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Confirming Ovulation Using FAM

Once you learn how to identify and chart your FAM biomarkers (BBT, cervical mucus, and cervical position), you can begin learning how to identify and confirm ovulation. If you are charting with FAM, you need to learn this skill, regardless of whether you are using it for birth control, pregnancy achievement, or overall health insight. Being able to identify this point in your cycle allows you to learn a great deal more from your chart than you could without it.



Why is Confirming Ovulation so Important?


Okay, so let's spend some time talking about WHY confirming ovulation is so important. As I mentioned above, this skill should be learned by everyone using FAM, regardless of why you're using it. However, to make it easier to understand, let's break it down into categories.


If you're using FAM for birth control...


When using FAM as a method of birth control, learning to identify ovulation is essential to the method's effectiveness. If you can't confirm ovulation, you won't be able to properly identify your fertile (unsafe) days, potentially resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. While you can rely on other fertility signs to identify when ovulation is approaching, only a sustained BBT shift can confirm that it has actually happened (when using the symptothermal method).


If you're using FAM for pregnancy achievement...


Similar to using FAM for birth control, the ability to identify ovulation is closely related to your success in achieving pregnancy. The difference lies in how you use this information. Those using FAM for birth control will need to avoid unprotected intercourse on potentially fertile days, while those aiming for pregnancy achievement will do the opposite (they will have unprotected intercourse on fertile days). Additionally, tracking the BBT shift may help you identify a potential pregnancy, as your BBT should remain elevated well past your normal luteal phase length, if you do in fact become pregnant.


If you're using FAM for overall health insight...


If you grew up thinking that your period was all that mattered in regards to your menstrual health, think again. A study from 2017 states that “normal ovulatory activity during reproductive years can be considered a sign of health, because it implies adequate endocrine and gonadal function” (Vigil et. al). Essentially, this is saying that regular ovulation is important because it indicates that you're producing enough sex hormones, and your body is responding the way it's supposed to. Learning to identify ovulation can help you better understand your body, especially if you struggle with irregular cycles, hypothalamic amenorrhea, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), long cycles, or frequent (short) cycles.


How is Ovulation Identified on a FAM Chart?


On a FAM chart, ovulation is identified by tracking your BBT daily and observing for a sustained elevation in your temps (if using the symptothermal method, like me). Additionally, it can be "co-confirmed" by observing patterns in your other fertility signs, such as cervical mucus. So, let's go over the specifics of each step...


  1. Choose your BBT thermometer

  • Oral BBT or wearable BBT, it's really up to you! Check out my BBT highlight on my instagram to learn the pros and cons of each.

  1. Record your BBT daily

  • Try your best to make this a habit. Consistency is KEY in being able to interpret your charts.

  1. Look for a sustained rise in temps

  • Observe the pattern of your chart. There are several different ways a temp shift can present. Sometimes it may be very obvious, and other times not so much. Try your best to find YOUR cycle’s pattern

  1. Use the "3 above 6" rule (also called the "thermal shift" rule)

  • This rule states that if you can identify three consecutive days of temps that are higher than the previous six days, it is very likely that ovulation has occurred.

  • This is due to the influence of progesterone on our BBT (it causes it to rise). Because progesterone is only produced after ovulation has occurred, a sustained elevation in temps can be used to confirm ovulation.

  • Specifically, the first temp you look for should be at least 2/10th of a degree higher than the previous six days temps, and the third temp should be at least 3/10th of a degree higher.

  1. Use the "peak + 3" rule (also called the "peak day" rule)

  • If the previous rule holds true for your chart, you can co-confirm ovulation by assessing your cervical fluid pattern.

  • Identify your “peak day”, the last day you had fertile quality (eggwhite) fluid. If the next three days (at least) are followed by dry/sticky fluid, that’s another good sign ovulation has happened.

  • Ideally, you want these rules to overlap in regards to which days your assessing.

  1. Draw your coverline

  • Once you’ve confirmed ovulation, you can draw what is called “the coverline”. This helps make your chart easier to read at a glance, clearly separating your pre-ovulatory temps from your post-ovulatory ones. (read below for the specific steps on how to do this)

Drawing the Coverline


Once you have identified your temp shift, you can make your chart easier to understand by drawing what is called the "coverline". Basically this is a line drawn to separate your pre-ovulatory temps from your post-ovulatory ones, allowing you to more clearly see your cycle phases. Although it may sound technical and confusing, the steps to doing so are really very simple.


Let's take a look...


  1. Identify your temp rise

  • Again, we're looking for a temp that is at least 2/10th of a degree higher than the previous six days

  1. Draw a horizontal line that is 1/10th of a degree higher than the highest of the previous six days

  • I recommend waiting until after you have confirmed ovulation (using the steps discussed above) to draw your coverline

See...simple! I know all of these rules may sound confusing or overwhelming at first, but they really do become second nature with time and practice. My best advice is to just be patient with yourself as you go through the learning process.


A Final Note


I want to emphasize that there are other ways to confirm ovulation on a FAM chart, but the rules differ based on which fertility awareness method you choose to use. Because I practice the symptothermal method, I am unable to give advice on other variations. I know I have said this multiple times, but I highly recommend reading the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler, if you fully want to learn how to track your cycle using this method. Additionally, I want to note that I am not a certified FAM educator at this time; I am simply sharing what I have learned through time and experience.


References

Vigil, P., Lyon, C., Flores, B., Rioseco, H., & Serrano, F. (2017). Ovulation, a sign of health. The Linacre quarterly, 84(4), 343–355. https://doi.org/10.1080/00243639.2017.1394053 



What's Next?


Head over to my Instagram to see my "cycle chart reviews". I breakdown all you need to know about FAM cycle charts. I also have them saved to a highlight on my Instagram page!

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