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Your body temperature should fall slightly before ovulation then rise quickly afterwards. It is worth noting, however, that sometimes the fall prior to ovulation is absent. The increase in temperature occurs in response to the progesterone that is produced after ovulation occurs. Progesterone levels and the body temperature remain elevated until a day or so before the next period begins. If pregnancy occurs, the temperature rise (and elevated progesterone levels) persists.

• If you want to use this technique to find out when you are ovulating, take your temperature with a thermometer in the morning before getting out of bed. Any medical thermometer that can measure in tenths of 1 °C can be used. Thermometers (including electronic ones) and temperature charts can be purchased from pharmacies.

• If you are recording an oral temperature reading, remember to check your temperature before drinking anything hot or cold to avoid getting an inaccurate reading.

• Take your temperature at the same time every day.

• Repeat for each cycle that you want to check for ovulation. If you have a regular cycle, ovulation is likely to occur at around the same time during each cycle.

The downside of using this method to check for your fertile period is that your temperature rise occurs after ovulation and by the time your temperature has risen, the egg may no longer be viable. If you have a regular menstrual cycle, however, the time of ovulation may be anticipated based on a well-recorded pattern in temperature rise. This then allows intercourse to be timed to coincide with ovulation.