Basal Thermometers are highly sensitive thermometers that are used to measure basal body temperature. Basal body temperature is the temperature of the body when a person wakes up.
Basal body temperatures are not as prone to being influenced by factors that affect normal body temperature such as exercise and caloric intake. They are often used for charting a woman's fertility cycle.
Most basal thermometers are accurate to 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit, making them far more reliable than a standard glass thermometer, which is only accurate to 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit.http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/basal-thermometer.html They are available for purchase from a variety of drugstores and pharmacies at a reasonable cost.
Use
When charting for fertility, the temperature should be taken when first waking up, before showering or even leaving the bed. Any activities might throw off the results. Try and take the temperature the same time everyday throughout the month and keep record of the temperatures.
Mark off days that you were sick or did not sleep normally as these situations may alter the basal body temperature. Chart the temperatures on some graph paper. Generally there should be two levels, a lower temperature during menstruation which continues to gradually increase until the middle of the cycle and then jumps the day after ovulation.
The temperature should stay high until the next menstruation. Chart for several cycles until the general range of ovulation is known. See Mahalo's How to Get Pregnant page for more tips on charting and fertility. The standard is that a raising of 0.4 to 0.6 degrees Fahrenheit will take place during ovulation.http://www.early-pregnancy-tests.com/bbt-basal-body-temperature.html
Buying Guide
There are a few important features to consider when buying a basal thermometer. First, be sure to get a thermometer that is the temperature to the second decimal. It will have more accurate results and ultimately a smoother, easier to read graph.
A good feature to have is an audible beeper to alert the user when the temperature is taken. Last temperature recall is an excellent backup to ensure no loss of data, in case the temperature wasn't recorded when it was taken. An easy to read display, automatic shut off and storage cases are also positive small things that can come in handy when it comes to making your final selection.
Monitoring Basal Temperature
A video showing the steps involved in monitoring one's basal body temperature using a basal thermometer. Many people use basal thermometers as a way to try and predict their ovulation cycle in attempts to become pregnant.
References
Fast Facts
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Common uses
Determining day of ovulation by the rise of basal body temperature
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Price range
$7-$13
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Accurate to
0.1 degrees Fahrenheit
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Fact:
Digital basal thermometers are found to lead to pregnancy three to four times faster than glass thermometers.
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Fact:
Digital versions can give temperature readouts in 30 to 60 seconds.
