Basal temperature with a stiffened pregnancy

The method of basal temperature measurement is known to many women planning a pregnancy: with its help, you can quite accurately determine the period of ovulation. In addition, often gynecologists recommend monitoring the basal temperature in pregnant women. Especially it concerns women with a high risk of miscarriage and those who have already at least once faced the problem of a frozen pregnancy.

Pregnancy at low basal temperature

It is known that with the onset of pregnancy the basal temperature of a woman rises (to 37 degrees and above). This is due to the production of a large amount of the hormone progesterone. On average, the basal temperature with a normally occurring pregnancy is 37.1-37.3 degrees. Depending on the individual characteristics of the body, it can be higher - up to 38 degrees.

Unfortunately, sometimes the development of an embryo can suddenly stop. This is called frozen pregnancy. Most often this happens in the first trimester as a result of the following reasons:

In most cases, in the development of a frozen pregnancy, "insufficient" progesterone production is "to blame": the yellow body ceases to perform its functions. This may indicate a lower basal temperature during pregnancy (36.9 degrees and below). Therefore, doctors strongly recommend that women with a high risk of developing fetal abnormalities monitor changes in basal temperature during pregnancy.

A slight decrease in basal temperature in the pregnant (by 0.1-0.2 degrees) and the absence of other anxiety symptoms, most often speaks of a shortage of progesterone and a possible threat of miscarriage. In this case, the gynecologist prescribes a course of drugs that help restore the hormonal background.

We measure basal temperature correctly

In the evening, put the thermometer so that you can reach it without making unnecessary movements, best of all - next to the pillow. After waking up, immediately lubricate the tip of the thermometer with a baby cream and put it into the anus 2-3 cm. Basal temperature is measured for 5-7 minutes.

Try to move as little as possible, do not get up and even more so do not take measurements after going to the toilet - the result will be inaccurate.

When you should not believe basal temperature?

Sometimes the basal temperature with a frozen pregnancy may not decrease. In addition, the measurement results can be affected by many factors: infectious diseases, small physical activity, sex, food intake, and a thermometer malfunction. Therefore, the decrease in rectal temperature with frozen pregnancy is a secondary sign, which has diagnostic significance only until 14 weeks of pregnancy (in the second trimester the hormonal background of the pregnant woman changes, and fluctuations in basal temperature are not so important).

The first thing that should alert a pregnant woman is the abrupt disappearance of toxicosis and soreness of the mammary glands, the appearance of pains in the lower abdomen, brown or spotting. Sometimes with a frozen pregnancy, the body temperature of a woman rises. This may indicate that the fetus is already dead and the development of the inflammatory process has begun.

At the slightest suspicion of the frozen pregnancy it is necessary to urgently address to the gynecologist. The doctor will prescribe a blood test for hCG in order to determine whether the fetus is developing, and also will write a direction for ultrasound. Ultrasound examination will help to detect the presence or absence of palpitation in the fetus, which means that it will either disprove or confirm your fears.