Woman taking rectal temperature

Women rarely measure their body temperature rectally unless they have no other choice. It is not only inconvenient but also very embarrassing. They usually measure their body temperature when they have a cold or are sick, and most of the measurements are taken under the armpit. But in addition to this, women also need to measure their basal body temperature every day during the pregnancy preparation stage to facilitate knowing when they ovulate. Having sex at this time will increase the chances of pregnancy. Since everyone's basal body temperature is different, it is normal as long as it does not exceed 37 degrees.

Is it normal to take a woman's temperature rectally?

The rectal measurement method for measuring body temperature is to have the patient lie on his back with his buttocks exposed, and gently insert a rectal thermometer lubricated with 20% soapy water into the anus 2-3 cm. Hold the outer end of the thermometer with your hand to prevent it from falling off or breaking, and take it out after 3 minutes. People with diarrhea or severe anorectal diseases should not use this method to measure the temperature. Those who have just taken a sitz bath should wait 30 minutes before measuring the temperature.

Generally speaking, there are several common methods for measuring body temperature: placing the thermometer under the tongue for measurement, called the intraoral measurement method; placing the thermometer in the armpit for measurement, called the axillary measurement method; and inserting the thermometer into the anus for measurement, called the rectal measurement method.

How to correctly measure basal body temperature for women:

The first thing is to prepare. First, prepare a thermometer. It is best to use an electronic thermometer or a thermometer with higher accuracy because it will be safer, more sensitive, and the measurement results will be more intuitive, avoiding the error caused by checking the scale of the mercury thermometer.

Then prepare a piece of paper to record your basal body temperature. You can make it yourself or get it from the hospital, but it is best to make it thicker to avoid damage. Record the temperature after each measurement. It is best to place the thermometer and paper at the bedside before going to bed to avoid forgetting to measure.

The second step is measurement. Use a thermometer to measure your temperature when you wake up every morning and check the value after five minutes. You can choose the mouth, armpit and rectum as the measurement sites. However, it is better for women to choose oral measurement because it is more convenient and the read values ​​will be relatively stable and more accurate.

Finally, there is the record keeping work. After five minutes, take out the thermometer and read the value. Record the value on the body temperature thermometer. Make a note of any special circumstances and record in a unified way that you are familiar with. It is best to draw a basal body temperature curve after one cycle. It is convenient for timely observation, discovery and treatment.

Why should women measure their basal body temperature?

First of all, we need to understand the principle of basal body temperature. Usually, a person's physical condition can be judged by his basal body temperature. For women, temperature changes are related to ovulation. The day after ovulation, the follicle will transform into the corpus luteum, which has a secretory function. When the corpus luteum secretes progesterone, the body's temperature will rise by about 0.6°C, which can usually be clearly seen when measured in the morning. Generally speaking, the high temperature will last for about 14 days, and the basal body temperature will show a high and low phase change. If it does not fluctuate violently up and down, it means that your corpus luteum function is normal. However, since each woman's menstrual cycle and ovulation period are different, the average value can only serve as a certain reference value. Large discrepancies do not mean that it is abnormal. It is best to go to the hospital for a check-up.

Normally, if a woman is not pregnant, her body temperature will return to normal levels after ovulation. However, for a woman who is pregnant, the progesterone secreted in her body will cause the high temperature to continue. If it continues for 16 days, she may become pregnant, and if it continues for 20 days, there is a 98% chance of pregnancy.

Basal body temperature is a very important reference data for women who are estimating ovulation or menstrual period, and it has great guiding significance. Therefore, when women are preparing to become pregnant, they can measure their basal body temperature every day.

Factors that affect women's basal body temperature:

First of all, the measuring tool. The basal thermometer is different from the general thermometer. The scale of the basal thermometer is denser and the sensitivity of the basal thermometer is relatively high. Generally, the boundary between high and low temperatures is 36.7 degrees. The measurement results will be more accurate. Some people use a mercury thermometer to measure basal body temperature, which can easily lead to errors.

Then comes the measurement method. When measuring basal body temperature, you must pay attention to the correct measurement method. If used improperly, errors will occur and the measurement results will not be so accurate. Generally speaking, you should maintain more than 6 hours of sleep, do not talk or exercise after waking up, and use a basal thermometer to measure in your mouth. Only in this way can the measurement results be more accurate.

Finally, it is about physical condition. Everyone's basal body temperature is different. Although under normal circumstances the basal body temperature varies within 0.3-0.5℃, the results of long-term measurement (more than 3 months) will be more accurate. Basal body temperature can be used as a reference method to calculate ovulation, but other methods can also be used at the same time to calculate ovulation. In addition, colds, fevers, and insomnia can also affect basal body temperature, so remember to mark it when measuring.