After conception has occurred, the female body immediately begins to undergo some changes that occur according to a certain plan. Thanks to clear physiological rules, you can predict possible fertilization even before your missed period, and also check whether your pregnancy is proceeding normally. This can be done using the usual measurement of basal temperature (BT). Its level is significantly affected by a sharp surge and decrease in the concentration of sex hormones. Let's look at the principles of measurement and the rules for deciphering the obtained basal temperature standards from the moment of planning to the end of gestation.
Basal is the body temperature measured under conditions of complete rest immediately after waking up. Its level changes cyclically during menstrual cycle under the influence of two main hormones - estradiol and progesterone.
In gynecology, the BT chart is considered an indicator women's health. Studying several graphs can determine whether a woman’s hormonal levels are normal, whether there are inflammatory pathologies, whether ovulation occurs normally and whether it occurs at all.
At the planning stage, BT allows you to “catch” ovulation without special expensive tests or undergoing a diagnostic ultrasound. But the effectiveness of the technique is observed with regular measurement of BT while adhering to the prescribed rules for the procedure.
The principle of determining BT is based on temperature fluctuations based on the phases of the female cycle. As you know, the cycle consists of two phases, and the equator between them is ovulation. The essence of observations comes down to daily entering temperature indicators into a simple graph. In the first half the temperature is low performance, and in the second, under the influence of progesterone, higher.
Ovulation is characterized by a sharp drop - the temperature drops, and on the second day it rapidly rises. And as menstruation approaches, it begins to decrease again. If fertilization has occurred, the graph will display a consistently increased basal temperature during pregnancy, before the delay it will exceed 37⁰C. In the absence of fertilization, BT before menstruation will drop to 36.7⁰C or even lower.
In obstetric practice, scheduling BT is used if:
- There has been no pregnancy for more than 12 months without obvious reasons.
- It is necessary to establish the correspondence of hormone production relative to the phases of the menstrual cycle.
- It is necessary to clarify the present pathology of the woman’s hormonal background.
- Need to calculate favorable days for conception when it is not possible to constantly be sexually active.
- There is a suspicion of a latent course of endometritis.
- It is necessary to establish the fact of fertilization before the delay due to the possible threat of interruption against the background anxiety symptoms (brown discharge, lower abdominal pain).
Important! If there is no temperature jump during the ovulatory period, and the difference between the average BT of the two phases is less than 0.4⁰C, it means that the woman has hormonal pathologies and ovulation does not occur.
How to measure basal temperature to determine pregnancy
An accurate BT is obtained by inserting a rectal thermometer into the anal lumen. The manipulation must be carried out every day at the same time. Which thermometer to use is your personal decision, the main thing is to do it according to the rules.
How to measure basal temperature during pregnancy:
- You need to monitor your BT in the morning. At the same time, it is forbidden to sit down suddenly or leave the bed. Sleep preceding measurement should be more than 6 hours. Frequent awakenings at night will make the morning temperature uninformative.
- During the daytime, BT changes a lot. This is affected by activity, anxiety, and fatigue. Therefore, BT is measured in the morning, while the body is still “sleeping”. And checking your basal temperature during pregnancy in the evening is pointless, since the result will be unreliable.
- The duration of the procedure is 5-6 minutes. In case of use electronic thermometer you need to hold it for another 3-4 minutes after sound signal.
- It is better to start recording the temperature from the first cyclic day, otherwise it will be impossible to assess the ratio of indicators between the phases. If the measurement is carried out for the purpose of diagnosing hormonal levels, it will take at least three months to draw competent conclusions.
- All received figures should be noted on a special chart.
Important! A graph of basal temperature during pregnancy will be uninformative if it was compiled during a period of acute illness, or against the background of stress, alcohol abuse, taking hormonal pills, frequent flights and trips. BT readings will also be false if they are obtained less than 6 hours after intercourse.
