Fluctuations in temperature, will I have trouble conceiving?
Question
I have been using the NFP for 2 months now and there is no pattern in my charting. My temperature goes up and down like a yo-yo and there is no possible way of reading it to determine when I ovulate. I time it perfectly so that I do it the same time every morning & I have perfect sleep and hardly ever get sick so it is not due to these reasons. I thought I was ovulating due to my mucus change but my temperature went from 36.6c  3 days in a row and then to 36.8 and then the next day back down to 36.6. My cycles vary from 17 – 35 days so it is very hard to keep track. Does this mean I will have trouble conceiving?
Answer
Last Updated: July 22, 2013
Hello,
We would first like to reassure you that when beginning NFP, almost all couples have many questions, and sometimes confusion, when observing and charting fertility signs; and this is where meeting with an NFP teacher can be very valuable to you. It appears you are already making careful temperature and mucus records, which is the key to successful interpretation. With such accurate daily entries, your charts will be interpretable.
As to the comments you’ve made regarding your chart, we find nothing unusual. Temperatures normally fluctuate, but as you may know, you are watching for a SUSTAINED rise (.4 degrees) above the low temperature level, coinciding with a mucus dry-up, to confirm ovulation. Since the temperatures you give do not seem to meet this requirement, you are probably correct to assume ovulation has not occurred. However, without reviewing your entire chart, it’s not possible to say what might be happening. Several things come to mind. These may be anovulatory cycles, which are not uncommon on occasion. Since your cycle variation is as much as 18 days, some of your bleeds may actually be breakthrough bleeding and not actual periods.
We would also have some questions. What is your age? Have you been on any hormonal contraception? What is your weight? Answers to these, and review of diet and other health factors may point to some information and changes that could be very helpful in making your cycles, and thus the practice of NFP, easier to understand. And once again, this is where the personal counsel of an NFP teacher can be very helpful, and we would recommend your consulting the CANFP directory or www.ccli.org for the sympto-thermal instructor nearest you.
The Gronskys
We would first like to reassure you that when beginning NFP, almost all couples have many questions, and sometimes confusion, when observing and charting fertility signs; and this is where meeting with an NFP teacher can be very valuable to you. It appears you are already making careful temperature and mucus records, which is the key to successful interpretation. With such accurate daily entries, your charts will be interpretable.
As to the comments you’ve made regarding your chart, we find nothing unusual. Temperatures normally fluctuate, but as you may know, you are watching for a SUSTAINED rise (.4 degrees) above the low temperature level, coinciding with a mucus dry-up, to confirm ovulation. Since the temperatures you give do not seem to meet this requirement, you are probably correct to assume ovulation has not occurred. However, without reviewing your entire chart, it’s not possible to say what might be happening. Several things come to mind. These may be anovulatory cycles, which are not uncommon on occasion. Since your cycle variation is as much as 18 days, some of your bleeds may actually be breakthrough bleeding and not actual periods.
We would also have some questions. What is your age? Have you been on any hormonal contraception? What is your weight? Answers to these, and review of diet and other health factors may point to some information and changes that could be very helpful in making your cycles, and thus the practice of NFP, easier to understand. And once again, this is where the personal counsel of an NFP teacher can be very helpful, and we would recommend your consulting the CANFP directory or www.ccli.org for the sympto-thermal instructor nearest you.
The Gronskys
Answered By:
Andrea and Ron Gronsky
Andrea and Ron Gronsky, PhD, Professional Members of CANFP,now retired, taught the Sympto Thermal Method through the Couple to Couple League, in the Oakland Region.
