Determine a Miscarriage by Basal Body Temperature
Every pregnancy women has worried about a miscarriage and wished that she could just determine if a miscarriage was going to happen or not; determining a miscarriage may be possible by determining a miscarriage vy your basal body temperature. Us Moms gets a lot of questions directed towards the main concern of “How can I know when I am going to have a miscarriage? Can I detect a miscarriage? How do I determine a miscarriage? Will I know If I Miscarry? Would I know If I Had a Miscarriage Are there Miscarriage Tests?”. We always answer these questions with “You can determine a miscarriage by your basal body temperature-sometimes”. Certain hormones in your body cause all of the results you see on any fertility monitor you have used, such as basal body thermometers or saliva microscopes to detect ovulation. So wouldn’t it come natural to expect that you can also receive a result on the same very tests to tell us when the hormones have changed once again? Surprisingly, a lot of women have come to Us Moms in awe that you can actually determine a miscarriage by your basal body temperature. That is not to say however, that your basal body temperature will forewarn every women with every single miscarriage. Now, lets get some background information to help you realize the cause of this notion and how you can determine a miscarriage by your basal body temperature.
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Estrogen, which is mainly produced by your ovaries and the placenta during later pregnancy, is known as the ”cool” hormone. Estrogen is present in higher amounts before you ovulate and than drops down after you ovulate. Progesterone, which is responsible for preparing your uterine lining for a fertilized egg and sustaining the pregnancy, is known as the “hot” hormone. Progesterone is in higher amounts after you ovulate and lower amounts before you ovulate. Think of these two hormones being on a teeter-totter throughout your fertile years. Progesterone has a bigger role in your fertility however because it is needed to sustain a pregnancy and often given as a supplement to help prevent miscarriages. You may want to see low progesterone and miscarriages for more information.
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If the released egg during ovulation is fertilized, and implants successfully into your uterus, your progesterone will stay high throughout your entire pregnancy- causing you to be “hot” and your basal body temperature to be elevated. Ever notice that pregnant women are always hot? This is due to high levels of progesterone. If the egg is not fertilized than your progesterone, and basal body temperature, will drop and you will begin your menstruation cycle a few days to a few hours later. Some times people suffer from low Progesterone which can cause a miscarriage(some doctors think it is the other way around and low progesterone really means the pregnancy wasn’t viable and caused the progesterone to lower). Your doctor, however, can give you progesterone shots or ‘suppliments’ to help sustain the pregnancy and try to avoid a miscarriage.
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What Temperature Indicates a Miscarriage
What are the signs of a miscarriage? Do you see where your basal body temperature comes in now? So yes, you can use your basal body temperature to determine a miscarriage in the first trimester. If you do continue to chart your basal body temperature during your first trimester and it goes down to pre-ovulation temperature(below cover line) this could be an indication you are about experience a miscarriage. If your temperature drops to below your cover line, if you tracked your basal body temperature you know what your cover line is, for more than two mornings than you should give your doctor a call as he or she may decide to use progesterone supplements to attempt to void off a miscarriage. If you do not know your cover line the average is about 97.5F, meaning if your temperature is lower than 97.0F and you do not know what your cover line is than you should also give your doctor a call.
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When Will My Temperature Not Indicate a Miscarriage
You can not, however, use this technique to determine a missed miscarriage(for more information see types or miscarriages) because your progesterone levels are still high when you begin to bleed thus, so would your temperature. Remember here that it is when your progesterone levels fall that your body knows to start shredding your uterine lining(bleeding). During a missed miscarriage your body does not yet know that the pregnancy is not viable. Missed miscarriages are usually determined via ultrasound where no heart beat is detected. Your progesterone and temperature would still be elevated during this situation.
Your doctor will only recommend taking a progesterone supplement if he or she suspects that the miscarriage is caused by low progesterone. If that is not the cause the chances of saving the pregnancy is slim as genetic factors can not be fixed with progesterone. If genetic factors are the case you need to just remember that miscarriages are extremely common; happening in about 75% of pregnancies, known or not. You also need to remember that taking progesterone supplements against what your doctor recommends could just be slowing down the process.