mark (04/20/83)
My two cents worth on Basel Body Temperature (BBT) thermometers: The typical BBT thermometer differs from a regular fever thermometer in that it has only about half the range - it doesn't go all the way up to 106 because it's not for fevers. Thus, the graduations are further apart and you can read it more precisely. When dealing with a few tenths of a degree, all the precision you can get helps a lot. Also, with a BBT thermometer (available for a few dollars at any drug store - why pinch pennies with something so important) you'll likely get a very good set of instructions on exactly how to use it to determine the date of ovulation. Note that each woman's cycle is different. You should use it for 3 months or so, keeping the record carefully, before you start to believe it. 4 days later it's pretty obvious what happened, but you have to detect "the downturn before the upturn" when all you have is the downturn, so it requires recognizing your own situation. Also, note that if you're trying to have a baby, you can use the BBT method to improve the odds. It works both ways. -- Mark Horton