You Can Do A Pregnancy Test As Soon As You Have Had Sex
No you can’t. It takes about six to seven days after an egg is fertilised before your body starts to produce the pregnancy hormone , and a few more days before the level is high enough to be detected by a pregnancy test. Clearblue Pregnancy Tests can be used up to six days before you miss your period , although the pregnancy hormone levels in your urine may not be high enough to be detected. So if you test early and you get a ‘Not Pregnant’ test result, we recommend you test again when you expect your period.
- If you have irregular cycles, it’s a good idea to allow for your longest cycle in recent months before testing
- If you are testing from the day you expect your period, you can test any time of the day
- If testing early you should use the first urine of the day
- To get an accurate result, avoid drinking a lot of any liquid before testing
- If you get a ‘not pregnant’ result:
- If you tested early, test again when your period is expected
- If you tested on or after the day your period is expected, wait for three days and test again
- If your second pregnancy test still gives you a ‘Not Pregnant’ result and you still haven’t had your period, you should see your doctor
What If You Have A 28
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:
Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle
Your menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period and continues up to the first day of your next period.
You’re most fertile at the time of ovulation , which usually occurs 12 to 14 days before your next period starts. This is the time of the month when you’re most likely to get pregnant.
It’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant just after your period, although it can happen. It’s important to remember that sperm can sometimes survive in the body for up to 7 days after you have sex.
This means it may be possible to get pregnant soon after your period finishes if you ovulate early, especially if you have a naturally short menstrual cycle.
You should always use contraception when you have sex if you don’t want to become pregnant.
Also Check: How Can You Track Your Period
Nausea With Or Without Vomiting
Morning sickness which can happen at any time of the day is one of the classic symptoms of pregnancy. For some women, the queasiness begins as early as two weeks after conception. Pregnant women also have a heightened sense of smell, so various odors – such as foods cooking, perfume or cigarette smoke – may cause waves of nausea in early pregnancy.
Natural Birth Control Methods
Natural methods involve tracking a woman’s menstrual cycle to try to determine when ovulation is most likely to occur and avoiding sexual intercourse during that time. There are different ways to detect ovulation, including the basal body temperature method and the use of home ovulation test kits. Checking and recording the consistency of cervical mucus is another way to help determine when ovulation occurs.
These methods tend to be the least successful methods as they require discipline in recording and tracking and understanding the results.
Also Check: What Is The Best Time To Get Pregnant After Period
It’s Impossible To Get Pregnant The First Time You Have Unprotected Sex
It is a common myth that you can’t get pregnant the first time you have unprotected sex. This is simply not true. There is always a possibility that you will get pregnant if you have unprotected sex even the very first time. If you are having unprotected sex and don’t want to get pregnant, you will need to choose a method of contraception that will suit you. If you have had unprotected sex, find out when you can do a pregnancy test.
Emergency Contraception Types And Side Effects
Emergency contraception is a medication or device used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercourse has occurred. Emergency hormonal contraceptives are sometimes known as “morning-after” pills. These drugs prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after intercourse. This is also known as emergency contraception. Insertion of a copper intrauterine device is also an effective method of emergency contraception.
Side effects of emergency contraception
Side effects of emergency contraception or “morning after” pills can include
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Can You Get Pregnant On Birth Control
There is no form of birth control that is 100% effective, so it is possible to get pregnant while using most types of birth control. However, many types of birth control, when used correctly, are highly effective in preventing pregnancy. For example, the birth control pill is over 99% effective in preventing pregnancy when taken correctly. For all forms of birth control it is important to have a basic understanding how they work and how to use them correctly.
Right After Your Period Ends
Many women look forward to having contraception-free sex right after their period ends. Its true that its unlikely youll get pregnant a day or two after menstruation stops, but given the lifespan of sperm and the challenges around predicting ovulation exactly its not at all impossible.
This is especially true if you ovulate earlier than you usually do, or if you have a naturally short menstrual cycle of around 21 days.
