Are You Fertile After Your Period

Chances Of Getting Pregnant While On Your Period

Its very unlikely you will get pregnant in the days immediately before your period. However, we are all unique and our cycles are not the same and so our peak fertility varies. This means for some women the days before menstruation are fertile. Getting pregnant 5 days before your period is a possibility for some women, if they ovulate close to the end of their menstrual cycle, but typically peak fertility occurs earlier in the menstrual cycle.

Best Time To Get Pregnant After A Period

The likelihood of becoming pregnant is highest during the two days before ovulation begins or exactly on the day of ovulation, when an egg is released from the ovary. Usually, ovulation happens about two weeks before the start of the next period. Cycles and ovulation dates vary, so you may want to try an efficient method of predicting ovulation to improve the chance of conception.

Here are four methods for predicting ovulation they can help you find the best time to get pregnant after your period:

Can You Get Pregnant On Your Period While Using Birth Control

It’s possible to get pregnant when you’re using birth control, whether you’re on your period or not.

The likelihood that a contraceptive will fail varies depending on the method of birth control :

• Oral contraceptives : About 7 to 9 percent failure rate
• Progestin-only pill: About 7 percent failure rate
• Patch: About 7 to 9 percent failure rate
• Vaginal contraceptive ring: About 7 to 9 percent failure rate
• Male condoms: About 13 to 18 percent failure rate
• Diaphragms: About 12 to 17 percent failure rate

For what it’s worth, tracking your monthly cycle called “fertility awareness” in order to avoid pregnancy isn’t the most reliable birth control method the typical failure rate may be as high as 23 percent.

The bottom line: Although the odds are slim, you can get pregnant on your period or any other time of the month. It’s even possible to get pregnant on your period if you’re using birth control.

So unless youre trying to conceive, its always smart to be vigilant about contraception unless you like big surprises.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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What If You Want A Baby

If youre trying to get pregnant, its vital to schedule plenty of time between the sheets during your fertile window.

If youve been getting frisky mid-cycle for a while and still arent preggo, it might benefit you to have sex more regularly. Cycles vary, after all. It also helps pinpoint your ovulation knowledge is power!

Heres how to get a better handle on your bodys ovulation patterns:

How Does Fertility Differ On The Pill

Birth control pills aim to prevent unintended pregnancy. The pill prevents pregnancy by releasing synthetic hormones that stop ovulation from occurring and the uterus lining from thickening.

So, even if the ovaries do release an egg, a fertilized egg would be unable to implant in the wall of the uterus. The pill also thickens cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to reach an egg.

According to the CDC , the pill is more than 99 percent effective with perfect use but only 91 percent effective with typical use. This means that, with typical use, around 9 out of 100 women would become pregnant in a year of taking the pill.

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Examples Of Most Fertile Days

The fertile period is the six days leading up to and including ovulation, and the one day after you ovulate. You are most fertile the three days leading up to and including ovulation.

Here are some examples to help you calculate your most fertile days. Remember, these results will be most accurate if you can reliably predict when you ovulate . So, you have figured out that:

• You have a shorter cyclethere are 21 days between periods. This means that you will most likely ovulate on Day 7. So, your most fertile days are Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, and Day 8.
• You have a regular cyclethere are 27 days between periods. This means that you will most likely ovulate on Day 13. So, your most fertile days are Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, and Day 14.
• You have longer cyclethere are 33 days between periods. This means that you will most likely ovulate on Day 19. So, your most fertile days are Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18, Day 19, and Day 20.

Can You Get Pregnant After Your Period

In a word: yes.

Think of your menstrual cycle starting on day one of your period, and lasting for roughly 28 days .

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Typically, youll start ovulating in the middle of your cycle.

So it depends on how long your period lasts as to whether you start ovulating right after.

Plus, you can get pregnant any time from 5 days before ovulation to 1 day after ovulation.

Considering ovulation usually lasts for 1 day, that gives you about 7 days during your menstrual cycle that you can get pregnant.

However, theres no guarantee that you will get pregnant outside of these days.

How soon after your period can you get pregnant?

You can get pregnant straight after your period, although the chances are pretty slim.

However, youll likely be at your most fertile about 7-16 days after day 1 of your period .

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How Long After Giving Birth Are You Fertile

Fertility after pregnancy works differently for mothers that are breastfeeding and for mothers that are not. It is possible for women to get pregnant even before the first period after pregnancy as in just as any womans fertility cycle. You can get pregnant, at the earliest of 4 weeks after pregnancy or even 24 weeks after pregnancy. Some women will not regain their fertility immediately after a month of pregnancy. It is better to check for the symptoms of ovulation with the help of an ovulation test kit.

The frequency and duration of breastfeeding, delay the ovulation period a little longer for those women who breastfeed their kids. Ovulation can take up to 50 to 74 days to return for breastfeeding mothers. Up to 12 to 78% chance for women to get pregnant before they get their first period after pregnancy. Although it is possible for them to get pregnant, it is very unhealthy. Mothers should have at least a years gap before they can deliver another baby. Time should be given to them, to let them recover from their pregnancy because their body gets fragile.

How To Prevent Pregnancy

The most effective strategy for avoiding pregnancy is to refrain from sex. Sexually active people who do not wish to become pregnant should use contraceptives such as condoms or birth control.

Using two methods can offer additional protection, for example, when a person uses both hormonal birth control and condoms.

