Explanation of fertility signs

Your daily observation includes looking at many aspects of your fertility. Here is an overview of what these signs mean.

  • Basic personal information - Height, weight, age, location (environmental factors, water, noise and air polution, etc. all play a part in your fertility.)
  • Date and day - Date on the calendar and day of your cycle.
  • Menstruation - Type of flow: heavy, medium, light.
  • Basal Body Temperature - Basal thermometers are more sensitive than regular fever thermometers, measuring to 0.1 of a degree. They are available at drug stores or on the web. Your temperature should be taken each day, upon waking at the same time for the greatest accuracy. You also should have at least three hours continuous sleep before taking your temp. Temperatures are lower at the beginning of a cycle (usually 96.0 - 97.5) and then rise after ovulation (0.4 of a degree or more) because of the change in hormones.
  • Coitus - Sexual intercourse. Coitus is the Latin term for it; but your kids don't know that.
  • Cervical/vaginal mucus - Cervical mucus helps you determine ovulation and is good to cross-check with your temperatures. Mucus either aids or hinders sperm migration depending on the type. Before ovulation mucus is tacky, cloudy, and/or yellow. It shows you that your are fertile, but comparitively less so; this is our "less fertile type mucus." As you near ovulation, mucus becomes stretchy and clear (like egg white), and is called "fertile type mucus." External (vaginal) mucus is checked on the toilet paper while using the restroom. Internal (cervical) mucus is checked by inserting clean index and middle fingers into you vagina, spreading fingers around the cervix and closing them back together; with draw fingers from vagina and spread fingers once again to check mucus properties. Internal mucus checks may give you an earlier awarness of becoming fertile.
  • Cervix - The mouth or os of your cervix changes from low, closed, and firm to high, open, and soft as you become more fertile and then returns after ovulation. This is one more observation to cross-check with your temperature and mucus.
  • Disturbance - Illness, fever, lack of sleep, forgetting to take temperature or taking it at the wrong time, travel, etc. can effect the accuracy or validity of your observations. If an observation is suspect, mark it as a disturbance and we'll ignore it in the calculations.
  • Notes - Anything that can help round out, describe or explain your fertility signs: moods, physical sensations, alcohol consumption, medications, and anything else you think will help. These notes are for you so keep track of what is important to you.