How to Effectively Track Your Cycle
Whether you are trying to conceive, interested in your hormone health or simply want to know when to expect your period, tracking your cycle can be a very useful tool. Tracking can be done with any or all of the below methods.
Tracking just your period will allow you to have an idea of when to expect your next cycle. This is the most basic information that can be monitored with your menstrual cycle. This is helpful when you simply want more information about your health. This is likely not enough information alone if you are trying to conceive.
Fertility and hormone optimization will require more in-depth information about your cycle. We want to know when you are ovulating! Below I will explain 3 different ways to track ovulation.
Track with Ovulation Predictor Kits
· Use your OPK kit (ovulation predictor kits) starting day 11 of your cycle. Day 1 is the first day of your period.
· You want to test with first morning urine.
· The goal is to start and end with negative tests with a positive in the middle. An example would be (-) (-) (+) (+) (+) (-) (-). You may notice your positive tests getting darker and then fading as well. This is showing your LH surge which triggers ovulation.
· Add this information to your menstrual cycle tracking app!
Track your Cervical Mucous
Record cervical mucous throughout the month.
Your cervical mucous will change based on what phase of your menstrual cycle you are in.
In your follicular phase, discharge is often thick, white and dry.
Egg white cervical mucous usually indicates ovulation, and can happen between day 10-15 in the cycle. This is when you are the most fertile.
After ovulation, it will return to thick, white and dry before stopping prior to your period.
Add this information to your menstrual cycle tracking app!
Basal Body Temperature Tracking:
Using an app such as Fertility Friend on the computer and your phone will help track and interpret this data.
Basal body temperature (BBT) is your body’s temperature at rest. There is a slight increase in BBT right after ovulation.
It is important to take basal body temperature every morning on waking.
Use a thermometer that has two decimal points! Your watch or ring may track this information for you as well.
We are looking for ovulation signs (such as change in cervical mucous) with a 0.5 degree temperature increase after ovulation. Your temperature spike may not be obvious at first.
It can take 3 months of tracking to learn your basal body temperature patterns to allow for more accurate dating of ovulation.
There are a lot of apps available to track your cycle. Your health goals may help determine which app is best for you. If you are tracking just for information, any app that you like the appearance and function of will do. If you are tracking for fertility, my recommendations are:
Glow ovulation period tracker
Fertility App
Fertility Friend FF
Clue
I love patient education and want to help you fully understand your menstrual cycle. If you have any questions, please reach out so we can schedule an appointment to dive in your menstrual cycle health!