OBJECTIVE: To determine if the male cohabiting partner of a woman may serve
as a control for exogenous influences on basal body temperature (BBT).
METHODS: Twelve couples from the Atlanta area were enrolled for a total of
41 couple-cycles. Couples recorded their oral temperatures daily and used u
rinary test kits for luteinizing hormone to estimate the day of ovulation.
The covariability between the pre-ovulatory temperature of the women and th
eir partners was assessed. The gaps in the couples' temperatures (female te
mperature minus male temperature) were compared in the pre- and postovulato
ry phases.
RESULTS: Considerable covariability was found between temperatures of partn
ers in the pre-ovulatory phase (covariance parameter = 0.49; P < .001). The
pre- and postovulatory temperature gaps for all couples were significantly
different in size (P < .001). For all couple-cycles, the size of the mean
postovulatory temperature gap was at least 0.3-degree Fahrenheit greater th
an the mean preovulatory temperature gap.
CONCLUSION: Recording the BET of women's partners may improve interpretatio
n and accuracy of the BET method. An increase in the size of a couple's tem
perature gap accompanies the transition from the pre- to the postovulatory
phase. By this method, a given couple could determine their unique temperat
ure gap indicating this transition. (C) 2001 by the American College of Obs
tetricians and Gynecologists.