Charting Your Temperature to Achieve Pregnancy

So you want to get pregnant. Or maybe you are already trying to conceive and it isn't happening. On any given cycle, the average couple has less than a 20% chance of getting pregnant. By identifying when you ovulate, you can increase your odds of getting pregnant and hopefully welcome that bundle of joy sooner rather than later.

It is common knowledge that the notion of a standard 28 day cycle with day 14 ovulation is a myth. There is a wide range of "normal" when it comes to our bodies, but most women follow a common pattern of temperature fluctuations throughout their cycle. Starting with the first day of your period, or day one of your cycle, your basal body temperature (your body's at rest temperature) is low. It remains this way until as early as day seven, or even as late as day 40, when many women experience a dip in temperature indicating they are preparing to ovulate. The five days leading up to ovulation are considered the most fertile of your cycle. Ovulation is followed by a sharp spike in temperature and continued higher temperatures. This phase of your cycle is referred to as your luteal phase, and can last anywhere from 12-16 days. It is not uncommon for your temperature to drop off dramatically a day or two before the arrival of your period ends this cycle and begins another.

Charting your temperature can be an extremely useful tool. You can identify possible problems with your cycle, such as a short luteal phase, which can be a cause of miscarriage. If you have longer cycles with delayed ovulation, a temperature chart can help determine the best time to use expensive ovulation predictor kits. A triphasic pattern, where you experience a third rise in temperatures that hold steady through a longer than normal luteal phase, can indicate a possible pregnancy before you even pee on a stick. If you do conceive, you will be able to calculate your exact due date. Unfortunately, even charting can't guaranteee the baby will actually arrive on this date.

Thinking of giving it a try? First, you must have a basal body thermometer. They are vital because they measure to a tenth of a degree and your basal body temperature fluctuations are within a small range. Don't worry, they are not expensive- you can find a digital one at WalMart for under $10. You should try to take your temperature around the same time everyday, preferably before you get out of bed in the morning. According to Toni Weschler in her book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, your temperature can creep up one-tenth of a degree for every half hour you sleep in. If you wake up often at night to pee or check on a toddler, it is best to take your temperature the very first time you wake up as long as you have had three consecutive hours of sleep. It may sound like a pain to stick a thermometer in your mouth first thing in the morning, but it takes just a few minutes and the wealth of knowledge you gain is well worth it.

Thanks to technology like the Internet, recording and tracking your temperature has never been easier. On the website www.fertilityfriend.com, you can enter in your daily temperatures along with secondary fertility signs and they will map out your cycle for you. This is available for free, but they also have a paid package that includes more advanced features, including a fertility analyzer. The official website of Toni Weschler's book is www.ovusoft.com, and with a paid membership you can track your temperatures there too. If you prefer a low tech method, graphing paper and a pencil will work just fine.

When you're trying to conceive, waiting for those two blue lines can feel like an eternity. Charting your basal body temperature is a simple way to increase your odds of pregnancy by helping you identify your peak fertile days and hopefully make that wait a little shorter.