Pregnancy is the nine month long period during which a fertilized egg grows into a mature baby that is ready for delivery. The natural method of conception is through sexual intercourse. When a sperm from the male meets with a mature egg from the female, conception can take place. This fertilized egg then implants itself in the wall of the uterus. Once this happens, a woman is said to be pregnant. Many couples face difficulty in conceiving. One of the reasons for this could be the inability to properly predict ovulation. Ovulation normally occurs once in every cycle. During this process, a mature egg is released from one of the ovaries which is then passed into the fallopian tubes for fertilization. Some couples, especially those where the woman has an irregular cycle, find it difficult to predict when they should engage in sexual intercourse.
There are many different methods of predicting ovulation. The hormone levels in the body fluctuate throughout the woman's cycle. Estrogen, Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone are hormones that all change their quantities during the cycle. These changes are useful to determine the state of the female reproductive system. Another way is to use the body temperature to get pregnant. When one uses the body temperature to get pregnant, one needs to measure the basal body temperature. This temperature is measured immediately after waking up. It is measured rectally, vaginally, or orally. It is important to measure the temperature before any physical activity has commenced. It is also important to measure the temperature using a digital thermometer as this would guarantee accuracy.
While using the body temperature to conceive, one should know that lower temperatures occur before ovulation and higher temperatures after ovulation. The warmer temperature may be warmer by just a few decimal points. In order to use body temperature to get pregnant, one should chart the temperature every day at the same time. This gives an idea of the changes that take place throughout the menstrual cycle. After one or two cycles, the woman can understand when she is ovulating based on her body temperature changes. Therefore, sexual intercourse can be planned at the time when the body temperature is low, that is, just before ovulation. Couples should be aware that using the body temperature to get pregnant takes some time as the pattern of temperature change first needs to be established before it can be trusted.