3 Reasons to Chart Your Cycles
What is cycle charting?
Charting your cycles is not the same as using a period app (like Flo or Ovia). Cycle charting using the sympto-thermal method involves cross-checking biomarkers including basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucous, and cervical changes to determine when ovulation is about to occur, and when it has happened. You can take this even further by using LH tests (more on this below).
BBT: Basal body temperature is your waking temperature, taken orally immediately after waking (at the same time each day) with a basal body thermometer. A basal thermometer provides a temperature reading to two decimal places e.g. 36.05°C. This is important because it allows you to accurately track small changes in temperature, in order to determine when ovulation has occurred.
Ovulation is detectable by temperature tracking because following ovulation, there is a sustained rise in basal body temperature as the corpus luteum (the ‘pit’ on the ovary where the egg was released) pumps out progesterone, which has a thermogenic effect.
Cervical mucous: Commonly belittled with the term “discharge,” cervical mucous is in fact arguably the most important biomarker for ovulation. Throughout a normal menstrual cycle, cervical mucous changes in texture and quantity - from dry, to sticky, to creamy. Approaching ovulation, cervical mucous becomes plentiful, lubricative, and clear. The texture of ovulatory cervical mucous is much like eggwhite.
Cervical changes: Cervical position and texture also changes throughout your cycle. During your period, the cervix is low, firm (like the tip of your nose) and slightly open, to allow blood to flow out. Following your period, the cervix remains low and firm, but closed. As you approach ovulation, the cervix rises up, softens dramatically (feels like your lips) and opens slightly.
The combination of fertile, eggwhite quality cervical mucous and the changes to the cervix facilitates the journey of sperm toward the egg.
LH testing: LH tests are simple urine test strips that look for the presence and concentration of luteinising hormone (LH). There is a surge of LH a day or two before ovulation, so testing for this hormone can help you ascertain when ovulation is likely to occur.
Why You Should Chart Your Cycles
Know if and when you’re ovulating.
This is valuable information whether you’re trying to get pregnant or avoid it. Ovulation is not just for making babies - it’s a sign of good health.
Develop a deeper understanding of your body and gain more control over your life.
Two of my favourite things about charting my cycles are:
A. I’m deeply in touch with my own reproductive physiology and understand when I might experience shifts in mood, appetite or motivation throughout my cycle. Your cycle affects your mood more than just premenstrually!
B. Based on that understanding, I’m able to do everything from schedule social events nearer to ovulation (when I’m likely to be at my most social and energetic) to planning my weekly shop based on the fact that in my luteal phase, I know I’ll be hungrier than usual, so I stock up accordingly.
Learn what might be behind your fertility problems.
Charting is especially useful for women who experience recurrent miscarriages or unexplained fertility. Charting provides valuable insight into what your hormones are likely doing. For example, your chart might show that you have a short luteal phase (indicating low progesterone) which makes implantation difficult and increases the likelihood of miscarriage if you do conceive.
Resources
Downloadable cycle charts: Click Here
Further reading: If you’d like to know more, I highly recommend the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It contains everything you need to know, plus a whole lot more that will blow your mind.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gemma is a fertility and women’s health naturopath in Auckland, New Zealand. She is a mother to 3-year-old Laura and an avid (perhaps slightly obsessive) cook. In her spare time, you’ll find her rummaging through her cookbook collection, hitting up local restaurants or pottering in the veggie garden.