🌡️ Baseline to Post-Ovulation Core Temperature Shift (Overview)
- Average post-ovulation rise in basal body temperature (BBT):
~0.3°C to 0.6°C (0.5°F to 1.0°F) - This rise is caused by the thermogenic effect of progesterone released by the corpus luteum after ovulation.
- Core body temperature, especially when measured continuously with modern wearables (e.g., Oura Ring, TempDrop, continuous sensors), shows a similar but often more stable and precise increase.
📈 Greatest Documented Excursions
- Most clinical and wearable sensor studies report maximum individual temperature shifts of up to:
- 0.8°C (1.4°F) in rare cases
- Very occasionally, 1.0°C (1.8°F) in extreme, well-documented cases with high progesterone output or low follicular baseline temps
- Example Study:
- One study using continuous core temperature sensors showed peak follicular-luteal temperature shifts approaching 0.85°C (1.5°F) in some individuals, particularly those with high luteal-phase progesterone levels or athletic women with low baseline temps.
📌 Clinical Pearl:
The magnitude of the thermal shift can vary due to:
- Progesterone levels (higher = greater rise)
- Individual metabolic rate
- Environmental temperature stability
- Accuracy of measurement (oral BBT vs. wearable vs. core sensor)
- Illness or inflammation (which can skew values)
✅ Summary:
The greatest documented core temperature excursion post-ovulation in healthy, non-febrile individuals is typically around 0.8–1.0°C (1.4–1.8°F), though the average is closer to 0.3–0.5°C (0.5–1.0°F).
Let me know if you’d like references or a comparison chart of measurement methods (BBT vs. skin vs. core sensors)!
