Basal Body Temperature

Stephanie

Vorce

Basic Facts

• It’s a Natural Birth Control method• Before ovulation the BBT drops

slightly and after ovulation it releases progesterone, which allows the temperature to rise slightly.

• One needs to purchase a fertility thermometer or an electronic digital one.

• A woman is looking for a temperature shift of at least 0.4 degrees over a 48 hour period to indicate ovulation

• When this method is used with either the cervical/ mucus method, it’s much more effective

• http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/sexinfo/images/basal2.jpg

http://www.mjbovo.com/Contracept/Natural-Use3.gif http://www.womenfitness.net/bbt.htm

Factors that may affect the BBT

• Lack of sleep- one’s body reaches it’s BBT after 4 hours of sleep, so one needs to make sure they get that much sleep.

• Drinking- if one drinks the night before, there BBT will be high so don’t confuse it with possible ovulation.

• Air Travel- Jet leg can affect one’s 24 hour temperature cycle.

• Stress, anxiety, and illness- can all raise one’s BBT temporarily

• Getting up in the middle of the night• Getting the flu or common cold

http://www.10spot.net/img/stressed.jpg

http://www.chomp.org/whatsnew/pulsemag/winter03/sleep.aspx

Advantages • Women can get a

better understanding their cycle and body

• Inexpensive

• No side effects

• Accepted by the Catholic Church

http://www3.nbnet.nb.ca/alfresco/christ_church/christ_church2.JPG

http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/menstrualcycle/Images/Endo-Physio.gif

Disadvantages

• No STD protection• Failure rate is higher than other

methods because of a variety of factors ( lack of knowledge on method, smoking, or illness)

• Need a lot of motivation to learn to detect temperature and couples have to accurately rely on these records for contraception

• If a woman has irregular periods, it’s harder for her to use this method

• Doesn’t predict ahead of time when one will be ovulating, so sexual intercourse before the BBT goes up could result in pregnancy.

• http://www.signprint.co.uk/shop_image2/product/7bd970eec3d906cb2a53bbbb45229847.jpg

http://www.tbalert.org/tuberculosis/images/cough.gif

How to use the BBT Chart

• One needs to take their temperature first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed, drinking water, or going to the bathroom.

• Take temperature around the same time each day for accurate results

• Can take temperature orally, vaginally, or rectally, but one needs to say with the same method the entire cycle.

• Record temperature on chart everyday• If temperature stays up for 18 days or

more after ovulation, one should test for pregnancy.

http://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/files/2006/07/thermometer.jpghttp://www.bd.com/thermometers/images/products/digital_basal_pkg.jpg

Resources

http://www.womenfitness.net/bbt.htm

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/bbt/bbtfaq.html