Norms of basal temperature during pregnancy
The entire cycle is based on a certain dynamics of BT. To understand whether pregnancy has occurred, you need to focus on the usual indicators before and after conception:
- The follicular phase lasts approximately 11-14 days, but this is just a guideline, because every woman's cycle is different. To navigate the phases, count two weeks from the last day of the cycle and get the approximate date of ovulation. Under normal health conditions, BT in the first half ranges from 36.1 to 36.8⁰ C.
- The moment of ovulation is the climactic moment: the egg is released from the proovulated follicle, which is accompanied by a sharp production of hormones. The graph shows a jump in BT to 37.0 – 37.7⁰С.
- Then comes the luteal phase, which lasts until the onset of menstruation. At this stage, the temperature remains high, and only a few days before menstruation begins to decrease by 0.3-0.5⁰С. If such a decrease does not occur, there is a high probability that fertilization has occurred.
Advice! The level of BT during gestation is very individual and in some women pregnancy proceeds well even at 36.9⁰C. For this reason, there are no clear indicators of what the basal temperature should be during pregnancy. Therefore, the only diagnostic criterion is the absence of a decrease in BT after ovulation.
In order for the fertilized egg to be fully implanted into the endometrium and further develop, the body creates for this purpose special conditions. To do this, it begins to produce large quantities of progesterone. This hormone provokes a persistently high BT, which is up to certain period remains elevated.
Depending on the characteristics of the hormonal system in different women, the basal temperature during pregnancy is early stages equal to 37.0-37.4⁰С. Such values indicate that the pregnancy is developing well and there is no threat of miscarriage. In individual cases, BT can even rise to 38⁰C, which is also considered normal.
Pathological basal temperature after conception: causes of deviations
Basal temperature during gestation does not always correspond to the prescribed standards. There are exceptions, because every woman’s body is different. In some cases, there is no reason to worry, and minor deviations are considered a variant of the norm. Unfortunately, the majority of cases of pathological fluctuations in BT are caused by various complications during pregnancy.
Basal temperature in case of threat of miscarriage
Instead of an ovulating follicle, a corpus luteum. It produces a huge amount of progesterone, which ensures the safety of the fetus. If a woman had hormonal problems before conception, the resulting corpus luteum may not function correctly. As a result, progesterone deficiency develops, which increases the risk of pregnancy termination.
On the BT chart it is very difficult to miss such a pathology: the temperature remains at too low a level, below 37⁰C. Therefore, if the basal temperature is 36.9 during pregnancy, it is necessary to determine and eliminate the cause of this condition.
Point at possible interruption pregnancy can be very high level BT. Thus, a temperature of 38⁰C is often caused by an inflammatory process in the uterine cavity, which can provoke egg rejection. A one-time rise is rarely a threat to the fetus, but if such an indicator persists for more than three days, you need to see a gynecologist.
Basal temperature during frozen pregnancy
When the embryo stops developing, the corpus luteum begins to regress and progesterone production stops. As a result, BT gradually drops to 36.4-36.9⁰С. By the way, low temperature does not necessarily indicate fetal death. There is a high probability of measurement errors or the aforementioned state of progesterone deficiency. Therefore, do not rush to diagnose yourself before visiting a doctor.
Advice! It happens that anembryony (embryo freezing) has occurred, and the temperature is persistently high, so there is no need to focus only on BT indicators. For uncharacteristic pain, pathological discharge If you feel unwell, you should immediately visit a gynecologist.
Basal temperature during ectopic pregnancy
The fertilized egg implanted in the fallopian tube does not block the functioning of the corpus luteum. For this reason, progesterone is fully produced and the BT schedule looks quite normal. That is why it is simply impossible to judge an ectopic pregnancy only by basal temperature figures.
However, as the embryo grows, an inflammatory process develops in the fallopian tube, which provokes an increase in BT. On the graph, the temperature can rise even above 38⁰C. But at this stage, other symptoms indicate the presence of ectopic implantation - acute abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and sometimes internal bleeding.
How to correctly draw up and decipher a BT schedule: a detailed guide
A graph for maintaining basal temperature can be easily drawn on a piece of paper or can be printed ready-made template.
The graph shows several values at once:
- Menstrual cycle by day (from 1 to 35 days, taking into account the length of your cycle).
