Also the cervix moves upward toward the back of the vagina so that you have farther to reach with your finger to touch it. A woman's basal body temperature changes after ovulation. The temperature should rise several tenths of a degree above where it was prior to ovulation. Noticing these changes helps the couple to know if they had intercourse at a time when the woman was likely to have been ovulating. Another pattern that can be observed when doing temperature charting is a drop in temperature just before the period.
Progesterone is the primary cause of the temperature rise.
If inadequate amounts of progesterone are produced, the temperature will drop prior to the period beginning and the woman may also experience some light spotting during these days. Women who have mid cycle spotting or bleeding can also have low progesterone. This can lead to a problem with poor implantation of the fertilized egg and higher rates of miscarriage. When this problem is detected, there are a number of possible solutions. Natural progesterone made from soy, and or, wild yam root, are often prescribed for use during a specific part of the cycle.