11/13/2025
In my mind, the most practical way to consistently track ovulation when we’re trying to differentiate between pre-menstrual symptoms, PCOS, and perimenopause is through temperature tracking.
But how should you properly temperature track?
We only make progesterone after ovulation and progesterone actually causes the body temperature to increase slightly for the second half of the cycle from ovulation until menstruation. To quantify this and track this, you would need to take your temperature first thing in the morning before rolling out of bed, and see the pattern throughout the month.
A regular thermometer can be used to do this, but gives the best information when you sleep well, are not having alcohol the night before, and wake up at a consistent time most days. Alcohol, fever, poor sleep, and sleeping-in can all skew the numbers to some extent.
Are there other options?
Practically speaking, some people find it stressful to remember to take it first thing every morning. This is where a wearable could be an interesting thing.
I got an oura ring for this purpose (and to understand it better for patients), and the temperature rise and falls with the cycle are very clear.
TempDrop is another wearable tool that some people will use to track temperature.
As with any wearable, the question you should always ask yourself is , “Will this change anything?”. If you have a consistent cycle and no symptoms, or the symptoms are clear as to what they are, then it likely isn’t worth it.
The other data isn’t that compelling (I’d rather you focus on how your sleep feels, and the activity tracking is pretty inaccurate).
But if you have a lot of questions about your cycle and that’s frustrating to you; or if you’ve had a hysterectomy but still have o***y hormone production; or you have an IUD without bleeding, it may help you to understand your symptoms better.
And again, you can definitely do it with a normal thermometer as well, it just takes a bit more brainpower to remember!
Save this for later and send me any questions!
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