Normal temperature in the rectum in women. What is normal basal temperature before menstruation, why and how to measure, charting

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All about a child's temperature

The temperature varies.

Rectal temperature (measured in the rectum) is approximately 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than oral temperature (measured in the mouth) and a degree higher than the axillary (or groin) temperature. For the same child, the variation in these readings can be quite large. For example:

· normal temperature
· oral 37.1 °C
· rectal 37.6°C

. and not always dangerous

· in a baby high fever(from 39.0°C);

· the child had an episode of febrile seizures (in some children these occur in response to a rise in temperature).

Measurement step by step

· Place the baby on his back, lift his legs with one hand (as if you were washing him), with the other hand, carefully insert the thermometer into the anus so that its tip sinks into it (about 2 cm). Fix the thermometer between two fingers (like a cigarette), and squeeze the baby’s buttocks with the other.

Glass
Pros:
Minuses:

Pros:
Minuses:

Temperature strips on the forehead
Pros:
Minuses:

Pacifiers - thermometers
Pros:
Minuses:

A little advice.

Happy parents

Useful:

Rectal temperature in a child

Very often, parents measure their child’s temperature rectally, that is, in the rectum. What and how is it better to measure a baby's rectal temperature? The portal for moms Questionsmoms.ru is trying to figure out this issue.

When measuring temperature, parents must take into account several factors, failure to comply with which can lead to unpleasant consequences.

The rectal temperature will be 3-5 tenths of a degree higher than the armpit temperature (the norm is up to 37.4). By the way, the rectum is a localized place where there are many blood and muscle plexuses, so measurements in the rectum are significantly different from the temperature that can be obtained by measuring in the armpit area. In some cases (after prolonged crying, walking) the difference can reach more than 1 degree. The figure, you see, will already worry parents a little. Rectal temperature fluctuates greatly throughout the day. These fluctuations depend on the age of the child, and even on the gender of the child. This also needs to be taken into account.

How should you measure rectal temperature?
Since the procedure for measuring temperature in this way is unpleasant, first of all, it is necessary to prepare the child for this procedure.

There is a special thermometer for rectal measurements. Before insertion, be sure to wet the tip of the thermometer in petroleum jelly or lubricate it with baby cream.

The baby must be placed on his stomach. The tip of the thermometer should be inserted carefully and not deeply. You need to hold the thermometer like a pencil. The insertion depth should be approximately 1.5-2 cm.

You need to hold the thermometer for about 3 minutes.

About thermometers. They are digital and mercury. Children under one year old are recommended to measure their temperature with a mercury thermometer. Measurements in this case will be more accurate. Digital thermometers have a strong error, reaching up to half a degree, so it will show the real picture mercury thermometer.

Normal temperature in a baby

It should be remembered that the body of a newborn child is significantly different from the body of an adult, since some vital systems have not yet fully matured. First of all, this concerns thermoregulation. The normal body temperature of a baby can fluctuate between 36-37 degrees, but most often the average is around 36.6, like the rest of us. In order to find out the normal temperature of a newborn baby, you should measure it at rest, when the child is healthy and awake. This should be done in the morning, afternoon and evening, and the indicators should be recorded and saved. Thus, in case of illness, it will be possible to judge how much the temperature has increased.

Temperature readings may vary depending on where the temperature is measured - in the armpit, groin, rectally or orally. Thus, the temperature in a child’s mouth (orally) is approximately 0.5 degrees higher than in the armpit or groin, and the rectal temperature (in anus) higher by a whole degree. Thus, if we take 36.6 degrees as a reference point, then the norm when measuring temperature orally will be 37.1, rectally - 37.6.

Is an increase in temperature always dangerous?

An increase in temperature does not always indicate the onset of a disease, so you should not immediately call an ambulance or a pediatrician (which is something young mothers often do). Evening readings are usually a few tenths of a degree higher than morning readings. An increase in temperature can be triggered by stress, emotional overexcitation, or physical activity of your baby. In order to determine as accurately as possible how high the temperature is, you should remember some conditions:

• The temperature should be measured at the same time.
• The child should be at rest - if he cries, you need to wait until he calms down.
• There is no need to measure the temperature when the child is wrapped in a blanket - it may increase because the child is hot. In principle, you should not wrap your baby up; his adaptive abilities are much higher than it seems to caring grandmothers, who in life are guided by the principle that says that steam does not break bones.

What you should know when measuring the temperature of infants

For a child, it is best to buy a separate thermometer and treat it with alcohol or other antiseptic before each use, or wash it with soap and warm water.

It is advisable to measure the temperature in the rectal area only when the baby is still very small. Upon reaching 5-6 months, your little one is so strong that he can easily wriggle out and prevent this from happening. In addition, the process itself can cause unpleasant and painful sensations– if you have ever measured your basal temperature, you should remember what it feels like!

In order to measure rectal temperature, it is best to use an electronic thermometer - it allows you to get the result in 1 minute, while a mercury thermometer must be held for at least 5 minutes. In this case, there is a high risk that the child will twitch and the thermometer will break. Before you start measuring the temperature, the tip of the thermometer needs to be lubricated with baby cream, then inserted into the rectum about 2 cm, fixed with two fingers - index and middle, and with other fingers hold the baby’s buttocks.

The temperature in the armpit can also be measured using a regular mercury thermometer. To do this, you need to put the child on his side, wipe the armpit skin dry, since the liquid helps the mercury cool down, then place the thermometer so that the metal tip is completely in the skin fold, and then press the child’s arm to the body with your hand.

Sometimes children express violent protest against measuring their temperature, which can be unsafe if a glass thermometer is used. You can try to take the baby in your arms, calm him down and put the thermometer in this position. If he continues to protest, the temperature can be measured in his sleep. Many parents don’t have it any other way – their little ones actively protest against putting foreign objects in their way.

