Technology - Measuring basal body temperature

Basal body temperature (BBT) and your cycle. Teena tracks your cycle by detecting the thermal effects of the various phases within your menstrual cycle. Instead of guessing  when you will get your next period let Teena inform you.

What is basal body temperature?

Basal body temperature (BBT) is measured in the morning after waking up. It’s also called waking temperature. At night, the body temperature drops to its lowest value; during the day, it rises slowly and reaches its maximum in the afternoon. Viewed over a longer period of time, the resulting BBT curve provides important information about your individual cycle.

What can it tell you?

Tracking your basal body temperature (BBT) makes period prediction super accurate! With BBT, Teena can calculate if and when you have ovulated. And, after ovulation, follows menstruation. Teena lets you know when to expect your period.

Confidence

Most period tracker apps can only guess at when your next period will arrive, but BBT takes the science to another level, giving you the confidence you need to find your flow.

Unique Insights

Your collected data, plus the Teena self-learning algorithm, combine to present unique-to-you insight into your very own menstrual cycle.

But, like, how?

Your BBT is lower during your follicular phase (that’s the first phase of your menstrual cycle). It then goes up a little after you ovulate. Your BBT stays up during your luteal phase (that’s the second phase of your menstrual cycle) until right before your next period arrives.

This rise in temperature is caused by your body making the hormone progesterone, which all happens after ovulation. The temperature change after ovulation is tiny. Your BBT increases by just 0.5 ºF/0.3 ºC to 1.0 °F/0.6 ºC. Thankfully, Teena is super smart and notices the change from lower temperature to higher temperature. Teena’s temperature sensor is perfectly designed for the job!

Where is my period?

The lowdown on puberty and irregular cycles: During puberty, it is normal for around half of your cycles to not include ovulation. Anovulatory cycles (cycles with no ovulation) tend to be irregular and vary in length, but are usually shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days.

  • You may experience periods only once every two to three months, instead of every month.
  • After you have your first period, you may not have another period for several months.
  • As you get older, your cycles and periods will likely become more regular, as more of your cycles include ovulation.
  • During cycles without ovulation, you won’t see signs like a rise in your basal body temperature.
  • You may experience some spotting or what looks like a very light period during these irregular cycles. This is called a breakthrough bleed, but because ovulation did not happen, it is not called menstruation.
  • Breakthrough bleeding happens because there is no progesterone to support estrogen in keeping the uterus lining together.

Our philanthropic partner

PERIOD. is a global youth-fueled nonprofit that strives to eradicate period poverty and stigma through service, education, and advocacy. Through the distribution of menstrual products, promotion of youth leadership, and championing of menstrual equity in policy, PERIOD. aims to center those disproportionately affected by period poverty and support local efforts for menstrual equity.

period.org