- Daily temperature readings.
- Special notes (poisoning, stress, insomnia, ARVI, etc.)
To record BT, the table is marked as follows:
- The checkered sheet is divided into two axes: the X axis is the day of the cycle, the Y axis is the BT indicator.
- An indicator is indicated daily, all points are connected by a line.
- A solid line is drawn through the top six indicators in the first phase, with the exception of menstruation days, then the line continues until the end of the second cycle.
- On the day of expected ovulation, a vertical line is drawn.
To understand what a temperature graph might look like, look at how basal temperature fluctuates during pregnancy in the photo:
The figure clearly shows ovulation and an increase in BT in the second phase. On the 21st day of the cycle, a jump in temperature is noticeable as a result of implantation of a fertilized egg, and from 28-29 days the third phase begins - gestational. Pregnancy can also occur at low basal temperatures. Even if BT does not rise above 36.8⁰C, and the delay has been present for several days, you need to go to the doctor.
This photo shows a graph with full cycle phases inherent in healthy woman outside of pregnancy. In the first phase, BT confidently remains below 37⁰C, after ovulation it begins to rise and remains at this level for 11-14 days, and three days before menstruation it begins to return to its original values.
The next type of BT schedule is anovulatory. The follicle does not grow, does not ovulate, and the egg, accordingly, has nowhere to come from. Throughout the cycle, it is clear that BT “jumps” chaotically without a natural change in values and an ovulatory jump. In appearance, the graph resembles a monotonous straight line, the points of which range from 36.4⁰С to 36.9⁰С. Such a schedule is quite possible once or twice a year and is considered the norm. But if such a picture appears regularly, the woman definitely has gynecological or endocrine problems.
You can determine estrogen deficiency using a schedule. For this reason, in the first phase there is a pathological increase in BT to 37.4⁰C. Should be produced in the follicular phase a large number of estrogens that suppress BT to a level below 36.5⁰C. Lack of estrogen also causes high temperature in the second cycle (above 37.5⁰C), which has nothing to do with ovulation and conception.
Judging the state of women's health or the onset of pregnancy using the BT schedule is not entirely correct, because there is a risk of false readings if the rules for measuring temperature are not followed. And the influence of all external factors is also impossible to completely exclude. Therefore, plotting a graph serves as an additional diagnostic tool.
Now you know how to measure basal temperature to determine pregnancy, so you definitely won’t have any difficulties. Carefully measure your BT, keep a chart, and then you will definitely guess about your pregnancy even before the delay.
Video “Top 5 rules for accurately measuring basal temperature”
Basal temperature measurements are now widely used by ladies to determine the most favorable period for conception. Although this technique does not promise a 100% guarantee, during planning it often helps determine whether ovulation has occurred. And some girls, using these indicators, are able to determine conception almost from the first week, because the basal temperature during pregnancy before the delay is somewhat different from that in the absence of fertilization.
The indicators are most accurate in the morning, immediately after waking up
Everyone knows how to measure body temperature under the armpit, but these indicators have nothing to do with basal ones, because BT is rectal temperature, which is measured in the rectum by strict rules, because this indicator can be affected by a lot of factors, even the simplest movements. Similar measurements can be made in the vagina or in the oral cavity, but the most accurate data will be obtained with rectal measurements.
In fact, basal temperature is the thermodynamic indicators of the body at rest in physical and psycho-emotional terms. Measuring basal temperature is a cheap method for determining ovulatory periods and conception. Therefore, experts recommend such measurements for women who have problems with cycle regularity, as well as to calculate ovulation when planning conception.
During the cycle, BT indicators change periodically. At first it is lowered, and by the middle of the cycle it increases. A basal temperature chart is very convenient to keep for determining ovulation and a favorable fertile period. Therefore, patients who have for a long time If you can’t conceive, experts recommend drawing up similar schedules.
Changes in BT indicators during the cycle
Carrying out basal measurements refers to cheap methods for determining ovulatory periods and conception. Throughout the cycle, BT changes in accordance with hormonal changes.
