Family Planning
The area of health education for fertility and reproduction has been mostly neglected. This lack of information means that women are missing the spectrum of family planning choices with the growing popularity of natural methods. Family planning addresses not only avoiding pregnancy, but also when to have a baby . . . or your next baby. Ideal family planning is not destructive to fertility or health, and is something that most women would rather decide with their partner.
Fluctuations in basal metabolic temperature (BMT) are connected to reproductive hormones. Prior to ovulation, women's BMT range from 97.0 to 97.5 degrees (F). Temperatures rise between 0.4 degrees F and 0.8 degrees F on the day of ovulation. During the luteal (post ovulatory) phase of the cycle, the progesterone which is produced elevates the BMT. When the BMT has gone up for several days, one can assume ovulation has occurred. For those concerned with family planning, BMT is most useful for alerting the user to this post-ovulatory infertile period.
To graph your fertility cycle using BMT, you will need a digital basal thermometer. Each morning you will take your temperature upon waking, before any physical activity. You then log onto www.PHDtoGo.com, select "family planning" and record your temperature along with yes/no answers to questions relating to your condition. The system also allows you to record your weight. The resulting PHDChart is updated in less than 120 seconds after you enter the information and keeps a history of 50 days. If you need to purchase a digital basal thermometer, visit corpuscare.com.
PHDtoGo helps you record the necessary information you need to know for family planning, graph what is occurring, and even transmit this information to your healthcare professional.
If you desire, you can share the PHDChart with your doctor. Print a full color copy from the Internet at any time and take it with you on your next appointment, or email your personal PHDChart to your physician. If you give him access to your personal PHDChart ID, he can view your current vital data anywhere and anytime on the Internet.