So, let’s summarize the normal temperature indicators for a baby

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Parents forum:

All about a child's temperature

How it happens in the beginning

For the first few days of life, the newborn’s body temperature may be slightly elevated (37.0-37.4 ° C in the armpit). Then it is set within 36.0-37.0°C (usually 36.6°C). To find out what is normal for your baby, take his temperature when he is healthy and calm. It is advisable to try it on both under the armpit and in the rectum. Do this morning, afternoon and evening. Record and save the results obtained. If your baby gets sick, you can judge for sure how much his temperature has risen. You can measure the temperature of babies in the armpit, in the inguinal fold, in the rectum (rectally), but not in the mouth. The exception is when measuring temperature using a pacifier thermometer.

The temperature varies.

Rectal temperature (measured in the rectum) is approximately 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than oral temperature (measured in the mouth) and a degree higher than the axillary (or groin) temperature. For the same child, the spread in these readings can be quite large. For example:

· normal temperature in the armpit or inguinal fold 36.6°C

. and not always dangerous

A temperature slightly above the generally accepted norm may be an individual characteristic of the baby.

Evening readings are usually higher than morning readings (by a few hundredths of a degree).

The temperature may rise due to overheating, emotional arousal, or increased physical activity.

To assess how much your baby’s temperature has risen, do the following:

· measure temperature at the same time;

· do not do this when the child is crying, scared, overly excited, give him time to calm down;

· store data about normal indicators;

· do not measure the temperature under the blanket: if the newborn is tightly wrapped, his temperature may rise significantly.

How often is temperature taken during illness?

It is enough to do this three times a day: morning, afternoon and evening, every day at approximately the same time throughout the illness. Write down the measurement results, so the doctor can use them to judge the course of the disease. You need to take your temperature more often following cases:

· the baby has a high fever (from 39.0°C);

· you need to evaluate the effectiveness of the antipyretic drug;

· the child had an episode of febrile seizures (in some children these occur in response to a rise in temperature).

Measurement step by step

It is advisable that the baby has his own personal thermometer. Before each use, do not forget to wipe it with alcohol or warm water with soap.

1. Measuring the temperature in the rectum is convenient only for small children. A five- to six-month-old baby will deftly wriggle out and won’t let you do this. In addition, this method of measurement may be unpleasant for the child. If the baby resists, pick him up and measure his temperature under his arm. An electronic thermometer is most suitable for measuring rectal temperature, as it allows you to do this very quickly: you will get the result in less than 1 minute. The mercury thermometer must be held for at least five minutes, and besides, you risk breaking it if the baby twitches.

· So, take a thermometer (first shake off the mercury to a level below 36.0 ° C), lubricate its tip with baby cream.

· Place the baby on his back, lift his legs with one hand (as if you were washing him), with the other hand carefully insert the thermometer into the anus so that its tip “sinks” into it (about 2 cm). Fix the thermometer between two fingers (like a cigarette), and squeeze the baby’s buttocks with the other.

2. The temperature in the groin and armpit is measured with a glass mercury thermometer. You will receive the result in 10 minutes.

· Shake the thermometer to a level below 36.0°C.

· Wipe the skin dry in the fold, as moisture cools the mercury.

· To measure the temperature in the groin, place the baby on his side (if you are taking measurements under the armpit, sit him on your lap or pick him up and walk around the room with him).

· Place the thermometer so that the tip is entirely located in the skin fold, then press the baby’s leg (arm) to the body with your hand.

Pros: It is familiar to us, universal, that is, suitable for measuring temperature on any part of the body for a child of any age.

Minuses: Unsafe (due to combination of glass and mercury). The process of measuring temperature takes a long time (5 minutes in the rectum and 10 minutes in the armpit).

Digital electronic thermometer

Pros: Safe measures temperature very quickly, accurately and notifies you when the process is complete sound signal. Ideal for measuring rectal temperature.

Minuses: Does not give accurate numbers when measuring temperature under the arm, as it requires very close contact with the body.

Temperature strips on the forehead

Pros: They will come in handy if you find yourself outside the house: on the road or for a walk.

Minuses: They signal only the fact of an increase in temperature and do not provide information about how much it has increased.

Pros: A good invention for babies who are tenderly attached to a pacifier.

Minuses: It is clear that they are not universal.

A little advice. If, when trying to measure the temperature, you encounter a violent protest from your baby, try doing it while he is sound asleep. Carefully place the thermometer under the arm of a sleeping baby, press the handle to the body and, holding it, sit with him until the temperature is measured.

Svetlana Katosova, pediatrician

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What temperature in the rectum is considered normal?

Measuring rectal body temperature in some cases is mandatory procedure when monitoring patients. Fluctuations in this parameter are valuable indicators of the general condition of the body. Thus, an increase in rectal temperature may indicate the onset of pathological condition, developing in internal organs.

Indications for measurement

The rectum is a cavity closed by the anal sphincter. Thanks to this, the temperature inside it is constant, and deviations in one direction or another, as a rule, indicate the development of any diseases or inflammatory processes, since it is the rectal value that is closest in terms of indicators to the temperature of the internal organs. The rectal method is used in the following cases:

• thermoneurosis – a strong spasm occurs in the vessels located directly under the skin, which disrupts the body’s thermoregulation:
• if it is impossible to obtain temperature values ​​in the armpit due to severe exhaustion of the patient, when soft fabrics do not fit tightly to the thermometer;
• in children under 2 years of age;
• when the body is hypothermic, when the temperature inside the body can be normal, but on its surface reduced;
• for skin lesions or inflammation armpits;
• if the patient is unconscious;
• in women to determine the time of ovulation.

