Fertility Charting

Reviewed by Sharon LaMothe, Infertility Specialist

Fertility charting is the best way for a woman to learn about her cycles.  There are three basic ways to chart your ovulation and menstrual cycles: Basal Body Temperature, Counting Days, and Cervical Mucous Monitoring.

1) Basal Body Temp

Making this chart requires you to take your body’s temperature each morning before you get out of bed.  As you begin to chart your temperatures, you will be able to see when your temperature fluctuates. This enables you to determine when you are actually ovulating, and can increase your chances for pregnancy.

2) Counting Days

This method allows a woman who has a regular menstruation cycle to accurately predict when she is and isn’t ovulating.  The first day of your period occurs exactly 14 days after ovulation.

3) Cervical Mucous Monitoring

This method requires a woman to do what is called the finger test.  By physically removing mucous from your vaginal area you can determine your ovulation cycle by the color and texture of the mucous.