Various Conception Tools And Their Uses

Various Conception Tools And Their Uses

15 Feb 2019 | 5 min Read

Revati Narayanswamy

Author | 52 Articles

Planning for a baby is not at all an easy task. There are a thousand factors which need to be taken into consideration,  especially, for a woman. Right from the infertile days to the ovulation days, everything needs to be monitored closely.

Nowadays, the times have changed and women have an array of options to pick and choose from to determine their ovulation days to help in planning effectively. I have listed down a few methods.

Cervical Mucus

 

A woman’s cervical Mucus changes consistency throughout the month in response to the changing hormone levels. On the fertile days, the mucus changes from thick and opaque to clear and slippery. In some women, these changes are easier to observe making it easy to determine the ovulation days. But, for some an external examination may be required.

Ovulation sticks

 

One of the most widely used methods. Ovulation sticks test the levels of the Luteinizing Hormone (LH) hormone In the urine. Luteinising hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is one of the main hormones that control the reproductive system.

 

A day or two before ovulation, the LH surges. If you get a positive result, it’s show time. But, if your cycle isn’t regular then you may not know when to take the test and in the process you end up using alot of test kits which may turn out to be an expensive affair.

Fertility Apps

 

With the smartphones to our rescue for almost everything, there are apps to track ovulation days as well. You just need to enter your start dates of your cycle and within a span of few months, these apps can identify the average length of your cycles. If your cycles are very regular, apps are the most inexpensive option to estimate your fertile days.

Basal Body Temperature

 

A fairly new method to make this process less cumbersome. There is a tool called as a basal / clinical thermometer.

What is Basal Body Temperature (BBT) and how does this thermometer work

A basal body thermometer is as the name suggests, a thermometer which is sensitive to measure even the slightest changes in the body temperature. A clinical thermometer measures your body temperature and keeps you updated on your ovulation days. Not a very common concept in India till now, I honestly dint know that something like this existed. This thermometer works by measuring your Basal Body Temperature in a 24 hour window. Your basal body temperature (BBT) is the temperature at which your body rests and is generally a bit lower than your normal temperature, which is usually 97 point something degrees Fahrenheit. By taking your BBT each morning throughout your cycle you will be able to detect the natural rise in your basal body temperature that occurs just after ovulation. This increase in yo

ur BBT is due to the hormone progesterone, sometimes referred to as the “warming hormone”. Once ovulation has occurred, your body begins to produce increasing amounts of progesterone, thereby causing your body to warm up, which is reflected in an increase in your BBT. You need to monitor it for a few  months to understand the predictable pattern in your cycle that will allow estimating when you will ovulate.

How to get an accurate reading

There are a few things to be kept in mind while monitoring your Basal Body Temperature which I have listed below with the help of which you can get a very close to accurate reading.

 

  • Measure your body temperature as soon as you wake up. Like when you are in bed itself and before beginning with any activity.
  • The temperature will be accurate even if you have a fever so, don’t skip it on those days.
  • You at least need a 4 hour sleep before monitoring your BBT.
  • Try to stick to the same timing every day for the measurement to get accurate results.
  • The thermometer should always be at the base of your tongue.
  • Never take a reading after any physical activity. Even if it is just a walk.

Benefits of a Basal Body Thermometer

 

  • Helps predict your ovulation cycle and your fertility days.
  • Helps in planning your sexual activity by effectively determining your most fertile days. So, if you aren’t planning to conceive then you are aware of your unsafe days.
  • One more very important feature is it helps understand your skin condition as well. For example – if your skin texture becomes oily around your fertile days then, in a span of few months it becomes easier to predict with the fluctuation of your body temperature. Important events where women always want to look the best can be also be planned accordingly
  • It can be called as a natural or the safest method of conception as you need not consume any pills to conceive.
  • Lastly, It isn’t heavy on the pocket as it’s a one-time expense. Once you buy a basal thermometer, you can use it any number of times.

There are a number of options of basal thermometers available in the market. Out of them, TDK’s clinical thermometer is a very good option. I have personally tried it and found it to be very useful. The best feature is that it has an associated mobile app wherein all the data gets transferred easily to your smartphone at the click of one button. It makes it a totally hassle-free tracking device.

The basal body method is one of the most reliable and accurate ways to  measure your ovulation days as it works solely on your body temperature. All in all, a safe and natural method to plan for a baby.

 

Also read: Contraception: Know Your Choices

 

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