It is prohibited to use the rectal method when:

• bowel disorders (constipation or diarrhea);
• inflammatory diseases of the rectum in the acute stage;
• polyps, erosions, neoplasms located in the rectum;
• hemorrhoids.

How to measure rectal temperature correctly

How to measure temperature rectally? To do this, use a regular mercury thermometer. In this case, the patient must lie on his side and pull his legs towards his stomach. For easier insertion into the anus, the end of the thermometer is lubricated with Vaseline or baby cream and inserted into the rectum to a depth of 2 cm for at least 5 minutes. When measuring, it is recommended to squeeze your buttocks as tightly as possible.

Normal rectal temperatures differ from those in the armpit. For the rectum, the norm varies from 37.0 to 37.7 0 C.

Data above this norm indicate pathological processes beginning in the body, most often these are:

• infectious and viral diseases;
• inflammatory and purulent processes;
• growth of malignant or benign tumors.

Features of measuring rectal temperature in children

When measuring rectal temperature, it should be taken into account that these indicators in children under 2 years of age are slightly higher than in adults. A value of up to 38 0 C is considered normal. During measurements, the child should be provided with maximum peace, because high performance may occur due to active movements.

In newborns in the first three months of life, temperature indicators are influenced by: crying, feeding, massage, and ambient air parameters in the room.

For children under one year of age, a value above 38.5 0 C can cause febrile seizures, so it is very important to give antipyretic drugs on time and not delay a visit to the doctor.

Features of measuring rectal temperature in women

For women, measuring basal temperature in the rectum is effective way pregnancy planning. Using these temperature indicators, you can determine the period of ovulation, the approach of menstruation, or find out about pregnancy.

In this case, the temperature in the rectum is determined with the obligatory consideration of the following parameters:

• You can measure your temperature only after sleeping for at least 6 hours, without getting out of bed, immediately after waking up, at the same time;
• the thermometer is inserted into the rectum while lying on the side with the legs pulled up to the stomach;
• The measurement time should not be less than 5 minutes for a mercury thermometer.

For getting reliable results, measurements are taken for at least three cycles.

Normally, rectal temperature should correspond to the following indicators:

• temperature 1-2 days before the end menstrual cycle– 36.3 0 C;
• maturation of the egg (follicular phase, during which the probability of pregnancy is very low) – 36.6-36.9 0 C;
• ovulation – 37.0-37.4 0 C;
• temperature after ovulation – 37.0 0 C.

The most favorable time for conception is 1-2 days before ovulation. During this period, the mucous tissue of the cervix becomes most sensitive, which increases the likelihood of pregnancy.

If, when measuring rectal temperature for two or more weeks, a reading of 37.0 0 C is recorded, this may indicate pregnancy.

Also, using a graph displaying the temperature values ​​in the rectum, you can identify diseases reproductive organs in the female body: endometriosis, reduced level progesterone, inflammatory process in the appendages or ovaries.

Source:

Rectal temperature in adults and children

A person's body temperature is an important indicator of his health. Sometimes the presence of this symptom alone can signal such serious illnesses, such as tuberculosis, myocardial infarction, benign and malignant formations etc. Rectal temperature is measured in the rectum. For a number of reasons, sometimes rectal temperature measurement is the most in the best possible way find out the most accurate indicator.

The structural features of the anal canal, namely the anal sphincter, which closes its lumen, contribute to the fact that the temperature of this cavity is stable.

The temperature readings of the rectum are very close to those of the internal organs. These factors influence the fact that measuring the temperature in the rectum gives the most reliable indicators.

In addition, in a number of situations, carrying out other methods of temperature measurements turns out to be ineffective and ineffective. Cases where rectal measurement of body temperature is recommended include:

• the presence of thermoneuroses in humans;
• measurement of indicators in a child;
• excessive thinness and exhaustion of the patient (insufficient amount of soft tissue in the axillary region);
• general hypothermia of the body (when the skin temperature is much lower than the temperature of the internal organs);
• inflammatory processes of the skin of the axillary area and oral cavity;
• lack of consciousness of the patient.

All of the above factors make it impossible to measure temperature in any other way. Body tremors and children's hyperactivity can interfere with recording the thermometer.

For example, in situations such as when a person is unconscious, taking measurements in the oral cavity can even pose a threat to the patient's life. Therefore, in such cases, the rectal method of measurement is the most optimal.

However, there are certain contraindications to measuring temperature using this method. Among them intestinal disorders, stool retention, various inflammatory processes in the rectum, the presence hemorrhoids, anal fissures(especially during exacerbation of diseases), etc.

Taking measurements

To measure rectal body temperature, you can use a mercury thermometer. The patient should take a lateral decubitus position. The thighs are pressed tightly against the abdominal wall. Before use, the thermometer is treated with a disinfectant solution and running water.

After which it is wiped dry. The mercury column is shaken to bring it below 35° C. For more comfortable insertion, the end of the thermometer is lubricated with Vaseline or vegetable oil. After insertion, you need to tense your gluteal muscles and squeeze it. Temperature is measured at a depth of up to 5 cm. After 5 minutes, thermometry readings can be recorded.

Unlike the armpit, for rectal measurements 37 °C is not a low-grade mark on a thermometer.

The fact is that in this part of the human body, as in all internal organs and mucous membranes, the temperature regime is slightly higher, so the readings of a thermometer when measuring rectal temperature of 37.2 - 37.7 ° C are the absolute norm.

What does a person's fever indicate?

Hyperthermia is a signal that certain disorders are occurring in the body. The most common of these processes are:

• infectious and colds;
• abscesses and purulent diseases;
• tuberculosis;
• anemia;
• autoimmune diseases;
• benign and malignant formations.

When a person has such serious pathological processes, you should pay attention to the presence accompanying symptoms: rash, acute pain.

Slight increases in temperature can be caused by the body's natural cycles, overheating, nervous overstrain and other factors.

