal temperature should be during pregnancy in a single case. All women are different, and each pregnancy is exceptional and unique, just like fingerprints on your hands.

Remember that it is impossible to establish a single norm of thermometer data for all women in an interesting position. However, by checking your individual schedule, you can find out whether everything is in order with the beginning of your pregnancy and its development.

Indicators below 37 degrees are considered low. This may signal that complications are possible, such as a lack of progesterone and the threat of miscarriage. During a frozen pregnancy, basal temperature also usually decreases.

Do not worry if a low temperature occurs once during pregnancy - the readings may move down due to severe fatigue or due to some other changes in the woman’s body.

You should rest, calm down and take measurements several more times throughout the day. If the indicators do not change or drop below 37 degrees, you need to urgently consult a doctor who will conduct the necessary examination and a set of tests and find out what is happening with the development of pregnancy and the woman’s hormonal background. In most cases, even if there is a threat of miscarriage, if you consult a gynecologist in a timely manner, the pregnancy can be saved.

What is the basal temperature during a frozen pregnancy?

Unfortunately, a desired pregnancy does not always end with a long-awaited meeting between mother and baby in the delivery room - sometimes a frozen pregnancy occurs, as a result of which the embryo dies before it has begun to develop. This happens for various reasons, which will be determined in the gynecologist’s office after a series of medical examinations.

Studies have shown that during a frozen pregnancy, the basal temperature almost always deviates from the norms established for a favorably developing pregnancy.

If this happens, progesterone ceases to be produced in the amount necessary to maintain the life and intrauterine development of the embryo, and accordingly, the mercury column will drop every day.

Remember that during a frozen pregnancy, the basal body temperature is always low and never rises.

If your readings suddenly drop sharply and the signs of pregnancy that you had previously observed (toxicosis, swelling of the mammary glands, sensitivity to odors, tearfulness) have disappeared, you should immediately consult a doctor.

We hope that in this article you found answers to all your questions and learned how to create your schedule. Now you understand why this is necessary and how to do it correctly, and you know what basal temperature during pregnancy is considered normal, and what should alert you and promptly signal the need to see a doctor.

We wish you good health!

Just 15 years ago, measuring BT was considered one of the main diagnostic methods for assessing women's reproductive health. After all, the basal temperature of a non-pregnant woman is fundamentally different from the BT of a pregnant woman. A “healthy” temperature chart is completely different from that of a girl with “feminine” problems.

Now this method has given way to other, more modern and accurate diagnostic methods. Gynecologists prefer to prescribe ultrasound and hormonal tests for patients. However, the BT method can still tell a lot both to the girl herself and her doctor.

• unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child over a long period of time;
• suspicion of hormonal imbalance and changes in the menstrual cycle;
• probable infertility of one of the partners;
• calculation using a chart of the most favorable days for conception, when ovulation occurs (the release of an egg ready for fertilization from a mature follicle);
• control over the processes occurring in a woman’s body;
• diagnosis of anovulatory cycles.

BT is measured in the morning, after a full night's rest (when healthy sleep lasted at least 6-7 hours), in a state of complete rest and without getting out of bed. As a rule, the most accurate results can be obtained if you measure basal temperature with a regular mercury thermometer in the rectal passage, but experts also do not deny the information content of measurements obtained by measuring indicators in the oral cavity or vagina.

Based on the results of which a special schedule is drawn up. Only a qualified specialist can give a competent assessment of the basal temperature chart. However, the girl herself can understand a lot.

Cycle phases on the chart

The normal monthly cycle of a woman who is not pregnant consists of two main periods: the follicular and luteal phases. In the first phase of the cycle, which begins with the onset of menstruation, the woman’s body actively synthesizes estrogen hormones, which have a positive effect on the maturation of the egg and the proliferation of the uterine endothelium. This period is characterized by consistently low BT indicators on the graphs, and therefore is called hypothermic.

Approximately in the middle of the monthly cycle, an egg matures in the follicle. Its release from the ovary or ovulation is accompanied by a change in the woman’s hormonal levels, after which progesterone, the main hormone of pregnancy, normally begins to be produced. This biologically active substance, influencing thermoregulation centers in the brain, provokes an increase in temperature by about 0.4-0.6 degrees. If fertilization does not occur, progesterone levels begin to decrease, menstruation begins and the body again enters the follicular phase of the cycle.

Temperature norm

Basal temperature in the absence of pregnancy has its own characteristic features, which are clearly visible on correctly drawn up graphs of the period without conception. The norm is when in the first phase the temperature ranges from 36.3 to 36.6, and in the second it increases by about 0.4-0.6 and is already 36.9-37.1 degrees and higher.

