[Measurement of basal temperature with the Tempadot disposable thermometer for oral use]

Twenty-two healthy women of fertile age who participated in an immunological investigation recorded basal temperature curves (BTC) with the object of illustrating the course of the menstrual cycle by means of daily measurements of the morning temperature with the Tempadot disposable thermometer for oral use. The total of 63 BTC's were assessed on the basis of the requirement of normal diphasic curves. The number of diphasic BTC was less than anticipated. In addition, four other healthy women measured the morning temperature daily with the Tempadot disposable thermometer orally and with a mercury thermometer rectally for a calendar month. It is concluded that employment of the Thermadot disposable thermometer orally is associated with great unreliability even in this material where the measurements were carried out on repeated occasions by young healthy persons.