Does External Environment Affect The Basal Body Temperature

Posted on Fri, 3 Jan 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 3 Jan 2014 Answered on

Fri, 24 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello doc , Had Some general questions regarding bbt . I work in a environment where i stay all time in an a/c room and there is no heater as it affects the machines . I would want to know if this cold room affects my BBT? How to know the real temperature of my body i.e whether its warm or cold as i dont have access to thermometers . Also , would like to know how i can differentiate between certain symptoms which may be a sign of pregnancy but also happen due to cold temperatures such as frequent urination ,blocked nose and sneezes Kindly help

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: External environment does not affect BBT. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for trusting us with your health concern. The basal body temperature is not affected by the air conditioned environment as it is the internal temperature of the body. It can only be measured with the help of a thermometer kept under the tongue for more than 30 seconds. You can record it daily at the same time of the day and maintain a chart to predict the time of ovulation. The symptoms that you have mentioned are all non specific which may indicate pregnancy but the conclusive diagnosis is made only after a urine test for pregnancy using an early morning sample of urine after the periods are overdue by more than 5 days. Please feel free to discuss further. I will be glad to answer the follow up queries that you have. Wishing you good health. Regards. Dr. Rakhi Tayal. For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Rakhi-Tayal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (16 minutes later)

Hello Dr XXXXXXX , Thank you Can i use an ordinary digital thermo for recording BBT ? My periods is currently overdue by 6 days , today being the 7th . My shortest cycle has been 29 days and longest 34 . My cycles vary monthly and i am currently on CD 38. I am also facing lot of sleepiness during day time ,extreme fatigue after food ,creamish white discharge sometimes just watery white during urination ,constipation and headaches during the past 1 week I am counting on my changes in diet and food timings for this long delay in case of non-pregnancy ? Kindly suggest when can i go for HPK test ?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (20 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Yes you can use a digital thermometer. Detailed Answer: Hello. Thanks for writing again. Yes you can use an ordinary digital thermometer. Since your periods are already overdue by a week, you must do a HPK test tomorrow morning with the first sample of the urine. The symptoms that you are having could be due to pregnancy. But it needs to be confirmed with a urine test. Hope my answer is helpful. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish you good health. Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (31 hours later)

Thanks doc I took a HPK test this morning but the result was not so clear,couldn't make out the second line .I am giving it another week before testing again. I did not have any symptoms of implantation or conception . Is it normal not to see spotting or any symptoms? Not doing any symptom checks , but some of things just show out on their own such as discharge , Headaches, constant Hunger makes me feel like i can eat 2 big bowls of food but all i can eat is hardly 8 to 12 spoons but the next moment i am hungry crazily . Please suggest any measures by which i can control my hunger and what food items i can take to keep in good health.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (11 hours later)

Brief Answer: It is normal to have no symptoms. Detailed Answer: Hello. It is normal to be pregnant and not have any symptoms like implantation bleeding. The bouts of hunger that you are feeling may be related to the hormonal changes associated with delayed periods. You can go for a serum beta HCG level detection to get a more specific result. You can take some healthy snacks and salads more frequently to control the hunger. Avoid taking any fried foods. Taking filling foods like porridge and oats will help. Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T