Can I Get Pregnant During My Period

Can Pregnancy Occur Close To My Period

Can I get pregnant right after my period?

The probability is low, but yes, you can get pregnant being in your days close to your period, just like during menstruation. If the menstrual cycles are short in a woman, the fertile days are very close to those of the period, as we have explained in the previous picture. Therefore, if we add to this that the sperm can last up to 4 days alive inside the woman… yes, pregnancy can occur by having intercourse during the period.

How Can A Woman Get Pregnant On Her Period

Its easy to mistake vaginal bleeding for the beginning of a period. Its possible you could bleed during ovulation when youre most fertile. This could easily be mistaken for a period. Having unprotected sex at this time dramatically increases your chances of becoming pregnant.

For the average woman, the ovulation cycle is somewhere between 28 and 30 days. This means that if you have sex while on your period, you wont likely ovulate until several days later.

But women with a shorter cycle wouldnt have the same amount of time between having their periods and ovulating.

Another consideration is that a mans sperm can live inside a woman for up to 72 hours after ejaculation. Toward the end of your period, your chances of becoming pregnant will increase.

If youre curious about your ovulation patterns, you can track the number of days between your periods. This includes when you start your period, and then when you start your period again.

Over several months, you can identify a pattern to determine roughly when your ovulation cycle occurs.

What About Right Before Your Period

The likelihood of getting pregnant right before your period is extremely low. For women with a typical 28- to 30-day cycle or longer and their cycles are regular, it is fairly safe to say your ovulation occurred between Day 11 and Day 21. The egg is only available for 12 to 24 hours for conception.

This means the days right before your period are the safest to have sex without the expectation of getting pregnant. The number of safe days right before your period go up with longer cycles and lessen with shorter cycles.

If you wait 36 to 48 hours after ovulation, you should be beyond the possibilities of conception. The further you are from ovulation, the less likely your chance for conceiving. This is not the time to have sex if you are trying to conceive. Its still a good time to enjoy intimacy with your partner.

Read Also: Is Ibuprofen Good For Period Cramps

Period Symptoms But Period Like Bleeding

If you are already pregnant, period like bleeding may be due to a miscarriage, rough vaginal intercourse or vaginal infections. You should inform your doctor.

Spotting before period with early pregnancy symptoms nausea, fatigue and breast changes, is likely because of implantation.

Now its your turn. Still worried you have pregnancy symptoms after period? Let us know if we could help.

When Am I Fertile

Can I Get Pregnant During my Period?

Contrary to popular belief, there are only a certain number of days during each cycle when having sex can result in pregnancy. This is known as the fertile window. While fertilisation can only take place on the day of ovulation – the point in your cycle when an egg is released from one of your ovaries – sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to five days . This means there are six days during each cycle when it is possible to become pregnant – the day of ovulation plus the five days before.

The exact timing of your fertile window is dependent on the length of your menstrual cycle. Because each woman has her own unique cycle – you can read more about this in our article Diversity in Menstrual Cycles – the timing of peak fertility varies between women .

If you have a shorter cycle, say 27 days or less, you are more likely to ovulate earlier . As a result, you will have less time between the end of your period and when you ovulate explaining the small chance of being in your fertile window while menstruating. So even though you are unable to ovulate while you are on your period, if you have sex during your period and ovulate shortly after, any surviving sperm could result in conception. As we mentioned earlier the chances of this happening are very low, with research suggesting that only 2% of women are in their fertile window by the fourth day of their cycle. This likelihood however quickly increases to 17% by day seven of the cycle .

Read Also: List Of Tablets To Postpone Periods

So How Do I Make It Less Likely To Have A Baby

  • Dont have penile-vaginal sex.
  • But if youre going to have penile-vaginal sex
  • Control your and your partners behavior:
  • Carefully track menstrual cycles to better understand normal cycles and predict ovulation.
  • Withdraw the penis from the vagina before ejacuation.
  • These methods take a lot of self-control and 100% consistency on the part of both partners. You cant control your partners behavior, so this can be a good backup method, but we dont recommend using one or both of these behaviors as the primary way to avoid pregnancy.
  • Any combination of the above.
  • Can I Get Pregnant On My Period

    Although it is very unlikely, it is not impossible to get pregnant during, or just after, your period. This is because it is possible to be in your fertile window while you are menstruating. But what exactly is your fertile window and how can a better understanding of your menstrual cycle help you to plan or prevent pregnancy?

    Read Also: Best Period And Ovulation Tracker App

    Pregnancy During Or After Period

    A common myth is that a woman cant get pregnant while on her period. This is primarily true, but there is a catch here! Very rarely, a woman can get pregnant if she has unprotected sex on the first day of the period. This may happen if she has a 20-day period cycle.