- When menstruation ends, the rectal temperature remains at 36.3-36.6 degrees. It is against the background of such thermodynamic indicators that each cycle the maturation of female germ cells occurs with the active participation of the estrogen hormone, which controls these processes.
- By the onset of ovulation, there is a sharp but insignificant decline, and then a rise in temperature to 37 degrees and even higher. Such a temperature dip is a sign of the release of the egg from the follicle, i.e. ovulation.
- If a merger happens female cell with sperm, then the basal temperature after conception will remain stably at increased rates exceeding 37 degrees.
- If there was no conception, then a few days before menstruation the temperature begins to drop to 36.6 degrees.
Similar changes occur in the female body every cycle.
How to determine conception using the basal schedule
The ovulatory period is different for every woman.
Indicators of basal temperature during pregnancy have certain characteristics, so they can be used to establish the fact of conception. After this, a few days later, suspicions about an interesting situation will be confirmed by malaise, soreness and swelling of the breast, delay, a home test with two stripes and other characteristic signs.
The process of fertilization of an egg by a sperm goes unnoticed for the patient, but the implantation of the egg into the uterine endometrium can already be felt more clearly by minor pain and implantation bleeding. Several days before implantation, temperature readings on the basal chart will remain at 36.7-36.9. But the temperature at conception, when the embryo is already implanted in the uterus, i.e., about a week after the ovulatory period and a week before the expected menstruation, will begin to rise again, reaching 37 degrees and above.
What should your basal temperature be during pregnancy? For the development of the fetus, a temperature of approximately 37°C is needed, but to maintain its vital functions, higher temperature conditions are required, exceeding the 37-degree mark. The regulation of the necessary temperature conditions is carried out by the hormonal system, more precisely, the progesterone hormone, which constantly changes throughout the entire cycle, as do the temperature indicators on the basal chart.
There is such a thing as implantation retraction. It looks on the basal chart as a sharp jump down after the maturation of the egg. A similar picture looks something like this: after ovulation and fertilization, the rectal temperature rises and remains at elevated levels for several days, which confirms that ovulation has occurred and the onset of the luteinizing stage of the cycle. About a week after ovulation, the temperature characteristic of conception decreases, and after a day or two it suddenly returns to its previous elevated levels.
What else do you need to know
This thermal failure is implantation depression, which most likely indicates the onset of pregnancy. It is by this sinking that one can determine the fact of conception even before the appearance of other symptoms and a delay in menstruation. Quite often, such retraction is accompanied by bloody smear, the so-called. implantation bleeding, which is a completely natural condition for a pregnant woman.
But even in the absence of implantation retraction on the basal chart, pregnancy can be suspected by a persistent increase in rectal temperature. What should be the basal temperature in the rectum during pregnancy? Typically, over a two-week period after ovulation and more, if conception has occurred, temperature readings are about 37-37.4 degrees. With such data, after detecting a delay, it is recommended to do a strip test, which by this time should already show the presence of a child.
Alarming sinking of BT during pregnancy
Each girl does not have uniform values for what the rectal temperature should be, because all organisms are individual. But sometimes situations occur when dangerous retractions of BT occur during pregnancy. There are many reasons for such seizures, but the most dangerous conditions frozen pregnancy, miscarriage and ectopic are considered.
- Ectopic location of the fetus. When thermal indices in the rectum increase to 37.5-38°C, which are observed over several days, there is every reason to suspect the presence of an inflammatory process in the patient’s reproductive system. Meanwhile, an infectious pathology or ectopic pregnancy can develop in the female body. If the embryo attaches to the wrong place, a specific reaction with thermal surges and depressions may occur, so the curve on the graph looks incorrect with uncharacteristic depressions.
- Abortion or freezing of the fetus. If a girl is confident that she is pregnant, then a drop in temperature below 36.9°C should definitely cause concern. With such symptoms, there is every reason to believe that the patient has a frozen or miscarried pregnancy. Such a decrease in temperature is associated with a decreased level of progesterone, which occurs due to the death of the fetus. There is no longer a need to support fetal life, so the yellow-bodied gland reduces its production and the content of progesterone in the body drops, which leads to a decrease in basal temperature.
