Taking your Basal Body Temperature (BBT) can be used to detect ovulation¹. In Chinese Medicine practice there are many more uses and interpretations for this info. Which may help in your fertility journey ..
.. With or without other test results. Your BBT chart can give a picture of what needs to be improved; what acupuncture points to use, the supplements to recommend and the Chinese Herbs to potentially prescribe for you.
Your BBT chart shows me the quality of the menstrual cycle, allows me to assess your overall reproductive health, and identify any hormonal imbalances or other issues in the menstrual cycle.
The apps (Fertility Friend is the best!) used to record the temperatures are often inaccurate in their guess at ovulation timing². For me, there is more to it than which day did you ovulate? More importantly, whether you ovulated and if not, why not³.
The Follicular and Luteal Phase length and temperature can tell me if there is something else going on. Why this woman is struggling to ovulate and how can I help? Does she need a boost of energy so that her body can release the egg easily and maintain a pregnancy? Is there an underlying infection? Is the thyroid failing to communicate with the ovaries? Is there a hormonal imbalance that needs to be corrected? Does she appear to have polycystic ovaries? Why isn’t she falling pregnant? I can get all this from your temperature charts³.
The process of taking your temperature can take a while to get used to. However, the data gathered can assist your fertility journey.
It is important to take your temperature every day, at the same time, before moving, after a minimum of 4 hours solid sleep and recording this.
Need help taking or interpreting your BBT chart? Drop me a line, give me a call or book in for a face to face thorough session; I’d be happy to assist you.
Written by Dr. Kate Howden
Dr Kate Howden Acupuncturist
Dr. Kate Howden is an empathetic and caring practitioner, with over a decade of nursing experience integrated into her Chinese Medicine knowledge and practice. She takes a holistic approach to client care with dietary and lifestyle advice incorporated into her sessions and loves seeing people feeling better and embracing life.
Kate has a passion for women’s health including supporting women through their fertility journey, pregnancy, labour, and motherhood. She is a mother with her own children and stepchildren and understands the many challenges women face.
Kate has lots of fun playing netball regularly, loves bush walking and having a good laugh.
References
1 Su, H-W, Yi, Y-C, Wei, T-Y, Chang, T-C & Cheng, C-M 2017, ‘Detection of ovulation, a review of currently available methods’, Bioengineering & Translational Medicine, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 238-246.
2 Johnson, S, Marriott, L & Zinaman, M 2018, ‘Can apps and calendar methods predict ovulation with accuracy?’, Current Medical Research and Opinion, Vol. 34, No. 9, pp. 1587-1594.
3 Wolfe, K 2014, ‘The Fertile Life Method. The Fertile Life: Fertility is Your Natural State’, Dr Kirsten Wolfe.
