What is the symptothermal method?
The symptothermal method is a method of natural family planning (NFP). It helps you to understand exactly where you are in your cycle, i.e. whether you can get pregnant or not. To evaluate this, the symptothermal method uses various fertility indicators, such as core body temperature and cervical mucus, and assesses these according to defined calculation criteria in order to reliably evaluate the cycle. The aim is to determine whether or not ovulation has already taken place in the cycle in question – i.e. whether fertility can still be assumed or whether the fertile phase has ended. The fact that cervical mucus and core body temperature are evaluated using symptothermal analysis means that there is a „double check“. This allows fertile and infertile days to be distinguished much more accurately. The calculation rules of the symptothermal method have been researched and established in several studies (see studies by Freundl G, Frank-Hermann P, Gnoth C et al.).
Who is the symptothermal method suitable for?
The symptothermal method is based on the interplay of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, LH, and FSH in the body.
Before ovulation, your body is busy maturing several follicles. This is done by the hormone FSH. All these growing follicles produce estrogen. Estrogen affects cervical mucus – as ovulation approaches, the cervical mucus becomes more stretchy and transparent. The hormone LH becomes active and triggers ovulation: the best, most beautiful, and most developed follicle bursts, releasing its egg for fertilization. As the egg travels, the follicle transforms into the corpus luteum and starts producing progesterone. This hormone causes the characteristic rise in body temperature – this higher temperature persists until the next menstruation begins and a new cycle starts.
The symptothermal method utilizes these changes in cervical mucus and basal body temperature to evaluate your cycle and distinguish between fertile and infertile days. The rise in basal body temperature indicates that ovulation has occurred and you are no longer fertile. The quality of cervical mucus – clearer, stretchier, and more transparent – indicates that ovulation is approaching and you are fertile. After ovulation, when the cervical mucus becomes thick, clumpy, or even disappears entirely, it is a sign that ovulation has occurred and you are no longer fertile.
The symptothermal method can be used by all individuals who have a hormonally uninfluenced cycle to determine if and when ovulation has occurred.
How does the symptothermal method work?
The symptothermal method is based on the interaction of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, LH, and FSH in the body.
Before ovulation, your body is busy maturing several follicles. This is done by the hormone FSH. All of these growing follicles produce oestrogen. The hormone oestrogen influences the cervical mucus – the closer you get to ovulation, the more spinnable and transparent the cervical mucus becomes. The hormone LH becomes active and triggers ovulation: of the matured follicles, the best, most beautiful and most developed follicle bursts and sends its egg on its journey. While the egg is on its way, the follicle calls it a day. It becomes the corpus luteum and produces progesterone. This hormone causes the characteristic rise in body temperature – this higher temperature remains until the next menstruation starts and a new cycle begins.
The symptothermal method utilizes these changes in cervical mucus and core body temperature to evaluate your cycle and distinguish fertile from infertile days. The rise in core body temperature is a sign that ovulation has occurred and you are no longer fertile. The clarity, stretchiness, and transparency of cervical mucus indicate approaching ovulation and fertility. After ovulation, when cervical mucus becomes thick, lumpy, or even disappears, it is a sign that ovulation has occurred and you are no longer fertile.
How do I apply the symptothermal method?
It depends on which method of application you choose. You can use the ‚traditional‘ method by measuring your temperature every morning before getting up (always at the same time) either orally or vaginally, and then recording the result. Throughout the day, you also observe your cervical mucus and note its characteristics in the evening. Every evening, you compare the temperature values and cervical mucus characteristics to determine whether ovulation has already occurred or if it’s still going to happen.
Or you can use the trackle cycle computer: it also evaluates according to the symptothermal method but eliminates the need for morning measurements through constant nighttime monitoring. And the evaluation works automatically – less effort and more security for you. Here you can find detailed information on how trackle’s symptothermal evaluation works.
How does the symptothermal method identify ovulation?
How does the symptothermal method identify ovulation?
According to the rules of the symptothermal method, ovulation is considered to have occurred when these two conditions are met:
- A peak in cervical mucus has occurred, meaning cervical mucus of very good quality (particularly transparent, sticky, and stretchy) followed by three days of cervical mucus with significantly poorer quality.
- A temperature shift has occurred, meaning that for at least three consecutive days, the temperature has been higher than on the previous six days. The third higher temperature value must be at least 0.2°C higher than the previous six days.
Determining the infertile days before ovulation is a slightly more complicated matter. Cervical mucus plays an important role in this regard: it serves as a sign of approaching fertility. Additionally, the previous cycles are analyzed, and based on the temperature rise, the earliest ovulation is calculated. Once again, the symptothermal method employs a ‚double check‘ to reliably evaluate your cycle.
Advantages of the symptothermal method
Observing bodily symptoms has been proven to work very well. It is entirely non-invasive, highly informative, and helps women better understand their bodies and their functions, enabling them to make self-responsible decisions. The symptothermal method helps you calculate your fertile days and always uses a 'double check' approach - allowing you to safely prevent pregnancy or fulfill your desire to conceive.
Disadvantages of the symptothermal method
The interplay of various hormones is a marvel – but it's not a machine. Numerous factors can disrupt the system's balance. And isn't your daily life already quite packed? Adding measurements, knowledge, and calculations to the mix – not so easy to implement. Therefore, errors can easily occur in the manual implementation of the symptothermal method – especially when measurements are taken only at specific points, such as in the morning, and the data is entered or recorded by hand, without digital support for analysis.
Reliability of the symptothermal method
The symptothermal method has been thoroughly researched for many years, and its reliability in determining fertile days has been confirmed by numerous studies.
trackle simplifies the symptothermal method
The symptothermal method, on which trackle is based, combines your overnight measured core body temperature with your observations of cervical mucus and automatically evaluates these two parameters.
So, you no longer need to manually measure every morning; instead, your core body temperature is automatically captured overnight. Additionally, the subsequent data transfer and fertility calculation are also done automatically.
This eliminates the most common sources of error in fertility determination: no more measurement errors, no inaccurate temperature evaluations, no more errors in fertility calculation.
Instead, you have a hormone-free, safe, well-researched contraceptive method. Simple, secure, digital.
More precise measurement of core body temperature
The trackle sensor uses a highly precise thermometer that accurately captures and stores your core body temperature to the hundredth of a degree. This ensures compliance with the requirements of the symptothermal method, leaving no room for the slightest temperature deviation.
Easy while you sleep
Traditional morning measurements can be challenging; they require a lot of discipline and a consistent lifestyle to be truly reliable. That's why measuring while you sleep makes your life easier: no matter when you wake up, when you go to sleep, whether you're disturbed during the night, or if you've been out celebrating late into the evening. By measuring your basal temperature while you sleep, the lowest value is always detected. Absolutely guaranteed.
trackle does the work for you
Calculating, counting, adhering to rules, entering values: yes, it has to be done to ensure accurate results. But you don't have to do it yourself, do you? That's what the smart trackle system is for. It transfers your data and calculates everything necessary for reliable results.