By maintaining a basal schedule, you can promptly detect suspicious signs and avoid dangerous consequences.
Advantages and disadvantages of maintaining a basal schedule
It is very convenient to keep a special calendar
Taking rectal measurements daily helps the patient clearly monitor the slightest changes occurring in her cycle. This method is quite simple and accessible, it can be performed at home, and does not require any money. Using the schedule, you can determine the exact time of the ovulatory period, fertilization that has occurred, deviations during pregnancy and other conditions.
But this method also has disadvantages. One of these is the individuality of each girl’s organism. It is not always possible to accurately calculate the date of the ovulatory period, because in many patients this process can occur at rather low rectal temperature readings, or BT increases significantly towards the end of the cycle, and not immediately after the maturation and release of the egg.
In addition, there is a high probability of error in calculations, because taking measurements requires adherence to clear rules, because quite a few factors can contribute to distortion of the results. Also, rectal measurements will not provide the patient with information regarding the development of the corpus luteum. Therefore, you should not abandon other measurement methods. Therefore, with increased BT indicators, if there is a suspicion that fertilization has occurred, it is necessary to additionally carry out ultrasound diagnostics and testing with strip strips, as well as taking a blood test to check the content of the hCG hormone.
How to avoid unreliable results
To obtain the most reliable data regarding basal temperature, it is necessary to strictly follow all the rules for taking measurements. Firstly, it is necessary to measure BT in the rectum or vagina, or the oral cavity, although the most informative measurement is considered to be in the anus, because the rectum is considered the most sensitive to changes in hormonal levels, or more precisely, to changes in the progesterone hormone. In this case, measurements should be made in one place, and not so that one day you measure in the mouth, the next - in the vagina, and on the third - in the rectum. With such measurements, the results will be unreliable.
In addition, measurements should be carried out exclusively with one thermometer to eliminate instrumental error. The choice to measure with an electronic or mercury thermometer remains only for the woman. Take measurements at the same time, early in the morning, as soon as you open your eyes, without even sitting up in bed or turning over on your side. The fact is that the girl’s body should be in a state of absolute rest.
The duration of measurements should be about 5-7 minutes, but if measurements are carried out with an electronic thermometer, then until the sound signal. You need to start drawing up a basal chart from the first day of the female cycle, and measurements cannot be interrupted even during menstrual bleeding.
How to make calculations correctly
Under some circumstances, your basal measurements may not be accurate. This happens if:
- The patient was suffering from acute respiratory infections at the time of measurements. viral infections accompanied by hyperthermic conditions or fever;
- Rectal measurements were taken at different times of the day or with different thermometers, for example, one day with an electronic thermometer and the next with a mercury thermometer;
- After waking up, the woman got up, for example, to go to the toilet, or went to the bathroom to get a thermometer. The slightest movement leads to an increase in basal temperature, so it is necessary to prepare a thermometer for measurements in the evening, placing it on the bedside table;
- The patient did not get enough sleep, was too active or was experiencing stressful conditions, psycho-emotional unrest, etc. Even a banal plane flight can have a negative impact on basal indicators;
- The girl took medications, especially from the category of hormonal drugs;
- A woman has consumed alcohol in any quantity; even a glass of wine at night can distort the rectal temperature;
- The spouses had sex at night or in the morning before the measurements.
If during the measurements there were any circumstances that could distort the true temperature in the rectum, then when entering the data into basal schedule must be indicated somewhere below or to the side of the graph.
If according to the schedule the patient clearly sees the presence of pregnancy, and there are still several days before the delay, then there is no need to panic. You need to calmly wait for the day of your next period; if you don’t have them, then do a test. To confirm pregnancy after positive test you need to contact the residential complex, where the girl will be prescribed an ultrasound diagnostic.
Basal temperature is measured in the rectum, rectum, and represents the lowest body temperature achieved during rest/sleep. Fluctuations in this temperature depend on the hormonal background of a woman, or rather, on what is in her body.
BT is measured for protection using calendar method, diagnostics and , determination and time favorable for conception.
