Can I take my BBT while on BC?

dresthelpless

I am on the 4th day of my cycle and once it ends I plan on starting to chart my BBT. Even though we're not technically TTC yet, I am trying to gain a sense of what I can expect and learn more about my body.

Does it make sense to do this even though I am still taking birth control (the Nuva ring)? Will it make a difference in my temps?

We are planning on TTC in August. I will most likely stop BC in June. My gyno said I only need to go through one cycle after stopping BC for my body to adjust.

Thanks!

Ken&Anna

I'm not a doctor, so I don't know for sure but using the knowledge I have, my guess is that your chart would not tell you much.  Birth control (the Nuva Ring included) gives you hormones which suppress ovulation, so you do not really have a "Follicular phase" and a "Luteal phase," and I would assume you do not, therefore, have the associated temperature changes.

That being said, it certainly couldn't hurt to take your temperature while on BC.  You'll get used to waking up at the same time every morning, rolling over and taking your temperature.  You'll be able to find a charting method that works for you.  You'll also have a better sense of what your "normal" body temperature is.  Some women have lower temperatures generally (in the 96.5 range) and some have higher temperatures normally (think: 98.5) so temping before you have a "normal" cycle will give you a baseline.

Mrs.DeliaMarieP

I would imagine that your temps would stay pretty flat while on bcp, and you would see a drop when you are about to get your period.  It wouldn't hurt to do it just to get used to it, but I would think that you won't see a biphasic chart, because you won't ovulate while on bcp, so you'll never see a spike in temp as you enter your LP, and FF won't give you crosshairs.  So, apart from getting you into the habit of temping, it won't really serve any other purpose.

JMack827

Not an expert on Nuva Ring or anything, but most hormonal bc pills prevent you from ovulating, so since recording the BBT gives you when you ovulated, it wouldn't actually be telling you anything. Though if you wanted to get in the habit, I guess that would be helpful.

argonne

Sure, you can start taking your temps to get used to it.  Your temps aren't really going to tell you anything, though, since you're not ovulating on BC.  If you do start, it would be more of a "get into the habit of it" kind of thing.

Twinkie0612

Temping while your are on BC will not tell you anything about your cycle.  Hormonal BC prevents ovulation, so you won't see a temp shift indicating ovulatation. 

 

UrbanLe1

As everybody before me has said, your chart probably won't show much if you're still on the ring--you won't ovulate, so your temp isn't going to change.  You're not going to get a biphasic chart.  

I fully support your idea of getting in tune with your body, though!  However, if you aren't going to actively start TTC until August, that seems a long time away--6 months of the added stress of temping each morning and watching for really no benefit.  I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but the tiny stresses of TTC can add up quickly, and I know that I personally wouldn't want to start worrying until I had to.  

Why not try charting the days of your cycle more loosely--when you start your period, how heavy your flow is, mood, PMS symptoms, etc.  You could keep track of that for a few months, which would give you a way of comparing your body on and off BC, without the daily stress of temping.  Just a thought.

Also, docs are always going to tell you it only takes a month.  Definitely not true for all of us!  The ring is slightly different, as it's a lower dose of hormones on a constant basis.  However, I know that I had a good 2-3 months of transition when I first went off of the ring years ago--nothing major, but it took some time to settle down into a regular pattern. 

Good luck, and kudos to you for getting involved early! 

dresthelpless

ok, you all basically just told me the same thing which clarified what I was already thinking. It would be a good idea to get in the habit. I'm sure my DH is going to be so confused why I am taking my temp. He has no idea how complicated this stuff is! haha!