Basal Body Temperature Chart NAME: ___________________________________________________________ TELEPHONE: _____________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________ AGE: _______ Explanation: Knowledge that ovulation occurs and when it occurs is essential in the investigation and treatment of infertility. The determination of the exact time of ovulation is important because this knowledge permits intercourse at the time of optimal fertility. A simple method of estimating the time of ovulation is by charting daily oral temperatures. Although, normal temperature is slated to be 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, slight variations from this value occur. A woman’s temperature is lower during the first part of the menstrual cycle than it is during the last two weeks of the same cycle. Furthermore, the shift from lower to higher temperatures occurs at the time ovulation. The occurrence of ovulation is inferred when there is a rise of 0.4 to 0.6 degrees or more between 24 readings. (See sample chart.) Instructions: Use only a special "metabolic" thermometer with a Fahrenheit scale. Learn to read it accurately. 1. Shake down the thermometer before you go to bed and place it on the bedside table. 2. Take your temperature each morning immediately after waking before arising from bed, smoking, drinking, or eating for five minutes by the clock. Record this reading on the chart at the intersection of the temperature and date lines as a black dot. 3. Indicate when intercourse occurs by encircling the temperature dot. 4. Transform the temperature into an asterisk if the previous night’s sleep was restless or unusually short, or if fever, cold or other causes of temperature alteration exist. Explain by notation on the chart. 5. Start a new chart the day menstrual bleeding begins. Mark the days of menstruation by an "X". CLICK HERE to download a bland BBT chart (To save: right-click on image, then select 'Save As...' )