Miscarriage and Basal Body Temperature

Basal Body Temperature and Pregnancy

If you have been tracking your BBT in order to find the time that you are most likely to conceive, you are already familiar with the charting process. However, you may not know that it is also a good idea to continue tracking your BBT even when you think you may be pregnant.

If your BBT remains high for 18 days while you expect your period, you may be pregnant. Understand that this may not be an unusually high temperature. This increase, due to the increase of progesterone in your body, may only be less than half a degree. Using a basal body temperature thermometer is essential to accurately check your temperature changes for this very reason.

Soon, if your temperatures stay elevated, you can take a pregnancy test and be sure that your pregnancy is real and not just a fluctuation due to illness or other factors.

Continue to track your BBT every day during your first trimester. This is the time when miscarriage is most common. Once you have passed this milestone, you don't need to continue taking your temperature if you don't want to.

A Miscarriage and Basal Body Temperature

When you are pregnant, your basal body temperature will stay elevated for the duration of your pregnancy. If your temperature suddenly drops after being elevated for at least 18 days, your body may be signaling that you are about to miscarry. A drop in temperature followed by a normal or heavier than normal period can indicate that you have already had a miscarriage.

If you have had a positive result on a pregnancy test and notice your temperature drop, you may be about to miscarry. Contact your doctor if you suspect a possible miscarriage and basal body temperature drops suddenly.

Reducing the Chances

There are some things you can do to minimize the chance of miscarriage. Follow these tips for a healthy pregnancy:

• Stop smoking—If you smoke or breathe in the smoke from others around you, you are increasing your risk of miscarriage.
• Don't drink—Alcohol can double your chance of a miscarriage. Caffeine may also increase your chances, so limit you consumption of caffeine to once per day.
• Avoid toxic substances—If you are exposed to toxins such as formaldehyde, lead, or other chemicals you are likely reduce your chances of conception if you are trying to have a baby. If you are already pregnant, these toxins could cause a miscarriage.
• Be careful—Common sense tells you that it is wise to avoid sports or other activity that may cause you to injure your abdomen. Falling on you stomach or a blow to the abdomen can also cause you to lose your baby.
• Eat healthy—Eating rights helps your body to be healthy. You will also help your baby to be healthy as well.
• Check medications—If you take medications on a regular basis whether prescription or over-the-counter, you should consult with your doctor before taking them during pregnancy.
• Avoid stress—One study found that women under a great deal of stress were three times more likely to have a miscarriage within their first three weeks of pregnancy.

Final Notes

If you are trying to have a baby, monitoring your BBT can help you to pinpoint the best time to conceive. After you have conceived, continue to track your temperature to be aware of possible problems. It is possible to tell if you are about to have a miscarriage and basal body temperature can be an indicator..