    In a woman with a 20-day cycle, the egg is released around the seventh day, and the most fertile days for this woman are Days 5, 6, and 7 of the period cycle. Now, sperms can live in the womans reproductive tract for about six days after entry. Therefore, this means that pregnancy is possible in such cases.

    Sometimes, women can bleed during ovulation . This may often be mistaken as the first day of the period. Having unprotected sex during this time significantly increases the chances of becoming pregnant. The average menstrual cycle in most women is between 28 and 30 days. Young women often tend to have irregular periods hence, it may not always be possible to accurately predict the length of the menstrual cycle or ovulation period.

    Tracking the menstrual cycle can play an important role if a woman is trying to get pregnant. The woman can track her most fertile days, helping her conceive more easily. If a woman is not planning to get pregnant, its always advised to use protection or the morning-after pill to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse.

    The Best Protection Against Pregnancy Is Birth Control

    Can you get pregnant 2 days before period? – Dr. Manjari Kulkarani

    Tracking your cycle also known as the rhythm method isn’t a surefire way to avoid pregnancy. “The rhythm method is not terribly reliable for a number of reasons, including variability in timing of ovulation, in recording the first day of the last menstrual period, and in the longevity of both sperm and ova,” Copel says.

    The best way to prevent becoming pregnant at any time during your cycle, short of abstinence, is to use birth control.

    Hormonal birth control, like pills, patches, and contraceptive rings, work by changing hormone levels to stop ovulation and make it harder for sperm to reach the egg and fertilize it These birth control methods are very effective at preventing pregnancy, with success rates ranging from 93% for birth control pills to 99% for arm implants.

    Moreover, “I recommend condom use for anybody in a non-monogamous relationship,” Childson says. Male and female condoms are less effective 87% and 79% respectively but they have the added benefit of preventing STIs like hepatitis, HIV, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

    Read Also: Signs My Period Is About To Start

    Socan I Get Pregnant While On My Period

    It is exceedingly unlikely to get pregnant while on your period. If your vaginal bleeding is a true period, then this is an indicator that you are having regular ovulatory cycles and can be your most valuable insight into your fertility cycle. If you are having really long cycles or irregular bleeding, the chances of becoming pregnant can change because it is less clear where you are in the cycle.

    It can be difficult to figure out your fertility cycle, but your provider is there to help you, Harper said. Whether you want to be pregnant or not, you should try to understand your cycle. Once you do, then you can make better-educated decisions about your sexual health.

    Media contact: Dee Dee Grays, , 979.436.0611

    How Does Conception Occur

    The ability to conceive is miraculous. It requires the meeting of a males sperm with a females egg. Once a womans ovary releases an egg, the egg lives for only between 12 and 24 hours. The male sperm can live for about three days.

    The typical female cycle is 28 days. Day 1 is when she starts her period. A woman typically ovulates around day 14 .

    Ovulation is when a womans ovary releases an egg for fertilization. If a sperm is available in the uterus, pregnancy can occur.

    Ovulation can vary based on a womans cycle. Some women have a longer cycle of around 35 days between periods. Ovulation would then happen around day 21. Women with a shorter cycle of 21 days ovulate around day 7.

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    Is It Possible To Get Pregnant If I Have Sex On The Last Day Of My Period

    It is possible to get pregnant if you had unprotected sexual intercourse irrespective of the day of your menstrual cycle. Although the average length of the menstrual cycle is 28 days, it may range from 21 to 45 days. The menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period. Ovulation usually occurs in the middle of the cycle . Women with shorter cycles may ovulate around the 7th day of their cycle. Sperms can survive for about 5 to 6 days in a womans reproductive tract. Thus, if you have sex on the last day of your period, you have a chance of getting pregnant.

    It is advisable to use protection no matter which day of the cycle it is, although there are lower chances of getting pregnant by having intercourse on the last day of your period. The chances go up if you have a shorter cycle . Thus, sperm that entered the vagina on the last day of the period may still be alive when a woman ovulates.

    Can You Be Pregnant And Get Your Period

    Can I Get Pregnant If I Have Sex During My Period?

    You cant have a full period while pregnant, but lots of women get something called implantation bleeding. This is a very light bleed what is often called spotting and it happens when the fertilised egg implants into the wall of your uterus. Because it usually happens around the time of your period, some women might mistake this bleeding for a very light period.

    Unfortunately, bleeding during pregnancy can also be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy although this is usually accompanied by other symptoms like cramping and discharge.

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    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.

    Can You Get Pregnant Having Sex On Your Period

    All of Healthily’s articles undergo medical safety checks to verify that the information is medically safe. View more details in our safety page, or read our editorial policy.

