RAH - Basal body temperature charting is the single best way for a woman to keep track of her monthly cycle and its regularities or irregularities. With respect to fertility, BBT charting can tell you your typical cycle pattern (that you usually ovulate around Day 17, for example). Other ovulation signs, notably cervical fluid, are better *advance* indicators of ovulation in a given cycle; BBT can only tell you that you've ovulated after it's happened, when it's too late to conceive.

We provide information on how to chart your 'bbt' and 'CM'. There is a site on the Internet that we can recommend, they take all of the hard work out of predicting ovulation and they offer this service for free (for a limited time)

Your BBT is taken first thing in the morning before getting out of bed, after a minimum of three consecutive hours of sleep. Your temperature should be taken at about the same time every morning, preferably within an hour or so. It is usually taken orally, but can be taken vaginally. By charting your BBT's you can determine if you've ovulated and how long your luteal phase is. Temperature ranges very tremendously but are typically between 96.5 - 97.5 before ovulation and 97.5 - 98.

In order to get an accurate BBT reading it is important that you take your temperature first thing upon awakening, about the same time of day, after at least three consecutive hours of sleep and before doing anything. This includes getting up to urinate, drinking water, making love, talking on the phone, etc. A disturbance also includes temperature observations that have been potentially invalidated by early or late rising, sickness, physical exertion and hangover.

Yes, you can record you BBT using a popup list under the title "Basal Body Temperature" in the top section of the Inspector.

OPK can tell you that you will probably ovulate in the days to come, giving you time to have intercourse prior to ovulation. Charting temps only tells you after you have ovulated. Sometimes you can have a surge and not ovulate. It's a good idea to chart so you can see the thermal shift and feel confident that you ovulated.

Basal Body Temperature is the temperature that your body is at when you first wake up in the morning before doing anything. By listing your BBT on a chart you can see your pattern for fertility.

It takes less than 2 minutes. However, if you move too much it will take longer. If you measure your temperature orally, make sure you place the probe under the tongue in the middle of the mouth, keep the mouth shut and hold your BIOSELF calmly with your other hand. Always wait until you hear the beep before removing the device. This beep informs you that the temperature has been recorded. That means that the probe of your BIOSELF is still wet. Wipe it with a slightly humid handkerchief.

The OPK will tell you when to expect ovulate before it happens, while BBT only tells you after it's over. The thermal shift occurs *after* ovulation in response to increased progesterone production. One your temperature goes up, it's too late to get pregnant. By using OPKs, you'll know before ovulation and can be sure to get your timing right.

A Basal Body Temperature graph is a graphical representation of your temperature taken each day of your cycle. During ovulation, your basal body temperature will drop and then rapidly rise to normal levels. The graph will show you when your Basal Body Temperature fluctuates, so that you can use your past BBT readings to predict when ovulation will occur in future cycles.

You are most likely pregnant if your BBTs stay up for 18 or more days after ovulation. It is also common to see a triphasic chart, a second shift sometime during the luteal phase, when pregnancy is achieved.

A Basal Body Temperature chart is not a very reliable way to predict ovulation. Although the temperature shift associated with ovulation can be detected on a basal thermometer, it can sometimes take as long as two days before this shift shows up on a BBT. This generally means that by the time a temperature shift is detected, it is too late to time intercourse effectively.

In the morning, before getting out of bed and with as little movement as possible, place the thermometer under your armpit. Leave it in position for 10 minutes. If you do not have the time, 3 minutes in the mouth. Do not drink alcohol the night before you take your basal temperature. Do this for five consecutive days. Make a note of all the readings and then average them out. Use a mercury thermometer (digital thermometers are to be used orally only).

You should ovulate 12-48 hours after the positive ovulation predictor test, and your BBTs should go up within 48 hours of ovulating. It can take up to 4-5 days to see the rise, but ideally you see it within 3.

Yes, BBT graphs and CM charts are included in the printed version of your chart document depending on how many cycles you are currently viewing in iKonceive. If you are viewing a single cycle, then both the BBT graph and CM chart are included in addition to all day information associated with the cycle. If you are viewing multiple cycles, only the BBT graph will be displayed because the CM chart cannot compare information across cycles.

Length of time spent in a hot tub (and ideal temperature) is a individual thing... some people tolerate hot bathing temps better than others, and it is true that some medical conditions can be exacerbated by submersion in hot water for extended periods of time. The heat limits and time limits enforced or suggested by the spa manufacturers, the NSPI, ANSI, UL, M-I-C-K-E-Y, (add letters ad nausium) are all to cover the butts of the people that make the safety suggestions.

Nicotine is processed very quickly- it will exit your body within a day of its consumption. However, this rapid metabolism also causes nicotine withdrawal symptoms to start the day you quit. Fortunately, these symptoms can be controlled with nicotine replacement therapy or will resolve on their own within a week.