Basal Body Temperature and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

What is basal body temperature?

More and more women use this method to find out whether they are pregnant, as it helps identify the most fertile days and, therefore, the days when there is the greatest chance of becoming pregnant. We explain everything you need to know about basal body temperature and pregnancy in this post. Read on!

For those of you who do not know, basal body temperature is the lowest temperature your body reaches when it is at rest.

And you may be wondering... when exactly is that? Does it count when I get home from work and sit on the sofa for 5 minutes?

No. The moment when your temperature is at its lowest is when you wake up in the morning.

How is basal body temperature measured in relation to pregnancy?

Just as when we feel unwell and want to know whether we have a fever, basal body temperature is also measured with a digital thermometer.

Our advice is to measure your temperature at the same time every day, as long as you have slept for at least 5 hours so that it is at its lowest level.

Should I take my temperature while lying in bed? Yes, ideally it should be the very first thing you do as soon as you open your eyes, while still lying down. Do not get up first.

As for the place, choose either the vagina or under the tongue. However, whichever place you choose should be the one you always use to take your temperature. That will be your reference point.

And so that you do not forget your temperature each day, because this method needs to be practised for months, it is best to write everything down daily in a notebook.

The exact temperature, the time you took it, whether there was any kind of anomaly... any information that could be relevant.

Basal body temperature and pregnancy: what should it be?

After a few months of taking your temperature, you will surely notice that the lowest levels occur at the start of your menstrual cycle.

Why? Because a woman's basal body temperature goes through stages. At the start of the menstrual cycle it is lower, while in the infertile period it begins to rise, by around 0.2 to 0.5 degrees at first.

Now you are probably wondering: so how do I know if I am pregnant? If your period does not arrive at the end of the menstrual cycle and you have a basal body temperature of around 37 degrees, our recommendation is that you take a pregnancy test.

Normally, in the first weeks of pregnancy, the temperature rises. That is why a temperature of around 37 degrees, together with sweating, can be some of the symptoms of pregnancy.

In any case, at Farmaciasdirect, we always advise you to see your gynaecologist if you have any doubts or discomfort, so that they can carry out the appropriate checks.