    There are many misunderstandings about when you can and cant get pregnant. Many people think you cant get pregnant if you have sex while youre on your period but this isnt true. Its unlikely that youll get pregnant this way, but its not impossible.

    Read on to learn why this is, and what you can do if you dont or do want to get pregnant.

    Read Also: Is It Normal To Have Two Periods In A Month

    So When Is Pregnancy Most Likely

    The only time you can get pregnant is during your fertile window.

    An egg only lives for about 24 hours after being released from your ovary, and sperm can only live for up to five days inside the body.

    That means you can only get pregnant if you have sex:

    • in the four to five days leading up to ovulation
    • on the day of ovulation
    • on the day after ovulation

    If youre looking to conceive, the best time to have sex is right before ovulation. This will give sperm time to reach the fallopian tube and meet the egg there.

    After that, if no sperm has fertilized the egg, it will dissolve. You wont be able to get pregnant until your cycle restarts.

    Can I Get Pregnant Just Before My Period

    Can I get pregnant after having my period?

    The probability of conceiving if you have sex two or three days before your period is extremely low. Since your egg lives for around 12 to 24 hours after it is released, this means your fertility window closes soon after you ovulate. However, there is always a risk of pregnancy. Use our tool to calculate the chances of getting pregnant.

    Read Also: Can You Get Pregnant Right After Your Period

    Can I Get Pregnant During My Period

    Can you actually get pregnant during your period?

    Surely not! Oh wait, actuallycan you?

    Oh, the things we would go back and tell our younger selves if only we knew then what we know nowDont pop your pimples. Dont cut your own fringe.

    And dont have unprotected sex during your period and assume that you cant make a baby.

    Yep, you can in fact get pregnant on your period.

    This is a very common myth that needs busting asap!

    In this episode, were diving deep into what happens in that window of time between our period and ovulation that means yes, it is absolutely possible to get pregnant during your period.

    Fertility Tracking For Women With Pcos And Irregular Periods

    If women are not ovulating or ovulating irregularly, as in the case of polycystic ovary syndrome , they may experience irregular bleeding. Women with PCOS have bleeding that occurs randomly, not in response to a true cycle. As a result, women with PCOS cannot use their period to track their cycle. They would be better suited to discuss alternative methods of tracking fertility with their health care provider.

    Similarly, women who experience irregular periods should not count on using their period to track their fertility. An average period cycle lasts 21 to 35 days from the start of one period to the start of the next period. If your periods fall out of this timeframe, then they may be irregular and not associated with ovulation.

    Women may experience irregular periods for a variety of reasons like being underweight or constant and intense exercise, Harper said. However, irregular periods may be an indicator of an underlying health issue like PCOS. Speak with your provider if you believe you have an irregular menstrual cycle.

    Recommended Reading: Can I Go In The Pool On My Period

    When You Are Most Fertile

    You are most fertile three days prior to ovulation, during ovulation, and two to three days afterward.

    Once you ovulate, your system flushes the egg out within 12-24 hours if it’s not fertilized. And you will not be able to get pregnant until around the next time you ovulate.

    The first day of your period marks the start of your cycle, but most people don’t ovulate until the middle of a menstrual cycle.

    However, cycles vary in length for each person, which means the fertility window may happen earlier or later.

    What If You Have A 28

    Can I Get Pregnant During My Period?

    The average menstrual cycle is 28 days, with the first day of menstruation as cycle day 1.

    Most periods last two to seven days. Pregnancy is uncommon during this time, because your peak fertility window is still about a week or so away.

    Around days 6 to 14 of your cycle, your body will start releasing follicle-stimulating hormone .

    This helps develop an egg inside your ovary. Your body will also begin rebuilding the endometrial lining in your uterus.

    Pregnancy is slightly more likely during this time. Sperm can live up to five days inside the body, so it could still be present when the egg matures.

    Once the egg is mature, your body will release lutenizing hormone , triggering the eggs release from your ovary .

    Ovulation usually occurs around cycle day 14. Pregnancy is likely on ovulation day.

    That said, ovulation doesnt always happen like clockwork. It can occur anywhere from four days before to four days after the midpoint of your menstrual cycle.

    The bottom Line

    If you ovulate later in your cycle or start your period sooner than usual, you could become pregnant if you have sex in the days leading up to your period.

    Lots of people dont have 28-day cycles. Some have cycles as short as 21 days and others as long as 35 days.

    In fact, in one study , only about 30 percent of participants had their fertile window fall within days 10 to 17 of their cycle. Only 10 percent had ovulation fall exactly 14 days before their next period.

    You can do this a number of ways, including:

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