Cycle tracking: What is it and should you be tracking yours? (Spoiler alert: yes!)

At the end of my first year of medical school I learned how to track my menstrual cycle in detail. I still remember the rush of empowerment paired with frustration for never being taught about my body’s fertility signs before. Learning how to track and interpret my own cycle is what led me to a career in reproductive health, and one of my passions is sharing this information with my patients!

People who menstruate are taught from a young age that pregnancy can be achieved any day of the month, pain and other PMS symptoms are normal, and that 28-day cycles are the gold standard. These are simply not true!

Learning to track your cycle opens the door to getting in tune with your body and your own signs of fertility. This increase in body literacy is not only empowering, but also important for health. Charting can serve as a diagnostic tool for imbalance, and it can be the roadmap to guide you on your journey towards wellness.

WHO SHOULD BE TRACKING THEIR CYCLE?

• Someone who has irregular, short, or long cycles

• Someone who is trying to get pregnant

• Someone who is trying to avoid pregnancy

• Someone who is ready to discontinue hormonal birth control

• Someone who is postpartum and/or breastfeeding

• Someone who wants to understand their cycle as a vital sign of health

HOW AND WHY DOES CYCLE TRACKING WORK?

• Estrogen and progesterone are two main reproductive hormones that rise and fall throughout the menstrual cycle. In a typical cycle, estrogen is dominant in the first half of the cycle, while progesterone rises in the second half of the cycle.

  • Progesterone is warming to the body, so a sustained rise in basal body temperature can help identify when ovulation may have occurred

• Men are fertile every day, but women are only fertile for a set number of days each month. These days can be identified by noticing the presence and quality of cervical fluid.

  •   Cervical fluid is made by estrogen and helps keep sperm alive until ovulation. After ovulation, you should notice an absence of fertile cervical fluid for the rest of your cycle

    • Fun fact: Sperm only live about 3-5 hours without cervical fluid but can live 3-5 days when cervical fluid is present!

• As ovulation approaches, the cervix moves higher up and the opening widens. As you learn to track your fertility, you may choose to check your cervix position to give you additional confirmation around ovulation.  

• Learning to check for and interpret cervical fluid & cervix position changes takes time and education.

WHAT DOES CYCLE TRACKING INVOLVE?

• There are many ways to track your cycle, but it typically involves a combination of checking basal body temperature, checking for cervical fluid changes, and tracking cervix position.

• Keep track of the total number of days of the cycle, as well as length of pre and post ovulation phases.

• To avoid pregnancy, there are various rules around what is and is not a safe day for unprotected intercourse. You should already feel very comfortable with cycle tracking before it is used as a contraceptive tool.

• To accurately track your cycle, it is recommended to work with a trained practitioner to better understand your body’s cues and fertility signs.

WHAT INFORMATION CAN CYCLE TRACKING PROVIDE?

• Infertility or potential pregnancy complications

• Low progesterone

• Hypothyroidism or other endocrine imbalances

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

• Ovarian cysts

• Abnormal uterine bleeding

• Chronic stress or adrenal dysfunction

• Autoimmune conditions

• Chronic infections

• Perimenopause

EXAMPLES OF HOW A CYCLE CHART CAN HELP YOU:

• Identify low progesterone or a luteal phase defect

  • You may be ovulating late and have a shorter number of days between ovulation and your next cycle. This could have health implications including difficulty getting pregnant.

• Help time blood tests and imaging such as ultrasound

  • For example, the standard “day 21” progesterone test may be too early or too late for you. Medicine is not one size fits all!

• Help time the use of LH strips for pregnancy goals

• Help time the use of progesterone supplementation for pregnancy goals

• Help your healthcare provider understand and interpret hormonal imbalance

MY FAVORITE RESOURCES TO GET STARTED AND LEARN MORE:

• Kindara app (the free version allows you to track days, basal body temperature, cervical fluid changes, when sexual activity occurs, and other symptoms related to your cycle)

• 1-minute oral thermometer to track basal body temperature

• Book recommendations: The 5th Vital Sign, by Lisa Hendrickson & Taking Charge of your Fertility, by Tori Weschler

Cycle tracking can become an easily integrated part of your day. My goal for you is to wake up every day and be able to determine if you are fertile or not just as easily as you decide if you are hungry or not.

Learning to track my cycle changed my life, and I want to share that gift with you. Click here to schedule with me and get started.