How to measure basal temperature correctly
How to measure basal temperature? Basal temperature is measured after waking up. You should not get out of bed or even shake the thermometer before taking measurements, because... any movement may affect the accuracy of the measurements. It is recommended to prepare the thermometer in the evening and place it by the bed. To measure BT, a few (5-7) minutes are enough insert a thermometer into the rectum.
BT is necessary measure daily(except for the days of menstruation) for several cycles. Preferably at the same time. It is recommended to use a mercury thermometer for this. Compared to its electronic counterpart, it has greater measurement accuracy.
Any events that can affect the measurement results must be recorded in the graph. These include various diseases, short sleep preceding the BT measurement, sex, reception medicines or alcohol, stressful situations. There is no need to measure BT during travel: the body can respond to climate changes with cycle fluctuations.
When drawing up a schedule, you should avoid stress and stop drinking alcohol. The accuracy of measurements can be affected by regular moves/flights, illness, sleep disorders, and sexual intercourse that occurred several hours before waking up.
Normal basal temperature before, during and after ovulation
What should your basal temperature be? Ovulation divides the cycle into two phases. Before ovulation(during the first 2 weeks of the cycle) BT does not exceed 36.4-36.8 degrees Celsius.
During ovulation, when the egg leaves the ovary, a jump occurs: BT rises to 37 and higher. The high basal temperature remains almost until the menstruation itself.
What is the basal temperature before menstruation? The high basal temperature right before menstruation (a couple of days) begins to decrease and is around 36.8 degrees.
The absence of a jump in temperature, an unclear or blurry increase in temperature may indicate problems with ovulation. The difference between the average BT of the 1st and 2nd phases should not be less than 0.4-0.5 degrees.
BT makes it possible to establish the fact of fertilization and identify abnormalities in fetal development. It is necessary to record indicators daily. They will be needed later to create a schedule.
To make a BT schedule, two axes should be drawn. You need to place degrees on the vertical axis (one cell equals 0.1 degrees), and dates on the horizontal axis. Then the points should indicate the measurement indicators for each day of the cycle and sequentially connect these points to each other.
Basal temperature chart during pregnancy
What is the basal temperature during pregnancy before the delay? After ovulation, BT rises above 37. With successful conception the temperature remains high for several days. About a week after ovulation, the basal temperature drops to an average level (36.7). Such a jump is a sign of implantation retraction, during which the egg is implanted in the uterus. As a rule, the next day after this, BT returns to high levels (37+) and continues to grow, forming a third phase, which is not characteristic of the usual cycle.
What is the basal temperature during pregnancy? During pregnancy, BT is always elevated. Normally it is 37-37.5 degrees Celsius. It is advisable to measure BT before 12-15 weeks of pregnancy.
- An increase in BT to 36.5-36.8 degrees in the 1st phase indicates a lack of estrogen, which can become an obstacle to pregnancy.
- A sharp jump in temperature in phase 1 may be a sign of inflammation of the appendages. Often, it is not possible to determine ovulation using such graphs, because... the inflammatory process provokes a false rise in BT.
- If in the 2nd phase of the cycle BT does not reach high levels, this may indicate a lack of progesterone. In this case, you will have to compensate for the hormone with special drugs to achieve pregnancy.
- If the temperature drops before menstruation, and with the arrival of menstruation it “steps over” the mark of 37 degrees, there is a suspicion of inflammation of the uterine mucosa or endometritis.
- Lack of ovulation for one or two cycles per year is normal. You can notice this from the BT chart: in this case, the straight line will be smooth, without obvious differences. It is necessary to consult a doctor if there is no ovulation for several cycles in a row.
Video about basal temperature
Below is a video in which an obstetrician-gynecologist answers questions related to measuring basal temperature and planning pregnancy.
Realizing what exists in it new life, the woman strives to learn as much as possible about her situation. This is especially important for those who are worried about any reason. Basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy will help monitor the process daily, identify danger signs so that the expectant mother can receive timely help if necessary.