Thermometry in children

Children's body temperature is slightly higher than that of adults. Newborn babies are very sensitive to both hypothermia and overheating. At this age, thermometry is one of the most objective ways to assess health status.

Because The axillary and oral method of measurement does not allow achieving accurate results in patients of this age; the method of measuring body temperature in ear canal. But measuring a child's rectal temperature provides the most accurate data.

Taking rectal temperature measurements in children with a mercury thermometer without certain skills carries a certain danger. Therefore in Lately Digital thermometers are becoming especially popular.

The normal rectal temperature in infants is within 38° C. During the procedure, the child should be reassured, because the slightest movements may cause an increase in indicators.

Especially in the first months of a child’s life, the temperature curve is just being established.

Up to two to three months, its changes can be provoked the slightest factors: shouting, breastfeeding, swaddling. The air parameters of the room in which the child is located also have an impact. Stable humidity and temperature of 20 - 22° C are considered optimal for a child.

It should be remembered that for children under 1 year of age, body temperature above 38 - 39 ° C can be dangerous - in such a situation the child runs the risk of fibril seizures. Therefore, if the high temperature does not subside long time, you need to contact your pediatrician.

Women's basal body rate chart

A basal (rectal) measurement schedule is an effective and popular way to plan pregnancy. With its help, you can determine the period of ovulation that is most favorable for conception, find out about the approach of menstruation or the onset of pregnancy.

To make the schedule as accurate as possible, you need to consider the following factors:

• measurements are taken immediately after sleep (at the same time, without getting out of bed);
• sleep on the eve of measurements should be complete;
• indicators are measured for at least 5 minutes in a stationary position;
• Data must be charted for a minimum of three cycles.

The normal rectal temperature for women the day before the end of menstruation is 36.3° C. During the follicular phase - 36.6 - 36.9° C. At this time, the necessary conditions for the maturation of the egg, so the likelihood of getting pregnant during this period is very low.

Rectal temperature during ovulation is 37.0 - 37.4 ° C. It is the few days before the start of this period that are most favorable for conceiving a child. At this time, the cervical mucosa is most sensitive; together with the seminal fluid, the sperm manages to enter the fallopian tubes in time to contact the egg. After ovulation, the rectal temperature decreases and a few days before menstruation reaches 37.0 ° C.

If for two weeks or more the rectal temperature is 37°, this means that such dynamics of the graph may indicate the onset of pregnancy.

In addition, using basal schedule you can find out about possible availability diseases in women. To do this, it is enough to know the normal rectal body temperature. Among such diseases: endometritis, progestational insufficiency, inflammation of the appendages, etc.

Methods for reducing body temperature

To reduce elevated temperature body at home, you must follow the following instructions:

• drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration;
• cool the limbs with cold baths;
• use cooling compresses on the forehead;
• wipe the body with water at room temperature;
• observe bed rest.

You can also improve thermoregulation by sweating. You should review your diet and exclude fatty and fried foods.

If the body temperature is above 38° C, there is a need to use antipyretics.

To get rid of a symptom, you first need to establish the cause that causes it. Thermoregulation disorders can be varied: hypothermia, hyperthermia, changes in body temperature. But all of them indicate some kind of malfunction in the human body and require treatment.

Ovulation is a key event in a woman's menstrual cycle. If you accurately determine the day when it occurs, it is possible not only to plan conception, but also to slightly influence the gender of the unborn baby.

You can get information about when an egg leaves the ovary. various ways: Ultrasound of the ovaries or determination of the concentration of sex hormones several times during the cycle. But the simplest and free method that every woman can carry out at home was and remains basal thermometry. A careful analysis of how daily changes basal temperature, will make it possible to study the work of the ovaries, understand whether ovulation is occurring or not, and determine pregnancy earlier than a test can show it.

The essence of the basal thermometry method

Key role in management female body sex hormones play: progesterone and estrogen, prolactin, gonadotropic hormones of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The balance between them is reflected in many processes, including body temperature, which is called basal.

Basal temperature is the lowest temperature indicator, indicating the actual temperature of the internal organs. It is determined immediately after rest (usually after a night’s sleep), before the start of any physical activity that will create measurement error. Only departments that communicate with body cavities are suitable for its establishment. These are the vagina (it is connected to the uterus), the rectum (it is directly connected to the large intestine) and the oral cavity, which passes into the oropharynx.

The hormones estrogen and progesterone set the basal level. They “dictate” what basal temperature a particular woman should have during ovulation.

A normal amount of estrogen by itself does not affect the temperature. The task of this hormone is to prevent progesterone from affecting the thermoregulatory center located in the hypothalamus (this is an area associated with the brain).

In the first half of the cycle, estrogen “dominates”. It does not allow the basal temperature to rise above 37°C. During the period of ovulation, when initially an increased amount of estrogen enters the blood, there is a decrease in temperature by about 0.3°C. When the egg leaves the follicle, and in its place a corpus luteum appears, producing progesterone, the thermometer shows 37°C or more. In this case, the basal thermometry graph becomes similar to a bird with open wings, whose beak symbolizes the day of ovulation.

Further, when the corpus luteum dies (if conception has not occurred) and the amount of progesterone decreases, the temperature drops. During menstruation, the indicator stays at 37°C, then decreases and everything repeats all over again.

If pregnancy occurs, more and more progesterone is produced normally, so the temperature does not decrease as before menstruation, but, on the contrary, increases.

