The temperature method of contraception
The temperature method determines your fertile and infertile days by measuring your basal body temperature. Read here how the temperature method works and what advantages and disadvantages it has for you.
What is the temperature method?
The temperature method is one of the best-known methods of natural family planning . It tries to draw conclusions about your fertile days by measuring the cyclic fluctuations in the basal body temperature . It is therefore also often called the basal body temperature method. The basal body temperature rises by a few tenths of a degree Celsius shortly after ovulation.
- Determining the infertile days: If you observe an increase in temperature of more than 0.2 degrees Celsius over a period of at least three days compared to the highest temperature of the previous six days, it is assumed that ovulation has taken place and you are now can no longer receive.
- Determining the fertile days:With this information, you can now retrospectively draw conclusions about the time of ovulation and thus about the immediate fertile days just before and after ovulation. The fertile period begins about eight days before the day when you first expect an elevated temperature again. However, these statements require prolonged observation of menstrual cycles. With the strict interpretation of the temperature method, however, the first part of the cycle is also regarded as uncertain and therefore possibly fruitful. So if you don’t want to conceive a baby at the moment, you should use other methods of contraception if you want to be absolutely sure. Since the temperature method is generally quite unsafe, many women only use it in combination with the billings method. With this method, the change in theCervical mucus examined to determine fertile days. This further development of the temperature method is called the “ Symptothermal Method ”.
- Determining the temperature: In order to measure your waking temperature, you need a basal thermometer. In combination with helpful apps, these allow you to regulate your conception naturally or to become pregnant. Discover it here and get all paid app functions for free for 12 months.
Figure: Temperature curve
Advantages of the temperature method
- The temperature method, like all other methods of natural family planning, can be used both for contraception and when you want to have children.
- You get to know your body better and don’t burden it unnecessarily with hormones.
Disadvantages of the temperature method
- A lot of discipline is required for this method. With the temperature method, it is very important that you always measure the temperature at the same time of day and time and enter the value on a chart. You need to learn how to evaluate your body signs. You should still use another contraceptive in the early stages.
- Contraception by measuring the temperature is less suitable for women and young girls with an irregular menstrual cycle. If your daily rhythm is rather irregular, for example because you work in shifts, this method is also rather unsuitable for you. The same applies if you have just stopped taking the pill or are breastfeeding. Then it is better if you use an additional contraceptive.
- Unfortunately, illnesses, lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, stress and other circumstances in your life can lead to fluctuations in the basal body temperature and weaken the informative value of the temperature method with regard to your fertile days.
Reliability of the temperature method
The Pearl Index (number of 100 women who became pregnant despite this contraceptive method) of the temperature method is 0.8 to 3, which is quite good for natural contraception. However, it still cannot be compared with the safety of hormonal contraceptive methods such as the pill, whose Pearl Index is usually below 1. The knowledge gained from temperature measurement and the correct and accurate application of that knowledge are critical to the safety of the temperature method. A regular way of life and work is supportive.
Further development of the temperature method
To make the temperature method safer, many women supplement it with the billings method, in which the cervical mucus is examined more closely to allow conclusions to be drawn about your fertile days. Both methods combined are called “Symptothermal Method”.