Read in this article
Why measure BT
Basal temperature is another indicator of gynecological health. Due to the natural difference in its values at each stage of the cycle, women plan pregnancy. Daily measurements and charting make it possible to find out the day of ovulation. Before menstruation, the BT value reaches 36.7-36.9 degrees. By the time the egg matures, it increases to 37-37.1. If conception does not occur, after ovulation its values decrease again. If there was no ovulation at all, then the temperature will be approximately the same throughout the entire cycle.
Basal temperature 37 is a sign of pregnancy, which appears, perhaps, earlier than others. Delayed menstruation, morning sickness and other symptoms will appear later. In the meantime, keeping BT at this level for 2 weeks will let the woman know that she is now responsible for another life, and it’s time to start providing suitable conditions its development. And although this is not an indisputable sign of pregnancy, it may be a reason to conduct a test, leaving problems that interfere with it. bad habits, establishing a normal regime.
Normal basal temperature after conception
A fertilized egg needs special conditions for attaching to the wall. The body creates them with the help of the hormone progesterone, which begins to be produced in increased quantities compared to the previous one. With its help, the uterus prepares to accept the fertilized egg, then allows the membranes and placenta to develop. For this reason, basal temperature during early pregnancy also increases, but up to certain limits.
Usually its value varies among different women from 37 to 37.3 degrees. Staying within these limits means that the process proceeds without unpleasant surprises, as it should. What basal temperature in early pregnancy may depend on the characteristics of a particular organism. Normally, it is capable of deviating from average values, reaching 38 degrees. But to make sure that this is not evidence of any danger, it is better to see a specialist.
Daily fluctuations in BT
Measurement of bt in early pregnancy should be carried out at the same hours in the morning. You can trust such indicators, since the body has rested, and no external factors have not yet been able to influence him. Physical activity, eating, emotions, even wearing clothes inherent in wakefulness inevitably change its meaning. Usually, the basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy rises above 37.3 degrees during the day, but this does not hide any threat. At this time, its values can change every hour under the influence of the already mentioned factors.
By the end of the day, the body “digests” everything accumulated during the day, but is already preparing for rest. However, taking measurements at this time of day is also pointless. The indicator will still be high, and understand why this is caused natural causes or health problems is impossible. In the early stages of pregnancy, basal temperature in the evening is usually about 1 degree higher than normal. An informative measurement at this time will be if the woman slept for at least 5 hours during the day. But it is unlikely that anyone will follow such a strange regime for all 12 weeks of the initial stage.
When and how to measure BT
Bt during early pregnancy is measured in the morning before waking up, when the biological activity of the body is minimal. The thermometer is placed 2 cm into the vagina or rectum and held for 3-5 minutes. During this time, the device will sense and display the real temperature values.
Each measurement should repeat the previous one. That is, you cannot insert a thermometer into the vagina today, and into the anus tomorrow. And the manipulations must be carried out at the same time; you can only be late and rush for an hour. The thermometer should always be the same as before.
Basal temperature is important in early pregnancy to measure accurately. This is real if:
- Do the procedure only in a horizontal position, without turning on your side or standing up. Sitting down in bed, a woman increases the flow of blood to the pelvis. In this case, the thermometer will show high values that do not correspond to reality;
- Take measurements after at least 5 hours of sleep, this is the only way the readings will be correct;
- Do not have sex for the entire period of BT control. Sexual activity stimulates its increase. Or by at least make sure that the break between the measurement and the act is at least half a day;
- Do not take medications. Most of them will distort the picture, and the indicator may turn out to be significantly higher or lower normal values. But basal temperature is controlled in the early stages of pregnancy due to probable threat condition. In this case, there may be no danger, but the number on the thermometer will show that there is;
- Have breakfast after measuring. Food also affects the value of the indicator;
- Do not be sick. Even a slight runny nose can change the BT value.
Why do you need a schedule?
