True, each morning I was taking my temperature, but not to get out of work. It was to get out of using a condom during sex.
If you walked into my room on any random morning over the past month, you might think I was faking a fever with the classic covers-to-chin, thermometer-sticking-out-of-mouth ruse.
True, each morning I was taking my temperature, but not to get out of work. It was to get out of using a condom during sex.
On my quest to stay true to my holistic lifestyle, while balancing my long-term romantic relationship and not getting pregnant, I decided to try out the non-hormonal, natural birth control tactics referred to as fertility awareness methods (FAM).
So what exactly is FAM—and would it actually prevent me from starting a, well, family? “It’s an umbrella term that includes all the different types of observation and calculation practices one can use to prevent or achieve pregnancy,” explains Sarah Bly, a midwife who works in sexual and reproductive health education. You may have heard this practice also referred to as "natural family planning," which historically has roots in Catholic religion. Today, the terms are interchangeable and widely used by non-religious practitioners and patients alike to advocate working with the body's natural cycles to manage fertility, according to the Association of Fertility Awareness Professionals (AFAP).
Some of these non-hormonal practices include tracking basal body temperature (the body’s temperature at complete rest), cervical mucus, cervical position, and cycle lengths. I was particularly interested in basal body temperature measuring (BBT charting), because it seemed like a simple habit to pick up. While Bly considers the temperature-only method effective, she says, "the downside is that it only offers you a very short window of 'safe days' for unprotected intercourse.”
After discussing the idea with my boyfriend (who was more than happy to participate!) I decided to give it a try.
HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK
To prevent pregnancy, it’s best to use protection or abstain from sex during ovulation, which is when your ovaries release an egg for fertilization. Thankfully, our bodies present physical signs of ovulation that can be tracked.
“A woman’s normal temperature when not ovulating is usually between 97 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit and may vary slightly among women,” explains Aaron Styer, M.D., reproductive endocrinologist, founding partner and co-medical director of CCRM Boston. “After release of the egg [ovulation], BBT increases by 0.5 to 1.0 degrees Fahrenheit due to the hormone progesterone.”
So by charting my temperature each morning, I would theoretically be able to see when I ovulate. When your BBT increases and stays up for three days, that signals that ovulation has, in fact, come and gone, and that you are no longer fertile, Planned Parenthood explains. While the original rise in temperature marks ovulation, it's important to wait until your temperature has been high for three days because that ensures the egg has been hanging around in your uterus for enough time that it's no longer able to be fertilized, Bly says. After this point you can have unprotected sex until you get your period. But as soon as you get your period, you have to hold off (or use a backup method) until you've maintained another three-day temperature-increase, signalling that fertilization can no longer occur.
Theoretically, as you gain more insight into how your personal cycle works and when ovulation will occur, the number of days where you can feel comfortable having unprotected sex should grow. Keeping in close touch with your body is critical to identifying your window. That's especially true if you're dealing with irregular periods. "Ovulation only occurs once, even with irregular cycles," Bly explains. "The risk lies is making assumptions about cycle lengths by referring to previous cycles."
HOW TO GET AN ACCURATE READING
It’s important to get an accurate basal body temperature reading each morning, which is a fancy way of saying the temperature of your body at complete rest. Ideally, temperature would be taken each morning at the same time before doing anything, including drinking, peeing, showering, having sex, checking your phone, eating, petting your cat… you get the picture. It’s the first thing you do after opening those sleepy little eyes. This way the reading is consistent.
This can be tricky. Medicines, alcohol intake, lack of sleep, and illness can all affect your body temps. And some women don’t have a detectable increase in temperature after ovulation, warns Styer. For these women, the method is totally impractical. Whatever your case, it’s important to track your cycle and BBTs for a few months before trusting a thermometer to prevent pregnancy. Once you begin using the natural birth control method, it's still important to use a backup method of birth control, just in case.
HOW TO CHOOSE A THERMOMETER AND CHART
There are fancy thermometers and apps out there that chart and keep track of your temps, but they can get expensive. Bly charts by hand in her own successful fertility practice of 20 years, and asks her clients to do the same so she can discover the nuances of their cycles and health. This may include a calendar with notes about mood, energy levels, and sexual activity, along with BBTs, according to Bly.
Experts say a basic mercury thermometer will do the trick, but I’m not very good at reading those. I opted for an inexpensive digital thermometer that has ‘medical-grade accuracy’ and measures up to +/-0.05 degrees. Avoid those that promote ‘quick read’ as they are less accurate.
Charts don’t have to be fancy either. A quick Google search for “Basal Body Temperature Chart” will show you a bunch to choose from and print. It’s personal preference here (though I opted for this one from Baby Center).
(Hit the reset button—and burn fat like crazy with The Body Clock Diet!)
LEARNING MY CYCLE
Next to my bed I set up my chart on a clipboard and my thermometer in arm’s reach. Tracking starts on the first day of one's period each month, which I missed because it happened after I woke up. So, there was that.
There's definitely a learning curve when it comes to BBT. I noticed I woke up with some anxiety about taking my temp, because I often pee an hour or so before I actually get up to start my day. After a few days I started putting a notebook next to my bed to quick jot down my temp if I didn’t have the time to chart then and there. I also fell back asleep a few times and woke up to the thermometer beep.
The chart I used didn't have designated room for adding my exact temperature, which I wanted to track, so I decided to squish it into the cell even though it looks messy. I noticed my temp is definitely not looking reliable. Sometimes it’s 97.76 but then there’s a day when I’m 97.06. Remember, we’re looking for a 0.5-1.0 shift. Clearly, this method should be practiced for a few months before relying on it heavily.
Also, while I’m pretty good at including new habits in my life, I did forget to bring my thermometer on a weekend trip, which threw off the whole sha-bang. Luckily, I continued to use condoms this month, like the experts recommend, so my sex life was unphased.
I intend to keep at it for a few more months, but will not be writing off condoms anytime soon.
IS IT WORTH IT?
“For the purpose of trying to conceive, I have suggested BBT tracking for women who would like to understand the general window of fertility,” says Styer. “But I do not recommend it for contraception.”
I can see her point: There is a lot of room for human error using the temperature method alone. I’ll admit I didn’t feel comfortable trusting the numbers when it came to unprotected sex. Going forward, I’m going to explore other natural birth control methods. Condoms are still my main form of birth control, but, over time, I hope to change that using a variety of fertility awareness methods.
It’s definitely work compared to taking one pill a day, but to me, the benefits of flowing with and learning from my cycle are worth it. I love knowing what's going on with my body, sharing this practice with my partner, and being true to my meds-free lifestyle.
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