Several fertility monitoring techniques make it easier for a person to pinpoint their fertile window and avoid sex or use contraceptives during this time.

These methods are more effective if a person has regular periods. Some fertility monitoring strategies include:

• Charting basal body temperature: A persons morning body temperature usually rises shortly after ovulation.
• Using ovulation predictors: These tests typically give a positive result a day or two before ovulation, but it is possible to get a positive without ovulation.
• Looking for fertile cervical fluid:Thick cervical fluid with a texture similar to raw egg whites indicates ovulation is approaching.
• Checking cervical position and texture: Some females find that the position and texture of their cervix changes throughout their cycle.

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Can You Get Pregnant If You Have Sex During Your Period

Most likely you will not get pregnant having sex while on your period. Thats because your ovulation time is several days away decreasing any chances of getting pregnant during this time. However, there are exceptions. This applies to women who have a typical 28 to 30 day or longer cycle. If you have a shorter cycle, say every 21 to 24 days, that means you are ovulating earlier in the cycle. Because sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days, you could have sex towards the end of your period and then conceive 4 or 5 days later with your early ovulation. To verify, inexpensive, early detection pregnancy and ovulation tests can be purchased online from our corporate sponsor Fairhaven Health.

The probabilities of getting pregnant during your period are low, but the possibilities are there. This is not the time to have sex if you are trying to get pregnant.

Other Possible Signs Of Ovulation

Some more potential signs of ovulation include:

• Tender breasts. Some people report breast tenderness or sore nipples around the time of ovulation.
• Bloating. Some people feel bloated before and during ovulation. Since bloating occurs at other moments during your cycle, particularly during menstruation, its not necessarily a reliable indicator of ovulation.

The ovulation phase of your menstrual cycle typically lasts between 16 and 32 hours, starting with the LH surge and ending when the egg is released.

Ovulation generally occurs 24 to 48 hours after the LH surge.

You can become pregnant both before and after ovulation. This is called the fertile window.

Your fertile window starts up to 4 days prior to ovulation and extends for 1 day after ovulation. You are most fertile on the day before ovulation and the day of ovulation.

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Can You Have A Period And Still Be Pregnant

No once pregnancy begins, the uterine lining no longer sheds each month. Once the body starts releasing a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, monthly periods will stop. However, some people experience light bleeding after conception, around the same time their period would have started. This is called implantation bleeding.

If youre pregnant and experience bleeding or spotting, contact your health care provider.

Pregnancy can occur even if youre on your period. To avoid pregnancy, it is important to use contraception.

Birth control methods that can prevent pregnancy on your period include:

• Male condom

Chances Of Getting Pregnant

The chances of becoming pregnant vary from person to person and from cycle to cycle.

On average, a 30-year-old persons odds of getting pregnant are about 20% per cycle, assuming they are having unprotected sex.

The odds of becoming pregnant also depend on when a person has sex relative to ovulation. An app-based study of people who were trying to get pregnant found the average chances of pregnancy were as follows:

Therefore, people should not rely on when their period is due to decide whether to have sex.

The most crucial factor is ovulation. A period indicates the beginning of a new cycle, but it reveals little about when a person might ovulate.

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What Happens After Your Period Ends

The complete shedding of the unfertilised female egg and your uterine lining symbolises the end of your period. After your menstrual cycle ends, the female genitals begin to prepare for another menstrual cycle. Your body begins to shift towards your most fertile period, where the chances of pregnancy are high.

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When Do Periods Stop

Women usually have periods until menopause. Menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, usually around age 50. Menopause means that a woman is no longer ovulating or having periods and can no longer get pregnant. Like menstruation, menopause can vary from woman to woman and these changes may occur over several years.

For the first few years after menstruation begins, longer cycles are common. A woman’s cycle tends to shorten and become more regular with age. Most of the time, periods will be in the range of 21 to 35 days apart.

Periods stop during pregnancy, and often while you are breastfeeding. Some women find their periods stop for a time because of long-term illness, low body weight, stress, lots of strenuous exercise and hormone problems. Some medications, such as contraceptives, might stop your period. This can be helpful for some women, especially if their periods are heavy or painful. Sometimes after stopping the pill or other contraceptive, it can take a while for your periods to come back. Periods stop altogether when women reach menopause – the average age is 51-52.

The menstrual cycle is the hormonal driven cycle. Day 1 is the first day of your period while day 14 is the approximate day you ovulate and if an egg is not fertilized, hormone levels eventually drop and at about day 25. The egg then begins to dissolve and the cycle begins again with the period at about day 30.

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What If My Cycle Is Irregular

It can be more difficult to get pregnant if you have irregular periods because you may not ovulate regularly.

There are many possible causes of irregular periods, which may affect your fertility. For example:

• medical conditions such as thyroid problems or polycystic ovary syndrome.

Having irregular periods does not mean you wont get pregnant and there are things you can do to boost your chances of success.

See your GP if your periods have stopped, youre missing monthly periods or you have irregular periods and are struggling to get pregnant.

How Not To Get Pregnant

If you want to get pregnant, plan to get frisky halfway between periods for the best chances. But if youre trying to avoid pregnancy, dont use your period as a guide. Instead, choose a reliable form of birth control.

Thats the best way to prevent pregnancy, Dr. Stephens says.

Yeah, you probably already knew that. But now you know the whole story.

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