|
NFP Observations: Temperature and Cervical Mucus
How important is it that I take my temperature at the same
time each day?
To get a usable temperature pattern, it is very important to take
your temperature pattern at the same time each day while you are
trying to establish infertility. The same time each day means roughly
the same time – you can take it up to 45 minutes before or
after your usual time without considering the temperature disturbed,
provided all temperatures are taken before 7:30 a.m. Once you are
in the post-ovulatory infertile time, you can relax regarding this
point.
What if I work a night shift?
For women who regularly wake up later than 7:30 a.m. or have jobs
with irregular hours, they can take their temperature when they
wake up. Generally, they would give more emphasis to the cervical
mucus signs. It is best to clarify such a case with one’s
NFP Provider first.
How long should I take my temperature?
If you are using a digital thermometer, the recommendation is that
you take your temperature a minute beyond the beep indicating that
an initial reading has been reached. This enhances the accuracy
so necessary for NFP.
If you are using a glass basal thermometer, you should take your
temperature 5-8 minutes orally, 5 minutes vaginally (thermometer
1 inch into the vagina), or 3-5 minutes rectally (thermometer in
the rectal canal, not just between the buttocks).
What about using an ear thermometer?
The tympanic or ear thermometers are not accurate enough to be used
for NFP.
What about taking my temperature under my arm?
Axillary or temperatures taken under the arm are not accurate enough
to be used for NFP.
What should I do if I am sick or sleep in?
Take your temperature anyway, chart it, and make a note of the disturbance.
If you think that you have a fever and typically use a glass basal
thermometer, use a fever thermometer to make sure that you don’t
damage the basal thermometer.
What if I have to get up during the night?
As long as you have one hour uninterrupted sleep prior to taking
your temperature, you should get a usable reading. Light activity
such as getting up briefly to care for a child or to go to the bathroom
should not affect the temperature reading. However, if you are up
repeatedly for extended periods of time, you may find that your
reading is disturbed. Just make a note of it on your chart.
How many times a day do I have to do the tissue exam?
You should do the tissue exam every time you go to the bathroom—both
before and after urinating or having a bowel movement. Bear down,
as if trying to force mucus down, before the last tissue exam of
the day.
I have a yeast infection and don’t feel confident
of my mucus observation. What should I do?
If you don’t feel confident of your mucus observation, give
greater weight to the temperature observation. This is a perfect
time to apply a temperature-only rule to determine the post-ovulatory
infertile time.
Back to other FAQs
|