What determines the day of ovulation

Knowing on what day the oocyte leaves the follicle, a woman can:

• plan a pregnancy: after 3-4 months of charting, you can practice sexual intercourse not “approximately”, counting 14 days from the expected start of the next menstruation, but knowing exactly the day of ovulation;
• plan the gender of the unborn baby (the method is not 100%). If you want a boy to be born, then it is better to plan sexual intercourse on the day of ovulation (on this day the basal temperature decreases and vaginal leucorrhoea takes on the color and consistency of raw chicken protein). If your dream is to give birth to a girl, it is better to have sex 2-3 days before expected ovulation;
• knowing when ovulation occurs, you can, on the contrary, avoid conception, since a few days before it, the very day the egg is released and the day after are the most “dangerous” days;
• the graph will show if there are hormonal problems, inflammation of the reproductive organs or lack of ovulation (), which is why conception does not occur.

In addition, drawing a basal thermometry graph in some cases will allow you to determine pregnancy without purchasing a test. And if you continue to manage it the first time after conception, you can see the threat of miscarriage in time and take the necessary measures.

How to properly perform basal thermometry

It is very important to know how to correctly measure basal temperature to determine ovulation. After all, a woman’s body is extremely sensitive to minimal changes in external conditions, and the units of measurement in which the graph is kept are tenths of a degree (this is where a fluctuation of 0.1-0.05°C can be important).

Here are the basic rules, if followed, the temperature graph will become as informative as possible:

1. Measurements are taken either in the rectum (optimally), or vaginally, or in the mouth (for this you need a special thermometer).
2. The thermometer needs to be inserted 2-3 cm and lie quietly while taking measurements for 5 minutes.
3. Before taking measurements, you cannot sit down, spin around, stand up, walk, or eat. Even shaking the thermometer can lead to a false result.
4. Choose a high-quality thermometer (preferably mercury) with which you will measure your temperature daily for 3-4 months.
5. Place on a table (shelf) near the bed, which you can reach in the morning without getting up, 3 things: a thermometer, a notebook and a pen. Even if you start keeping your schedule on a computer - in online or offline programs, it is best, after reading the thermometer readings, to immediately write it down indicating the number.
6. Take measurements every morning same time. Plus or minus 30 minutes.
7. Before taking measurements, be sure to sleep for at least 6 hours. If you got up at night, take measurements later so that 6 hours have passed.
8. Thermometry should be taken at 5-7 am, even if you can sleep until noon. This is explained by the daily biorhythms of the hormones of the adrenal glands and hypothalamus, which affect the basal temperature.
9. The accuracy of measurements is affected by travel, alcohol intake, physical exercise, sexual acts. Therefore, try to avoid these situations as much as possible during basal thermometry, but if they happen, mark them in the chart. And if you get sick and develop a fever, all measurements for the next 2 weeks will be completely uninformative.

When should you start measuring your basal temperature?

From the very first day of menstruation, that is, from the first day of the cycle.

How to keep a schedule?

You can do this on squared paper by drawing 2 lines: on the horizontal line (along the abscissa axis) mark the day of the month, and draw the vertical line (ordinate axis) so that each cell represents 0.1°C. Every morning, place a dot at the intersection of the thermometry reading and the desired date, and connect the dots. There is no need to take your temperature in the evening. Below the horizontal line, leave a place where you will write daily notes about the discharge and events that happened that could affect the indicators. Draw a horizontal line over the measurement results, starting from day 6 to day 12. It is called overlapping and serves for the convenience of deciphering the graph by the gynecologist.

We also suggest using ready-made template the basal temperature graph below by saving it to your computer and printing it out. To do this, move the cursor over the image and use the right-click menu to save the image.

Note! if you accept contraception, no need for thermometry. These drugs specifically disable ovulation, which makes them contraceptive.

Read also about other methods for determining ovulation in ours.

What does the basal temperature graph look like during ovulation (that is, during a normal ovulatory cycle):

• in the first three days of menstruation, the temperature is about 37°C;
• by the end of menstruation, temperature indicators drop, amounting to 36.4-36.6°C;
• then, within 1-1.5 weeks (depending on the length of the cycle), thermometry shows the same numbers - 36.4-36.6 ° C (can be lower or higher, depending on the metabolic processes in the body). It should not be the same every day, but fluctuate a little (that is, not a straight line is drawn, but zigzags). The 6 values ​​connected by an overlapping line must be followed by three days in which the temperature is 0.1°C or more, and one of these days is above 0.2°C. Then after 1-2 days you can expect ovulation;
• just before ovulation, the thermometer shows the basal temperature 0.5-0.6°C lower, after which it rises sharply;
• during ovulation, the basal temperature is in the range of 36.4-37°C (according to other sources, above 37°C). It should be 0.25-0.5 (on average 0.3°C) higher than at the beginning of the menstrual cycle;
• what the basal temperature should be after ovulation depends on whether conception has occurred or not. If pregnancy does not occur, the numbers gradually decrease, by a total of about 0.3°C. The highest temperature is observed on days 8-9 after the release of a mature oocyte. It is on this day that the fertilized oocyte is implanted into the inner uterine lining.

Between the average numbers of the two halves of the cycle - before and after ovulation - the temperature difference should be 0.4-0.8 ° C.

How long does basal temperature last after ovulation?

Before the onset of menstruation. Usually this is 14-16 days. If 16-17 days have already passed, and the temperature is still above 37°C, this most likely indicates pregnancy. During this period, you can do a test (the main thing is that 10-12 days have already passed after ovulation), you can determine hCG in the blood. Ultrasound and examination by a gynecologist are still uninformative.

These are indicators of the normal basal temperature during ovulation, as well as before and after it. But the menstrual cycle does not always look so perfect. Usually the numbers and type of curve raise many questions among women.

High numbers in the first phase of the cycle

If after menstruation the basal thermometry numbers are above 37°C, this indicates an insufficient amount of estrogen in the blood. In this case, an anovulatory cycle is usually observed. And if you subtract 14 days from the next menstruation, that is, look at phase 2 (otherwise it is not visualized), then you can see sharp jumps temperature indicators, without their gradual increase.

