PCOS BBT Chart for Fertility Charting (FREE Printable PDF)

To help with your pregnancy program, Gizigo has prepared a PCOS BBT chart for you. Below is an example of the chart. We will explain how to use the chart in the next section.

You can download the printable file (FAHRENHEIT version) by clicking the link below.

Or download the printable file (CELCIUS version) by clicking the link below.

Fertility Charting with PCOS BBT Chart

You’re not alone if you’re having trouble getting pregnant because of PCOS. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is the most common cause of infertility in women.

An estimated 5-6 million women in the United States have PCOS. The World Health Organization (WHO) data shows that around 3.4% or approximately 116 million women worldwide suffer from PCOS.¹

Hormonal disturbances prevent egg cells from developing normally. The timing of ovulation and menstrual cycles becomes irregular, making it more difficult for women with PCOS to get pregnant. Then how do you find out the right time of ovulation for you?

One of the simplest tool to help your a pregnancy program is the fertility chart. This chart is used to monitor female fertility signs. In a regular cycle, signs of ovulation are in the middle of the cycle.²

One of the fertility charts you can use is the basal body temperature (BBT) measurement chart.

What is the BBT Measurement Table for PCOS?

Basal Body Temperature, or BBT, is the body temperature when the body is at rest and not doing any activity.

At the time of ovulation, levels of the hormone progesterone will increase. As a result, your BBT will also increase slowly.

The increase in body temperature can range from 0.280–0.550 Celcius higher during ovulation until the next period with an average BBT of 36.10–36.60 Celcius (97 – 99 Fahrenheit). If the temperature remains high for more than 18 days after ovulation, it could signify pregnancy.³

The following are the indicators that you need to pay attention to when measuring your BBT:

1. Menstruation Cycle
   You can record your BBT starting from the first day of the menstrual cycle.
   For women with PCOS, menstrual cycles can be long and irregular (e.g., once every 2-3 months or only 8-9 times a year). Recording this cycle is very important, so you should pay attention to it in recording BBT.
2. Date
   Writing the date is no less important in recording BBT because you’ll take the measurements daily. So, pay more attention to the date of your menstrual cycle!
   Adjust the date on the chart with the date you start recording BBT. For example, if your 1st menstruation cycle was the 7th April, just mark “1” on the menstruation cycle row and “7” on the date. Then just carry it on to the following months.
3. Basal Body Temperature
   Basal body temperature is measured when the body has not been fully active. Usually, this measurement is better done every morning right after waking up or before getting out of bed. You have to pay attention to this rule to make the results more accurate.
   Please note that our basal body temperature is usually lower than our regular body temperature. Before ovulation, a woman’s BBT averages between 97°F (36.1°C) and 97.5°F (36.4°C). After ovulation, it rises to 97.6°F (36.4°C) to 98.6°F (37°C).
   Temperature measurement can be done using a digital oral thermometer or a special thermometer to measure BBT. After measuring your body temperature, record it immediately according to your date and cycle.
   We’ve prepared two chart versions on this page: One uses Fahrenheit, while the other is Celcius. Download and print the one with the temperature unit you usually use.
4. Sexual Activity
   Mark the days of your sexual intercourse.
5. Other Indicators
   • Cervical mucus
     Besides body temperature, cervical mucus is a marker for determining ovulation time.
     During menstruation, mucus discharge will decrease or appear yellow and even cloudy white, with a sticky texture resembling glue. Whereas before ovulation, mucus will have a softer texture and a white or slightly yellowish color.
     The texture or consistency of the mucus during ovulation is similar to egg white, which is clear and somewhat thick.
     Cervical mucus will come out more during ovulation compared to other phases. Then after ovulation, the amount of cervical mucus will decrease again and have a thick and sticky texture.
     For more explanation of this indicator, please check the “How to Use the BBT Table?”
   • Psychological pressure
     Many factors can cause psychological pressure that affect the condition of our body. So, pay attention to your states of stress or anxiety as it can indirectly affect your BBT.
   • Alcohol
     Consumption of alcoholic beverages can increase blood flow or vasodilation in the body, which can cause body temperature to increase.
   • Medicine
     The medication you take affects the condition of the body. Unfit body conditions, disease, and consumption of particular medicines can affect the results of BBT.

How to Use the PCOS BBT Chart?

Using the basal body temperature (BBT) table is straightforward and can be done by anyone with little training. However, to get the most out of this BBT table, you must consistently track it daily.

