Woman in bed measuring with a basal thermometer
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Basal body temperature & natural family planning

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Written by Cara Sumner

Cara Sumner

Cara Sumner is an accomplished writer with more than ten years of experience writing on subjects including skincare, sustainability, health, and wellness. Now, she’s dedicating her days to bringing more awareness and education to female reproductive health in her role at Natural Cycles. Cara holds a Master's Degree in Social Anthropology from Stockholm University and Minored in Female Studies/English Literature while getting her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Radford University in the States. On the weekends, you'll find her forest bathing in the woods around Stockholm.

Medically reviewed by Jack Pearson, Medical Affairs Manager at Natural Cycles

Jack Pearson

Dr. Jack Pearson is a previously HCPC registered Embryologist with a PhD in reproductive medicine. Prior to joining Natural Cycles leading Medical Affairs, he worked for more than 10 years in a clinical setting working at some of the busiest fertility clinics in the UK. Today he spends most of his time working with experts at the world’s leading institutions to carry out important research with the vision to further the field of female health. He earned his PhD from the University of Sheffield specializing in Sperm Metabolism and currently lives in London.

Key takeaways:

  • Basal body temperature (BBT) is the name for your lowest resting temperature which can be measured first thing in the morning with a special thermometer
  • Regularly measuring basal body temperature can help you understand the pattern of your cycle and help you find your fertile window
  • Traditionally the BBT method requires time and dedication, Natural Cycles takes the guesswork out and helps you plan or prevent pregnancy hormone-free

The basal body temperature (BBT) method – a.k.a the temperature method – is a type of natural family planning that tracks your body’s temperature to help determine when you are ovulating. In this article, we will cover the crucial link between measuring basal body temperature and finding your fertile window. We’ll also look at what to expect when using the temperature method and how the BBT method can be used to help you plan or prevent pregnancy.

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