The syndrome is accompanied by various unpleasant symptoms: hot flashes, headaches, disorders heart rate, increased sweating. This type of temperature curve together with determination in the blood low levels estrogen requires the doctor to prescribe drugs - synthetic estrogens.

Progesterone and estrogen-progesterone deficiency

If after ovulation the basal temperature does not rise, this indicates progesterone deficiency. This situation is common cause endocrine infertility. And if conception does occur, then there is a danger of miscarriage in the early stages, until the placenta forms and takes over the function of producing progesterone.

About not doing enough work corpus luteum(gland formed at the site of the opened follicle) indicates a decrease in temperature indicators already 2-10 days after ovulation. If the length of phase 1 of the cycle can still vary, then the second phase should be the same and average 14 days.

Progesterone deficiency can be assumed if the numbers increase to just 0.3°C.

If you already have a low basal temperature 2-3 cycles after ovulation, contact your gynecologist with this chart. He will tell you on which days of the cycle you need to donate blood to determine progesterone and other hormones in it, and based on this analysis he will prescribe treatment. Usually, the administration of synthetic progesterones is effective, and as a result, the woman is able to become pregnant and carry a child to term.

Estrogen-progesterone deficiency

This condition, when the ovaries do not produce sufficient quantities of both hormones, is indicated by a temperature graph that does not have significant fluctuations (there are large areas with straight lines rather than zigzags). This condition is also indicated by an increase in temperature to only 0.3°C after ovulation.

Anovulatory cycle

If it is already the 16th day of the menstrual cycle, and there is no characteristic decrease and then increase in temperature, most likely there was no ovulation. The older a woman is, the more such cycles she has.

Based on the above, basal thermometry is a simple and inexpensive method for determining the optimal days for conception, as well as the reasons why pregnancy may not occur. It only requires 5-10 minutes of time in the morning. Whatever indicators you see in yourself, this is not a reason for panic or self-medication. Contact your gynecologist with your schedule several cycles in advance, and you will be prescribed a diagnosis and treatment.

Most women do not even realize that basal temperature is measured not only by inserting a thermometer into the rectum, but also through the mouth and vagina. Whatever method a woman chooses for herself, she will definitely have to use an ordinary thermometer.

It is important to remember that basal temperature is always measured in the morning. If you have chosen the most common method of measuring it - rectally, that is, through the anus - you need to measure the temperature in the morning. Immediately after sleep, without getting out of bed and especially without moving, insert the tip of the thermometer into the rectum.

To minimize movements during this procedure, you need to prepare in the evening, namely, put the thermometer “at hand”, having first shaken it off. The woman will have to lie quietly for several minutes. To measure basal temperature through the rectum, the use of mechanical and electronic thermometers is allowed. However, the mechanical one is able to show a more accurate temperature in the anus, because the electronic one does not come into contact with the muscles of the rectum. It is strictly forbidden to stand up, sit, walk, etc. before and during measuring basal temperature through the rectum.

As a rule, the measurement of basal temperature is timed to coincide with a specific day of the menstrual cycle. It is important to take your temperature at the same time in the morning. Often a woman monitors her temperature from the first day of her cycle. Usually, observation of basal temperature continues for a certain time, which is determined by the gynecologist.

What affects the error when measuring temperature

If you plan to take your basal rectal temperature daily, you will need to keep a temperature calendar. It is worth considering that the objectivity of basal temperature indicators is influenced by a number of factors, including the state of general malaise of the body, sexual intercourse in the evening or before measuring temperature, taking antibiotics and contraceptives, etc. All this must be indicated in your calendar. This will help your doctor objectively assess your well-being.

According to gynecologists, in the schedule of a woman who monitors her basal temperature, its sharp jumps are undesirable. Between the first and second phases of the cycle, a maximum gap of 5 degrees is allowed, the norm is 2 degrees.

Basal temperature allows you to determine the time of ovulation, pregnancy at early stages, the presence of inflammatory gynecological pathologies. With correct and regular measurements and scheduling, you can identify the most favorable days for conception; any deviations indicate a malfunction in the body.

You need to know your basal temperature to determine ovulation

What does basal temperature mean?

Basal temperature (BT)– the most low temperature human body at rest. Measurements can be taken orally, in the armpit, but the most accurate values ​​are rectal, when the thermometer is inserted into the rectum.

Why do you need to measure BT:

• – the method is suitable for long, short, standard and irregular cycles;
• you can determine pregnancy even before the delay;
• identify inflammatory pathologies of the pelvic organs early stages before symptoms appear;
• for pregnancy planning.

To measure BT, it is better to use a regular mercury thermometer and use the same thermometer throughout the entire cycle.

How to measure BT?

In order to correctly draw up a schedule and avoid errors, when measuring basal temperature, you must strictly follow the sequence of actions.

Measurement Rules:

1. In the evening, prepare a thermometer, knock it down, put it next to the bed so that you can easily reach it.
2. In the morning, without getting out of bed, insert the tip of the thermometer 5 cm into the rectum.
3. Measure the temperature for 5-7 minutes, try not to get nervous, breathe evenly and calmly.
4. Before taking your temperature, you should have at least 5–7 hours of restful sleep.
5. BT must be measured at the same time; deviations of 1 hour up or down are allowed. The indicators are recorded from the first day of the menstrual cycle, the data is entered into a special chart.

You can measure BT during the day after 4 hours of sleep, but such data is often unreliable. The method is suitable for women who have been working at night for many months; their body has had time to adapt to a new sleep and wakefulness pattern.

At correct drafting graphics, after just 3 cycles you can learn to plan a pregnancy at home; signs of the inflammatory process will be noticeable after 1–2 months. In gynecology, average BT temperatures are used to assess the state of reproductive and genitourinary system, but deviations often occur that are caused not by pathologies, but individual characteristics body.