So, what should be the basal temperature for non-pregnant women? The following features are typical for a non-pregnant basal temperature chart:

• decrease in BT with the onset of menstruation to a level of 36.3-36.5;
• stable level of basal temperature throughout the follicular phase;
• an increase in BT levels approximately two weeks before the expected menstruation;
• the presence of ovulation relapse or a decrease in basal temperature by 0.1 before the release of the reproductive gamete from the ovary;
• increase in indicators during ovulation to 36.9-37.1;
• the temperature difference between the two phases should not exceed 0.4-0.5;
• decrease in temperature level to 36.7-36.8 one or two days before the start of menstruation.

Naturally, the graph of basal temperature in the absence of pregnancy differs in many ways from the curves obtained as a result of measuring BT in women who are already carrying a baby.

The main feature of schedules without pregnancy is a decrease in temperature levels in the last few days of the cycle, that is, a decrease in progesterone activity. In addition, the basal temperature, if there is no pregnancy (unlike the indicators of women expecting a child), has a two-level appearance, falling in the middle of the cycle and a gradual rise in the temperature curve in its second period.

Deviations from the norm

Each woman normally experiences menstrual cycles without the release of a mature egg, which are called anovulatory, approximately twice a year. On such charts, the line is constantly at the same level, without dips or sharp rises. Anovulatory cycles are characterized by the following features:

• absence of a difference in basal temperature in the middle of the cycle on the graphs. The situation when is confirmation of the absence of ovulation;
• in the second phase, no increase in temperature level is recorded, since pregnancy does not form, synthesizing progesterone.

Basal temperature charts will allow you to suspect some diseases of the female genital area. Temperature jumps above 37.0 in the first phase of the cycle indicate the development of an inflammatory process in the ovaries or uterus. And if there is a lack of hormones, a relative increase in it will be recorded in the first period of the cycle and a decrease in the second.

However, it is important to remember that any deviations from the norm on the graph are just a reason to contact a specialist. Temperature measurement itself is only an auxiliary, and not the main diagnostic method. Perhaps your fears are completely unfounded. Much more reliable are laboratory tests, ultrasound and other studies that your doctor will prescribe.

Some women are interested in how basal temperature changes throughout the day. Note that this indicator refers to the temperature that is detected at rest. In such conditions it is the lowest. They can be achieved if a person has slept for at least eight hours, and the sleep was complete and uninterrupted; he is in a completely relaxed state. It is necessary that there is no coitus for at least eight hours and that the woman does not get up before the measurement.

Measuring basal temperature throughout the day

It is known that it is recommended to measure it only in the morning. Only then the BT parameters are the most informative. Measuring basal temperature during the day to determine pregnancy and the onset of ovulation does not provide any diagnostic data, therefore, it is uninformative or not very informative.

Basal temperature rises in the middle of the day. This is due to human activity. But if a person is relaxed, then the most plausible diagnostic values ​​can be achieved. The temperature changes sharply and can increase while eating or performing heavy physical work. Even the consumption of alcohol and most medications leads to the fact that a person’s thermogenesis processes are significantly disrupted, and BT in the rectum is significantly different from what it was in the morning.

A significant number of women are interested in what their basal temperature is during the day and whether it changes in the evening. Evening measurement of basal temperature during a woman’s normal rhythm is not allowed, because in this case it will be far from real. Measuring it in the evening is only permissible if the woman, due to her work habits, is nocturnal. Then in the evening it can be measured only if before the procedure there was a full sleep lasting at least five hours. This is very important so that highly accurate results can be achieved.

The basal temperature should decrease two days before menstruation. If you measure it throughout the day, it will be impossible to see the dynamics of such changes and find out whether fertilization has occurred.

What not to do when measuring? When receiving indicators, it is strictly forbidden to:

• get out of bed before the thermometer is inserted into the rectum and the results are obtained;
• move in bed and make sudden movements;
• take medications the day before that can significantly disrupt the normal parameters of basal temperature;
• drink strong alcoholic drinks on the eve of measurement;
• change the thermometer;
• change the insertion sites of the thermometer in order to obtain data on basal temperature;
• hold the measuring device for less than five minutes;
• talk during the procedure.

Compliance with all measurement rules will allow you to obtain reliable data. And from them it will be possible to draw up an accurate graph showing the dynamics of all processes in the female body.

In women, after the onset of the reproductive period, amazing processes occur in the body every month. Almost every representative of the fair sex has general concepts about the menstrual cycle, but not everyone knows how deep knowledge about it will help plan the processes of conception.

This series of articles will be devoted to basal temperature, the measurement of which is an accessible and simple way to plan conception and suspect the presence of gynecological pathology.

What is basal body temperature?

