Basal Body Temperature
One of the changes that ordinarily take place in a womans body as part of her menstrual pattern is that her body temperature is lower during the first part of the cycle. In most women it usually rises slightly with ovulation and remains up during the second part until just before her next period. Recording each days temperature helps to indicate when ovulation has occurred.

The temperature method requires charting your basal body temperature (BBT), the temperature your body registers when you’re completely at rest. BBT varies slightly from person to person. For most women, 96-to-98° F taken orally is considered normal before ovulation and 97-to-99° F after. The changes are small fractions — from 1/10 to 1/2 degree. So it’s best to get a special, large-scale, easy-to-read thermometer that registers only from 96 to 100° F. You will need a thermometer designed just for basal temperatures for this.

Taking Your Temperature
Each morning take your temperature, as soon as you wake up — before getting out of bed, talking, eating, drinking, having sex, or smoking. Either insert the thermometer in your rectum or place it in your mouth for a full five minutes. Read the temperature to within 1/10 of a degree and record the reading.

Charting Your Temperature Pattern
Each reading must be recorded. Most basal thermometers will come with charts designed just for recording this information. As each day’s temperature is plotted on the graph, you will learn to recognize your own pattern. Your temperature rise may be sudden, gradual, or in steps. The pattern may vary from cycle to cycle.

You must also realize that your BBT can be influenced by physical or emotional upsets or even lack of sleep. In addition, illness, emotional distress, jet lag, disturbed sleep, smoking, drinking an unaccustomed amount of alcohol the night before, and using an electric blanket may affect your body temperature. Noting such events on the chart helps to interpret the readings.

In the beginning, you should get help in reading your BBT chart from a physician, nurse, or family planning specialist. In time, under supervision, you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence to use the chart by yourself. Be sure to chart your temperature for at least three months before relying on this method.

Cervical Mucus:
It is important to use clean hands when checking for cervical mucus, and you can begin checking for this once menstruation has ended. The overall pattern is as below:

Just after Menstruation Ends: You may experience a few days where there is almost total dryness.
Early Cycle Days: The cervical mucus will be scanty, thick, white, sticky and hold it’s shape
Transitional Days: As your estrogen levels really begin to rise mucus will appear in increasing amounts, be thinner, cloudy and slightly stretchy.
Highly Fertile Days: Fertile mucus maintains the life of sperm, nourishes it and allows it to pass freely through the cervix. In fertile mucus, sperm may live for up to three days, in rare circumstances for five days or even longer. You will notice it will become abundant, slippery, very thin, transparent and very stretchy (resembling that of raw egg whites)
Post Fertile Days: As estrogen levels decrease and progesterone levels rise, the mucus will again become thick, white and sticky, so as to become a protective barrier against sperm entering the cervix.

Cervical Position:
It is important to use clean hands when checking for cervical mucus, and you can begin checking for this once menstruation has ended. The two key stages of cervical position are:

Cervix is Low, Hard & ClosedAfter your menstrual period you will begin to start checking your cervical position. At this time the position of your cervix will be low within your body and easily reached with your fingertips. The opening to your cervix will be closed – feeling like a small slit or a tiny hole. The feel of your cervix will be rather hard to the touch. It will feel almost like touching the tip of your nose. During this phase (the first phase within your cycle) you are considered infertile.
Cervix is High, Soft & OpenRight before ovulation occurs the amount of estrogen increases within your body. This causes your cervix to rise. When checking your cervical position, you will notice that it will move from the lowest point to mid and then extremely high. At the highest point it may be difficult to reach your cervix with your fingertips. The opening of your cervix increases making the slit or tiny hole much larger. The feel of your cervix is much softer now almost like touching your bottom lip. This is an indication of your peak or most fertile time. The cervix will remain high until you ovulate – after which estrogen subsides and the hormone progesterone is released causing your cervix to return to its low. closed and hard position.

Cycle Charting:
Using all of the above information, and charting them on a cycle calendar will assist you in obtaining a clearer picture of your cycle, and also help you in predicting your most fertile days of the month.