How to build a graph correctly:

1. Draw 2 lines on a checkered sheet of paper; they should start from the same point and be perpendicular.
2. On the vertical axis, make markings for temperature indicators - write down the numbers from 36, 0 to 37.5, each cell is equal to 0.1 degrees.
3. You need to mark the days of the calendar on the horizontal line.
4. At the level of 37 degrees, draw a red horizontal line, draw a vertical line between 12-14 days, it conditionally divides the two-phase cycle into periods I and II.
5. Every day, place a dot at the intersection of the date and temperature values; when they are connected, a curve is formed monthly cycle.
6. On the graph, the day of ovulation is the highest point.
7. The optimal difference in indicators in phases I and II is 0.4–0.5 units.
8. The length of the cycle is also clearly visible on the graph; normally it is 28 days; doctors do not consider pathologies if the interval between menstruation is 21–35 days. But a long or short cycle may be a sign of ovarian failure.

Thanks to the BBT chart, you can understand how well your menstruation is proceeding.

Decoding the BT schedule allows the woman, and, if necessary, the gynecologist, to check how normally the cycle is proceeding, whether maturation and ovulation are occurring, and whether pregnancy has occurred.

In addition to temperature indicators, the graph should display the amount and nature of discharge and general well-being. If the day before a woman drank alcohol, had sex, was very nervous, or showed signs of a cold, all these factors are also recorded in the table, since they can distort the BT values.

How does the BT indicator change?

Changes in basal temperature indicators are influenced by the state of hormonal levels, so fluctuations in values different phases cycle is normal.

BT value by day of the cycle

When measuring BT, the length of the cycle is also important; the ideal duration is 28 days, but intervals between menstruation of 21–35 days are considered normal. The length of the first phase may vary, but the normal luteal period should always be 12–14 days.

Basal temperature phases

When drawing up a BT schedule, several types of curves are distinguished, which allows you to assess the state of work reproductive system.

Types of curves:

1. I – temperature indicators in the second phase increase by at least 0.4 units, the luteal period lasts 12–14 days, the values ​​decrease before ovulation and menstruation. This schedule corresponds to a normal two-phase cycle lasting 28 days.
2. II – luteal phase lasts 12–14 days, during this period the temperature rises by no more than 0.2–0.3 degrees, and decreases slightly before the release of the egg from the follicle and before the onset of menstruation. Such a curve indicates a lack of estrogen and progesterone, which often causes infertility; special tests will help to assess the level of hormones in each phase of the cycle.
3. III – an increase of 0.4 degrees is observed only shortly before menstruation, the second phase lasts 10 days or less, and BT does not drop before menstruation. Such a graph indicates luteal insufficiency, which is fraught with the development of infertility, miscarriage, correction is carried out using hormone therapy.
4. IV – there are no ups and downs on the curve, the entire cycle, the rectal temperature is in the range of 36.1–36.7 degrees, there is no ovulation, the cycle is considered anovulatory. U healthy woman During fertile age, such a deviation occurs 1-2 times a year, if more often, it is necessary to undergo hormonal tests.
5. V – the BT curve looks chaotic; an increase and decrease in values ​​occurs regardless of the phase of the cycle. This graph indicates low estrogen levels, and the chances of getting pregnant are minimal. Single jumps in indicators can occur due to stress, after a long flight, or during exacerbation of any chronic diseases.

Knowing the exact day of ovulation, you can plan the sex of the unborn child - if fertilization occurs directly on the day the egg is released, there is a high probability of giving birth to a boy. Girls are born after sex, which took place 48–72 hours before ovulation.

Reasons for deviations from the norm

Minor fluctuations in BT values ​​occur during stress, climate change, after sexual intercourse, and while taking certain medicines. Strong deviations of the curve from the norm are a sign endocrine pathologies, inflammatory processes, using the graph you can establish primary cause infertility.

Uterine fibroids are one of the causes of basal temperature failure

Why deviations occur:

1. Problems in the luteal phase – ovarian diseases, pathologies thyroid gland, pituitary gland, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, polyps and tumors in the genitals. Progesterone deficiency occurs when inflammatory processes in the uterus and appendages, diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, after exhausting diets and excessive physical exertion.
2. Frequent anovulatory cycles are observed in adolescence, indicate the approach of menopause, endocrine diseases, and ovarian pathologies.
3. An increase in temperature before menstruation to 38 degrees or more – endometritis, adnexitis, endometriosis, cystitis, intestinal infections, ectopic pregnancy. Additional symptoms – sharp pain in the lower abdomen, discharge mixed with pus, discomfort during bowel movements Bladder, vomiting, weakness.

During pregnancy, an increase in BT indicates inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs, infectious pathologies in organism. A decrease in indicators occurs with a miscarriage or frozen pregnancy.

Measuring BT - simple and available method self-diagnosis of the state of the reproductive system, hormonal levels, allows you to track violations of different origins in the early stages. Minor and short-term deviations from the norm occur under the influence external factors– overwork, stress, regular fluctuations indicate endocrine and inflammatory diseases.

Body temperature readings at various points are valuable information material. Temperature values ​​characterize the general condition of the patient and provide clues regarding possible specific diseases and processes occurring in the body. Human body temperature in healthy condition is stable and can vary within strictly defined limits.

Taking temperature rectally gives important indicators general condition patient's health.

Indications for measuring rectal temperature

This section has a stable temperature, which makes its changes indicative of various conditions body. The internal temperature of the rectum is close to the indicators of other internal organs. The usual place where a thermometer is installed is the armpits. However, the rectum (basal temperature) is also used to obtain temperature values. Direct indications for involving the rectum in the process are:

• the patient is exhausted (the armpit tissue does not cover the thermometer);
• defeat skin inflammation of the armpits, oral mucosa;
• hypothermia of the body while maintaining internal organs temperatures in the normal range;
• the patient being unconscious;
• temperature measurements in a child;
• thermoneuroses, etc.

