Measurement of temperature in the rectum helps doctors determine the condition of the patient in a variety of situations. Moreover, this diagnostic procedure is carried out not only for young children, but also for adult men and women.
When is temperature measurement necessary?
Measurement of body temperature by the rectal method allows you to obtain the most accurate data, since in the rectum, closed by the sphincter, the body temperature does not change under the influence of external factors. Moreover, the rectum, being part of the human internal system, allows you to transfer the exact temperature of organs located next to it, which also helps to determine the presence of inflammatory processes.
What is the normal temperature in the rectum? It is slightly higher than in the armpit. And it should be between 37-37.7 degrees Celsius.
Temperature measurement by this method is carried out in the following situations:
- Inability to measure the temperature in the armpit due to severe exhaustion of the patient.
- Age less than 2 years.
- With severe external hypothermia, if the patient's skin was frostbite.
- With injuries and other damage to the skin in the armpits.
- With an unconscious patient.
- When planning pregnancy and monitoring its course.
It is categorically not recommended to use the method of rectal temperature measurement for inflammation of the rectum, hemorrhoids, and stool disturbance.
What does the temperature rise mean?
An increase in temperature in the rectum reports the patient's condition. First of all, this means the development of the inflammatory process in the body, often accompanied by the release of pus. Any viral infectious disease also has an effect on it.
The temperature norm in the rectum in women is generally the same as in men, but in some cases it changes. This helps to track the process of ovulation and, accordingly, to plan a pregnancy.
Often, high temperature in the rectum accompanies the formation of tumors of a different nature.
Measurement of rectal temperature in a child
First of all, you need to know what temperature should be in the rectum in a child under 2 years old in normal condition - 38 degrees Celsius. Moreover, the child should be in a calm state. After all, if it is active, then the body temperature in the rectum rises. Moreover, it rises with screaming, crying, during feeding, massage.
In this case, a slight increase, for example, 38.5 degrees, requires the attention of a specialist. Knowing the norm of the temperature in the rectum in the baby, with its slight increase in a calm state, you need to immediately call a doctor.
Measurement of rectal temperature in pregnant women
Pregnancy causes an extensive restructuring of the woman's body. He is preparing to bear and feed a child, the mammary glands and even the skeleton are changing. All of these processes are controlled by female hormones. In this case, body temperature is of great importance. And often it is measured rectally, because, as already mentioned, this method gives more accurate readings. This temperature is called basal.
Basal temperature
The temperature in the rectum during pregnancy allows you to track the condition of the woman’s body, while it does not depend on air temperature, which means it is the most correct. It is called basic or basal. The exact values can be obtained in the morning before the woman got out of bed.
The basal temperature is also the one that is measured in the vagina or in the mouth. An experienced doctor can determine how much progesterone and estrogen are produced in a woman’s body over a period of time according to a graph of measurement results. Using the basal temperature, you can predict the most accurate time for conception.
How can basal temperature determine ovulation?
The temperature norm in the rectum, in the vagina and in the mouth is different for all women. But you can create for each its own schedule of differences.
In the first half of the menstrual cycle, BT is low, in the second, its indicators rise. This is due to the action of progesterone on the body.
1-2 days before ovulation, BT sharply decreases, but the very next day its indices are rapidly growing. During menstruation, the temperature is low, and during fertilization - high. Knowing the temperature norms in the rectum or in the vagina, a woman can increase the chance of becoming pregnant if the baby is not conceived for more than a year. Such measurements can detect malfunctions in the endocrine system and restore the production of sex hormones. And most importantly, with the help of basal temperature readings, it is possible to establish the fact of fertilization even before the onset of menstruation delays.
How can basal temperature determine pregnancy?
In order to determine pregnancy using BT, you need to remember exactly how the menstrual cycle proceeds. It begins with the maturation of the egg in the follicle, while estrogen is actively produced, since the ovaries work with maximum efficiency. The temperature is not very high, about 36.1-36.8 degrees. If BT is higher than this value, then there is little estrogen in the woman’s body.
During ovulation, the follicle ruptures and the egg leaves the ovary. This occurs under the influence of the latinizing hormone. BT at the same time rises markedly - up to 37-37.7 degrees Celsius.
In place of the bursting follicle, the so-called yellow body begins to form. At the same time, it actively produces progesterone.
The next stage is fertilization. At this time, the corpus luteum continues to produce progesterone until the placenta takes over this function. The temperature does not fall.
If there was no conception, the corpus luteum collapses, the level of progesterone, accordingly, decreases sharply, and the basal temperature falls behind it. All basal temperature measurements during the monthly cycle are performed either rectally or vaginally. The temperature norms in the rectum and in the vagina coincide.
How are measurements taken?
In order for all measurement readings to be as accurate as possible, certain rules must be observed:
- Temperature measurement should be done in the morning at the same time, before getting out of bed.
- Measurements are carried out by the same thermometer. First you need to lubricate its tip with petroleum jelly.
- During the day, the temperature changes several times under the influence of various factors, up to mild stress and mood swings. Therefore, it is not recommended to measure BT in the middle of the day.
- The thermometer should be in the anus or in the vagina for at least 5-6 minutes. In this case, the woman should lie on her side, pulling her knees to her chest.
- You need to start building the difference graph on the day after the monthly cycle.
What factors influence the correctness of measurements
During the construction of the BT schedule, you need to remember that there are factors that significantly distort the readings. First of all, it is alcohol, and in any quantities. In addition, it must be remembered that alcohol destroys follicles with eggs, so if a woman wants to have children, then she can’t drink alcohol in principle, since the number of eggs in her body will be limited.
You can not have sex 10-12 hours before the measurements. The temperature level is influenced by stress, so you need to avoid situations that can affect the mental state of a woman.
With any infection, body temperature rises, respectively, it will be impossible to determine ovulation or pregnancy in such conditions.
Although it is believed that the environment does not affect BT, you need to understand: the presence of a heating pad on one side or frozen feet will in any case have some effect on the temperature reading. At the time of measurement, a woman should feel comfortable, she should not be cold or too hot.
When is basal temperature not indicative?
There is such a situation as an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the fertilized egg does not reach the uterus and attaches to the wall of the fallopian tube. At the same time, progesterone and other hormones produced during pregnancy are produced in full. Such a pregnancy is unpromising, and it will end very quickly in a miscarriage with great blood loss. A very life-threatening situation for a woman. In this case, BT will reflect the temperature that occurs during pregnancy. Therefore, it is impossible to rely only on the obtained measurement results. After checking the conception with rectal or vaginal temperature measurements, an ultrasound examination is necessary.
Another situation when the basal temperature is uninformative is the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy. During this period, the temperature changes constantly, so there is no sense in continuing to measure it.
In some cases, an increased temperature in the rectum may indicate malfunctions of the body, for example, associated with the inflammatory process. Before starting measurements, you should consult your doctor. He will be able to point out all the subtleties and nuances of this procedure. Independent conclusions are undesirable, and sometimes simply dangerous.