Problems in using basal body temperature recordings in an infertility clinic

Area of Science:

• Reproductive endocrinology
• Gynecology
• Medical diagnostics

Background:

• Basal body temperature (BBT) charting is a common method for infertility diagnosis and treatment.
• Overemphasis on BBT chart interpretation may hinder effective patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of BBT chart interpretation by both expert gynecologists and non-experts.
• To assess the reliability of BBT recordings in predicting ovulation timing, particularly in infertile women.

Main Methods:

• Sixty BBT charts from normal and infertile women were scored by gynecologists and non-experts.
• Chart interpretations were compared against complete hormonal profiles to determine accuracy.
• Retrospective analysis examined the correlation between thermal nadir and luteinizing hormone (LH) surge.

Main Results:

• Both groups correctly identified ovulatory vs. anovulatory cycles in approximately 80% of cases.
• The day of ovulation was accurately predicted in only about 34% of charts.
• The thermal nadir coincided with the LH surge in 43% of normal subjects' charts versus 25% of infertile patients' charts.

Conclusions:

• While BBT charts are useful for identifying ovulation status, they are inaccurate for precise ovulation timing.
• Predicting ovulation day from BBT recordings is not clinically justified, especially in infertile populations.
• Relying solely on BBT for ovulation prediction may lead to suboptimal infertility management.