Read Also: What Causes My Period To Be Late
Chances Of Getting Pregnant After Ovulation
Also known as the luteal phase, this final portion of your cycle lasts a minimum of 12 days and a maximum of 16 days. Progesterone starts to rise, signaling that the ovaries don’t need to release any more eggs this month. Your cervical mucus will dry up and create a plug to prevent any additional sperm from entering the uterus.
It takes about six days for any fertilized eggs to travel to your uterus. If one implants in your endometrium, you’ll start to see the rise in human chorionic gonadotropin , the hormone measured by home pregnancy tests, within a week.
Your chances of conceiving: Low. Once the egg has been released, there’s not much that can be done until next month. But there’s certainly no harm in having sex if you’re in the mood!
Don’t sweat it if it’s time for your cycle to start over again and you’re still not pregnant. You may not have tracked your most fertile days accurately, in which case your guy’s swimmers never had the chance to work their magic. The vast majority of couples who are trying to conceive do so within a year, with only about half achieving their goal by 6 months. Talk to your doctor or a fertility specialist about any concerns regarding your chances of getting pregnant.
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.
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I Got Pregnant On Depo
Only 1 out of 99 women get pregnant on Depo-Proveraand Olivia was one of them. See why she didn’t discover the pregnancy until months later.
Ever watch “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant,” and wonder how that’s even possible? Twenty-three-year-old Olivia Barrett knows exactly how. After meeting a new guy, she researched the safest methods of birth control. Birth control pills offered failure rates as low as 1%, but if you forget, that percentage can rise to 8%. With hormone shots, fewer than in 1 in 100 women will conceive. With an IUD, pregnancy occurs in less than 1 in 100 women. Hormone implants cause pregnancy in less than 1 in 100 women.
Due to its simplicity, she chose the hormone shot Depo-Provera, which requires injections every 12 weeks for optimal protection. Depo-Provera is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, which means that 1 in 99 women will conceive while taking it.
Because of her extreme fatigue, she lost her job as a coffee shop barista. She quit going to the gym, and spent the summer hiding from the 110-degree weather and fighting depression. Her unexplained increase in appetite, combined with an expired gym membership, meant she was starting to gain weight. Thinking it was all from the hormone shot, she vehemently told her boyfriend, “No more Depo!”
Fertility After Your Period
Ovulation happens 14 days after the first day of your period. But since some cycles can be extremely irregular, its best to take note of these adjustments:
If your average cycle length is 28 days, ovulation occurs on day 14.
If your average cycle length is 35 days, ovulation occurs on day 21.
If your average cycle length is 21 days or less, ovulation occurs on day 7.
Please note that the most fertile days are within your ovulation period, specifically, the three days leading up to your ovulation and the day you actually ovulate. These days are the best days to try and conceive or get pregnant.
If you have extremely unpredictable, irregular cycles, figuring out your average cycle length, let alone your fertile period can be challenging. If you really want to get pregnant, having sexual intercourse every other day can help your chances of getting pregnant.
If you are reading this article to prevent pregnancy, the first seven days including your period days are considered a safe window where the egg has not dropped to the fallopian tubes, therefore making it inconducive for pregnancy.
If this is all proving to be too confusing, you can use an ovulation tracker, ovulation calendar, or ovulation calculator, which are all available online. Alternately, there are ovulation prediction kits that are available in most pharmacies. Similar to pregnancy tests, these kits use your urine samples to track your fertility.
Mild to severe cramps in the lower abdomen or lower back.
Read Also: Why Are My Period Cramps So Bad
What About Just After Your Period Ends
Youre dealing with the same scenario here. Its super rare to get pregnant a day or two after your flow, but you cant discount lurking sperm.
If you have a naturally short cycle 21 days or fewer unprotected sex just after your flow is risky. If you have longer cycles, theres still a chance youll ovulate sooner than usual.
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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Basal Body Temperature Charting
Basal body temperature is the temperature when the body is at rest.
Charting BBT for a series of months by measuring every morning after waking up will help predict ovulation.
During or when ovulation approaches, there is a slight increase in BBT. A person can use a digital thermometer to track these small changes in temperature.
Monitoring BBT can help tell when ovulation occurs and therefore predict the days in the cycle when pregnancy is possible.