A BT chart during early pregnancy is necessary if a woman seriously decides to monitor this indicator. As the fetus develops in the mother's body, various kinds changes, mainly related to hormones. It is not surprising that basal temperature is also unstable in the early stages of pregnancy, the graph will prove this. Usually it looks like this:
- On the day of fertilization of the egg, the value balances between 36.4 and 36.7 degrees;
- Over the next 3-4 days it rises by 0.1 degrees daily and reaches 37;
- For another 2-3 days, the basal temperature value remains the same;
- On the day of implantation ovum in the uterine mucosa it decreases to 36.5-36.6 degrees;
- Over the next 2-3 days, the indicator values gradually rise, reaching 36.8-37 degrees;
- For about 2 weeks, the numbers on the thermometer can fluctuate from 36.7 to 37.1. But the values should not be lower than those observed on the day of ovulation.
The graph of basal temperature during pregnancy in the early stages should include not only the numbers of the indicator and the days of the cycle, but also the accompanying circumstances. BT values can be affected by illness, medication, and stress. The attending physician should learn about each of them in order to have a complete picture of the development of pregnancy.
When basal temperature deviates from normal
It is worth saying that an increase in basal temperature and maintaining it at certain values is not an absolute sign of pregnancy. Sometimes it can mean something completely different. But if a woman, using a test, is convinced that conception has occurred, she does not always have to control this indicator. Usually the doctor insists on measuring BBT if there have been problems with pregnancy in the past, in order to catch them on early stage. This way there are more opportunities to neutralize negative factors.
Why is your basal temperature too high?
An excessive increase in basal temperature occurs due to the inflammatory process occurring in the body. In most cases it is associated with the reproductive sphere, but not always.
Another reason for too high BBT may be an ectopic pregnancy. The fertilized egg, despite its abnormal localization, develops, which means that progesterone is produced in the usual amount for pregnancy. At the same time, there is an inflammatory process in the body that can increase both body temperature and BBT.
A woman needs to listen to the sensations in the lower abdomen and monitor the discharge. If instead of clear ones they come out brown, an ultrasound of the fallopian tubes and abdominal cavity should be done.
Possible threat of interruption
A decrease in basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy occurs when there is a threat of termination. The main reason This in most cases is caused by a lack of progesterone. The hormone ensures the creation of conditions for the development of the fertilized egg: loosening the upper layer of the inner lining of the uterus, securing the embryo in it.
Thanks to it, the basal temperature also increases in the early stages of pregnancy; 37 is its average value for the first 2 weeks after conception. A lower indicator is a reason to take measures to prevent rejection of the fertilized egg, which may begin soon. If, in addition, a woman feels pain in the abdomen or notices blood-stained discharge, she needs help immediately.
Frozen pregnancy
Low basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy can also be a sign of fetal fading. This means that the embryo has stopped developing. For what reason this happens, one can only speculate. But you need to be aware of this situation, since the fetus does not always come out on its own. It is necessary to remove it, and the sooner, the safer it is for the woman. In the short term this is done using vacuum method, and having recovered, after some time you can plan a pregnancy again.
Stopping the development of the embryo is accompanied not only by a decrease in BT, but also by other symptoms, the main one of which is the disappearance of other signs of its existence. The woman's mammary glands also stop enlarging. In this case, the level of progesterone also drops, because the corpus luteum no longer needs to produce it.
Does low BT occur during normal pregnancy?
The normal basal temperature in the early stages of pregnancy is quite arbitrary. It is not at all necessary that the body will demonstrate its meanings as if from a textbook. His individual characteristics may turn out to be such that when normal developing pregnancy the indicator will not reach the average throughout the 12 weeks when it makes sense to measure it. And a low BBT during early pregnancy will not prevent you from carrying and giving birth to a healthy child.
The indicator must be monitored and values compared over time. If at other times its values also do not coincide with the norm, you should not take this as a threat to pregnancy. For example, if BT during ovulation is less than 36.4, the indicator in the first 2 weeks may not reach the milestone 37 degrees.
Measuring basal temperature is useful for the first 3 months, when its values are informative. Further they have no decisive significance. But even in the first trimester you should not overestimate them. Basal temperature only becomes significant in the context of other signs. Therefore, if there are any discrepancies with the average figures, you should not worry, but rather go to antenatal clinic to make sure everything is in order.