Basal body temperature (BT) is the lowest temperature the human body can reach when resting, usually during sleep. After a person wakes up and begins to move, body temperature changes and increases.

Changing BT is one of the ways to determine the ovulatory period and some other processes occurring in a woman’s body. The temperature method for determining the phase of the fertile period and the time when a couple can plan conception is based on this knowledge about changes in BBT.

Basal temperature is influenced by hormones. In a healthy woman of reproductive age, almost every month there is a sequential change in the phases of the menstrual cycle: follicular, ovulatory and luteal. In each phase, the predominance of certain hormones changes and, accordingly, their level changes BT.

What can be determined by measuring BT?

Measuring BT values ​​helps determine the following conditions in women:

1. Onset (release of the egg from the follicle);
2. “Safe days” for having sex, i.e. when the likelihood of conceiving a child is minimal.
3. When menstrual bleeding occurs.
4. How does a woman’s menstrual cycle proceed and are there any deviations in it.
5. Suspect the presence of gynecological pathology.
6. Assume pregnancy in case of delay.

Of course, the method of measuring BT is not absolutely reliable. It is based on evidence that basal temperature varies depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle. There are many women for whom this does not happen, so the data obtained by this method must be taken critically and compared with the results of other studies.

Where is it measured?

If a woman measures her basal temperature to determine her fertile period, then it must be measured in the rectum. For some women this method is not suitable and they measure BBT orally (in the mouth) or in the vagina. Unfortunately, measuring BT in the mouth will not give the desired result. Let's figure out why.

Hormones that change BT are formed in the ovaries and are transported through the ovarian veins, creating cyclic temperature fluctuations depending on the phase of the cycle. The rectum is closest to the ovaries, so it is there that these fluctuations will be especially pronounced.

If the temperature changes that sex hormones create are clearly expressed, then they can be detected even by measuring BT in the armpit, but such a clear temperature difference in women practically does not occur in practice.

For those women who, for some reason, are not suitable for measuring BT in the rectum, you should not waste time measuring it in the mouth (orally) or in other areas. It is better to use other research methods (tests, ultrasound, blood tests).

How to measure it correctly?

Since basal temperature is the body temperature at rest, it should be measured after at least 3 hours of sleep, without getting out of bed. Measurements in women are carried out at the same time, preferably in the morning after a night's sleep.

For measurements, use a separate thermometer, preferably mercury, and record the data in a special notebook. Based on the results, a graph is built that allows you to track BT fluctuations and understand what changes are occurring in the body.

The temperature is measured rectally, i.e. in the rectum. BBT measurements in the mouth, vagina or armpit are not reliable and cannot be used as diagnostic data.

What should your basal temperature be?

The BT rate depends on different conditions. So, at the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the basal temperature does not even reach 37 degrees, since the new egg in the follicle is just beginning its growth and development.

By the middle of the cycle, the basal temperature gradually increases along with the growth of the egg and at the moment its noticeable jump is observed. The BT norm during this period is 37.1 -37.7.

Important! In some women, the increase in basal temperature during this period can reach up to 38 degrees, while in others the temperature jump is very weak and almost unnoticeable.

During the second phase of the menstrual cycle (luteal), the basal temperature remains at 37-37.3 degrees, gradually decreasing towards the beginning of menstrual bleeding.

The described norm is an ideal that can occur, but may differ for every healthy woman. To learn how to correctly assess BT, you will need to be patient and correctly measure it, analyze it and build a temperature graph that will help recognize minor fluctuations.

The main advantage of the method is its accessibility, safety and lack of financial component. A woman should only have a desire and an ordinary mercury thermometer at hand.

Questions for the doctor

Question: What does it mean if I don’t have high BT at all during my menstrual cycle?

Answer: This means that your ovulation is not accompanied by a change in BBT or that ovulation does not occur, i.e. anovulatory cycle. To differentiate these two conditions, you need to take blood tests for LH or perform folliculometry.

Question: How long should BT be before ovulation?

Answer: Before ovulation, at the time of the peak of luteinizing hormone, a slight drop in temperature may be observed, and then a high BT rises at the moment the egg leaves the follicle.

Question: Can a change in BT in the mouth determine the moment of ovulation or does it mean nothing?

Answer: If the rectal measurement method does not suit you, then it is better to use other methods for determining ovulation. Measuring BBT in your mouth cannot guarantee you the correct result.

Question: How many days do you need to measure BT?

Answer: Not days, but several months. In order to reliably track how exactly your basal temperature changes according to the phases of the cycle and what the norm is typical for you, you need to measure it every day for 2-3 months.

Measuring BT is a simple and affordable auxiliary way to monitor ovulation and other reproductive processes in a woman’s body. When using this method, one should not forget about its shortcomings and carry out measurements taking into account all the requirements.