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The temperature method. A further guide to recognizing the riming of ovulation is to monitor the body temperature. Interestingly there is a tiny increase in a woman’s ‘basal’ (usual) temperature following ovulation. This is in the range of 0.2 to 0.6?C, and if a woman takes her temperature (via a thermometer in either her mouth or her vagina), she may be able to recognize this change, and know that ovulation has probably occurred. She should abstain, as outlined above, but as it is a ‘retrospective’ reading, she may find that the ovaries have fired off sooner than her calendar predicted, and in fact she is closing the gate after the sperm have bolted (so to speak).

The mucus method. The mucus (the dear sort of normal discharge in the vagina) changes under hormonal conrrol during the cycle. About ovulation time there is more clear, thin mucus. After ovulation it becomes stickier and tacky. Women may use this change as a further sign that ovulation has taken place. While it may be useful as an adjunct to other methods, it is not all that reliable as the mucus viscosity is also affected by such things as semen and infections.

Of course all these useful signs of ovulation can be helpful when trying to become pregnant, too. Simply try harder during the ‘fertile’ time. Some researchers have developed home ovulation detection kits, which may be useful to some women as another means of assessing if ovulation has taken place. These are probably more use to women trying to get pregnant rather than avoiding it.

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