The value of the basal temperature chart in the management of infertility

The basal temperature chart (BTC) has been used as a means of screening the ovarian function of infertile patients and for monitoring their response to ovarian stimulation. During three years in a busy infertility clinic, specifically designated for cases of functional infertility, 491 patients were seen and 96 per cent of them kept valid basal temperature charts. The use of the BTC enabled therapy to be instituted early on in the course of investigations in those cases of infertility in which there was an endocrine factor. There were 420 patients in this category; of those who received treatment a high percentage became pregnant in contrast to those who were being observed. It is recommended that the BTC should be used early and more frequently in the management of cases of infertility, since it has been shown to serve as an inexpensive and convenient parameter of ovarian function.