Measuring method

Before use, the thermometer is freed from the disinfectant with running water and wiped dry. To measure temperature correctly, reduce the thermometer readings by shaking to approximately 35 degrees. Adults can measure their temperature themselves, while children’s basal temperature is recorded by parents and medical staff. The part of the thermometer body that will be buried inside is lubricated with Vaseline. After removal, the temperature meter is washed and disinfected.

Before measuring temperature, mobility is limited to a minimum.

The procedure is carried out in the morning (immediately after waking up). Provides minimal mobility and a calm, relaxed state. It is known that activity instantly raises the temperature in the anus by a certain number of points. Therefore, a temperature meter (more accurate - mercury), Vaseline, and a watch are placed in advance near the place of night rest in order to insert a thermometer without getting out of bed.

Violation of the rules reduces the reliability and accuracy of the state reflection. The patient lies on his side, pulling his legs to his chest. The narrow part of the thermometer with the lubricated end should be carefully inserted into the anus to a depth of 20 - 30 mm. How long does the procedure take? Keep the thermometer for about 5 - 10 minutes.

The patient, when the thermometer is already inside, squeezes his buttocks tightly for this time. There is no need to hold it with your hands. Upon completion, readings are taken from the temperature meter. What should the temperature be? It should be taken into account that the temperature in the anus is higher than in the armpit (groin) by 0.5 - 1.0 degrees. Therefore, basal values ​​in the range of 37.2 - 37.7 can be taken calmly.

It is necessary to keep a diary where the measured temperature is recorded. This will create clarity of results and show dynamics, if any.

In some cases, it is necessary to additionally measure the temperature in the armpit area. It is important to know the difference in results, for example, during pregnancy, during the period when ovulation occurs, before menstruation, etc. The thermometer will accurately measure the temperature when the patient is in calm state . It will take 15 - 20 minutes to get there. It is known that after eating, an emotional outburst, motor activity

• , being in warm clothes, the armpit may overheat. Thus, comparing the temperature indicators in the rectum and in the armpit helps to understand that appendicitis has begun. Its symptoms may be:
• excessive gas formation;
• nausea with vomiting; sharp and persistent pain in abdominal cavity;
• defecation disorders;
• loss of performance, weakness, etc.

Due to its proximity to the “blind” process, the rectum quickly responds to inflammation with a significant increase in basal temperature. With appendicitis, the values ​​of compared temperatures differ by more than 1.0 degrees. This is a direct signal to quickly consult a doctor about appendicitis, so as not to miss a gentle removal. There will also be a noticeable difference in the heating rates of the right and left armpits (“Widmer’s symptom”), and in the right it will be higher.

Contraindications for measurement

In a number of situations related to the condition of the patient’s body, recording the rectal temperature is contraindicated, which is associated, among other things, with painful installation and removal of the thermometer. These may include:

• diarrhea;
• ailments of the rectum in the acute stage;
• delayed bowel movements due to compaction feces etc.

Rectal temperature in women (ovulation period and pregnancy)

Basal temperature in the rectum, measured rectally, provides reliable information to gynecologists and women (when the normal classical dynamics of the process is known) about the state of their reproductive system. like this free diagnostics should be carried out systematically. It provides knowledge about what temperature is and should be, how many degrees is the optimal difference at different stages.

The normal basal temperature increases during ovulation. Its maximum values ​​are recorded from the 15th to 25th day of the monthly cycle. They allow you to detect background hormonal abnormalities that lead to cycle disruption. It should be borne in mind that rectal temperature readings may rise for other reasons:

• any physical activity before taking readings;
• sleep duration is less than 6 hours;
• an illness that causes high temperatures;
• measurement and sex are separated by a time interval of less than 12 hours;
• eating shortly before the procedure;
• introduction of separate medicines etc.

Basal temperature indicators demonstrate the amount of progesterone during pregnancy. If it is deficient, there is a threat of miscarriage, abortion or fetal death. Rectal heating fixations of the rectum inform about the functions and condition of the ovaries. The first half of the cycle is marked by a temperature that is less than 37.0. Then, when ovulation occurs, it rises within half a degree, and in the 2nd half it rises above 37.0.

When fertilization of the cell has not occurred, on the eve or on the day of menstruation, the level of progesterone begins to decrease, and menstrual cleansing of the body begins. A graph of rectal temperature values ​​helps diagnose the following:

• acute inflammation - in all phases of the cycle, values ​​are significantly higher than 37.0;
• chronic endometritis (endometriosis) - menstruation occurs with background values ​​of more than 37.0;
• lack of corpus luteum functions - temperature rise occurs later probable period cell maturation and lasts only from 5 to 7 days;
• lack of cell maturation - the temperature is constantly below 37.0 degrees, etc.

The results are entered into a special schedule reflecting changes in hormonal background within the cycle.

The onset of fertilization and its satisfactory course are characterized by high temperatures, which last up to 4-5 months, then decrease. Measurements during the first 12 weeks are important for informational purposes. If the temperature during this period exceeds 37.0 degrees, it confirms that the amount of the hormone progesterone is sufficient - there are no complications.

When temperature indicators begin to creep down (become even below 37.0 degrees) - these are symptoms of a possible spontaneous miscarriage(even if there is no other cause for concern).

A carefully constructed schedule allows you to timely identify disorders in the body and adjust treatment. Until the 12th week, hormonal therapy saves pregnancy. But a rise in rectal temperature to 37.7 or more and its maintenance at this level informs about probable troubles, in particular about the inflammatory process.