The tool you’d need is a body temperature gauge, or a digital oral thermometer, or a special thermometer to measure BBT.⁴

The following is the procedure for filling in the basal body temperature (BBT) table that we’ve prepared for you:

1. The first thing to do is measure your basal body temperature in the morning. For more accurate measurements, you can follow these tips:
   • Do it every morning right after waking up or before getting out of bed.
   • Measurements are done at the same hour every morning. Ensure you do it within 30 minutes from the designated hour.
   • Write your daily body temperature on the PCOS BBT chart according to the measured body temperature.
2. Check your cervical mucus and record it on the cervical mucus row. You can use any color you like, or just use the symbols as follow:
   • Put a “P“, which means your period during menstruation.
   • Mark “D“, which means dry when no fluid or mucus coming out.
   • Mark “S” means sticky rice when the liquid that comes out is sticky.
   • Mark “C” means creamy when the liquid is thick (milky, lotiony).
   • Put an “E”, which means egg white, if the cervical mucus has an egg white color and is not sticky (slippery, stretchy).
3. Put a (+) sign if there are social activities, psychological pressure or stress factors, alcohol, and medicine usage. Additionally, you can write down the medication you are taking below the printed chart if you want.

What are the Benefits of Using a PCOS BBT Table?

Maybe you are wondering, what’s the point of all the hassle? What are the benefits of using the PCOS BBT chart?

The BBT table has many functions and uses, whereas its usage is very simple, inexpensive, and has no side effects.⁴

Here are the summarized benefits of a BBT table for you:

• Understanding your menstrual cycle
  The menstrual cycle is a periodic change in the female reproductive system.
  This cycle begins with the follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases before menstruation finally occurs. The follicular phase is a phase in which the basal body temperature is relatively low before increasing after entering the luteal phase after ovulation.
  By recording BBT every day, your menstrual cycle can be more measurable.
• Choosing the right time for sexual intercourse
  By knowing the menstrual cycle, you can determine the right time to have sex. Depending on your objective, you can regulate sexual intercourse to maximize the chance of fertilization, or even prevent fertilization from occurring. This method is indeed fundamental as the first step to planning a pregnancy.
• Predicting your fertility window
  Body temperature will increase shortly after ovulation, caused by the increased hormone progesterone. This hormone has a thermogenic property or produces heat. In this case, the increase in body temperature can be used to predict the time of fertility.
  After ovulation, an increase in basal body temperature that lasts 18 days or more can be an early indicator of pregnancy.

Who should Use the PCOS BBT Table?

Tables of basal body temperature (BBT) benefit couples wanting to undergo a pregnancy program.

Several tools can help determine the time of ovulation to maximize your chances of getting pregnant. One of the options is a basal body temperature (BBT) chart or table.

Anyone can use the BBT table with little to no training. This table will undoubtedly be handy for PCOS sufferers with irregular cycles due to hormonal disturbances.

When should You Use the PCOS BBT Table?

If you’re planning for pregnancy, using this table is recommended.

Charting the basal body temperature has been used for decades to help optimize the timing of sexual intercourse during the fertile period. BBT is used to understand the menstrual cycle so that you can find out when ovulation is.

You can use the PCOS BBT chart starting the first day of menstruation every morning after waking up, before getting out of bed.⁵

(Author: Saskia Fika Ilmiyani; Editor: Laras Ayu Sekar Arum)

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References

1. Bulsara J, Patel P, Soni A, Acharya A: A review: brief insight into polycystic ovarian syndrome. Endocr Metab Sci. 2021, 3:100085. 10.1016/j.endmts.2021.100085
2. Goeckenjan M, Schiwek E, Wimberger P. Continuous Body Temperature Monitoring to Improve the Diagnosis of Female Infertility. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 2020 Jul;80(7):702-712. doi: 10.1055/a-1191-7888. Epub 2020 Jul 14. PMID: 32675832; PMCID: PMC7360395.
3. Steward K, Raja A. Physiology, Ovulation And Basal Body Temperature. [Updated 2022 Jul 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546686/
4. “Basal body temperature for natural family planning”. Mayo Clinic. 10 Februari 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/basal-body-temperature/about/pac-20393026. (Diakses 08 April 2023).
5. Su HW, Yi YC, Wei TY, Chang TC, Cheng CM. Detection of ovulation, a review of currently available methods. Bioeng Transl Med. 2017;2(3):238-246. doi:10.1002/btm2.10058