What does the basal body temperature method indicate?

The basal body temperature method is primarily used to indicate the time of ovulation. This method involves tracking a person's body temperature each morning before getting out of bed. Typically, a woman's basal body temperature remains relatively low during the follicular phase of her cycle. However, following ovulation, there is a slight increase in temperature, usually by about 0.5 to 1 degree Fahrenheit, due to the hormone progesterone. This rise indicates that ovulation has occurred and that the woman is now in the luteal phase of her menstrual cycle.

Using this method effectively requires consistent temperature checks and an understanding of the individual’s cycle patterns. While the basal body temperature can provide insights into fertility windows, it is most directly associated with the identification of ovulation timing rather than the overall time to conceive, the time of menstruation, or the period of highest fertility, which includes both the days leading up to and including ovulation.