How To Have Safe Sex And Not Get Pregnant
Its clear by now you shouldnt rely on the risky and safe days of your menstrual cycle. If you dont want to conceive, use contraception every time. This is the only highly reliable measure to avoid unwanted pregnancies and, depending on the type of contraception, to avoid sexually transmitted diseases.
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.
Calculating Your Monthly Fertility Window
Your fertility window is the time during your menstrual cycle when youre most likely to get pregnant. For most people, its the five days leading up to ovulation, the day of ovulation and the day after ovulation. Calculating your monthly fertility window can help you target the optimal time to have sex if youre trying to conceive. However, natural family planning is a less reliable form of contraception and does not protect against sexually transmitted infections.
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Can You Get Pregnant If You Have Sex During Your Period
By | Aug. 29, 2013, 7:13 a.m.
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Can you get pregnant if you have sex while you are in your period?
Yes its possible to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex during your period. However, its less common for this to happen.
Heres the deal: A woman is most likely to get pregnant from sex that happens just before and during ovulation . Ovulation happens in the middle of the time you get periods, usually about 14 days before your period starts. Its more likely that you could become pregnant from sex during your period if you have a shorter menstrual cycle.
All of this might sound really complicated, especially if you arent sure how long your menstrual cycle is, or when youre ovulating. During the first few years that you have a period, its pretty typical for your menstrual cycle to be irregular which makes this stuff even harder to keep track of. But if you use a birth control method like condoms or the pill every time you have sex, your chances of getting pregnant are really really low, whether youre on your period or not.
Tags:am I pregnant, ovulation, periods, sex during period
Why You Might Experience A Period During Your First Trimester
Though people stop getting their period during pregnancy, its possible that they may still experience some bleeding. This bleeding does not necessarily indicate an underlying issue, but its important to understand the cause of it and whether its time to see a health care provider.
Bleeding tends to occur more often during the first trimester of pregnancy than the second or third. Estimates suggest that about 25 to 30 percent of pregnant people experience spotting at some point during their first trimester. There are a number of reasons for this bleeding.
Implantation bleeding: This refers to the light spotting that occurs about 10 to 14 days after conception, around the time when your period is due. Many people havent yet taken a pregnancy test at this point, so its easy to mistake the spotting for a period. This bleeding is lighter than a normal period, however, and only lasts for a couple of days. It occurs due to the implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterine lining.
Cervical changes: Spotting can occur shortly after you get pregnant due to cervical changes, and particularly after having sexual intercourse. As long as no infection is present, theres no need to be concerned about this.
Other causes: Heavier bleeding that more closely resembles a period during the first trimester of pregnancy can indicate something more serious, including:
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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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Can You Take Emergency Contraception
If you had unprotected sex and want to avoid pregnancy, take emergency contraception as soon as possible.
There are two main types the copper IUD and the hormonal EC pill and they can both work up to five days after unprotected sex.
The IUD prevents pregnancy by producing an inflammatory reaction thats toxic to sperm and eggs.
Its more effective than the morning-after pill, but its only available by prescription and has to be inserted by a doctor within five days of unprotected sex.
The pill delivers a high dose of hormones to delay ovulation or prevent a fertilized egg from implanting to the uterus.
Plan B One-Step, Next Choice, and MyWay are all available over the counter.
Which should you use?
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When Can A Woman Not Get Pregnant
A woman cannot get pregnant if she is infertile. Female infertility can be caused due to several reasons:
- Scarred or damaged fallopian tubes that prevent male sperm from fertilising the female egg can cause female infertility.
- Irregular or abnormal uterine shapes make it challenging for a fertilised egg to attach itself to the uterine wall, and this causes female infertility.
- Conditions such as PCOS cause women to ovulate inconsistently. When left untreated, this could lead to female infertility or inability to conceive for a while.
How Can Someone Get Pregnant On Their Period
“Although women are most likely to get pregnant when they are ovulating, there is always a chance of getting pregnant when having penetrative sex,” said , a practicing gynecologist and clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale University School of Medicine. She added that women on hormonal birth control are fine to have sex during their periods because they’re not ovulating.
Getting pregnant from period sex can happen in one of two scenarios: an irregular cycle or long-living sperm.
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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.
When Am I Fertile
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 .
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Can I Use My Menstrual Cycle To Predict My Due Date
Yes. You can work out how far along your pregnancy is by counting from the first day of your last period.
This can be confusing because you probably didnt get pregnant until around 2 weeks later, after you ovulated. Even if do you know the date you got pregnant, this is counted as day 14 of your pregnancy , not day 1.
Your pregnancy is calculated from your last menstrual period because every time you have a period this is the bodys way of getting ready for pregnancy. It also gives healthcare professionals a standard to follow because its very difficult to know exactly when the sperm fertilised the egg.
If your period is irregular or if youve recently been on the pill it will be harder to try and work out your due date.
The most accurate way to work out your due date is to have an ultrasound scan when youre around 11 to 14 weeks pregnant. This is used to see how for along you are and check your babys development.
How Long Should A Normal Menstrual Cycle Last
An average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, defined from the first day of menstrual bleeding to the first day of bleeding of the next period. However, irregular periods are very common. An irregular period is defined as a cycle that varies by more than seven to nine days.
There are several reasons why women may have abnormal periods, which can include fibroids, ovarian cysts, polyps, and even something as common as stress.
If youve constantly had an irregular period, please contact us for an appointment to determine the underlying cause and initiate treatment, said Dr. Martinelli.
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Can You Test Pregnancy Before Missed Period
Yes, you can test pregnancy before missed period. For most accurate results, you should wait until at least the first day of your missed period to take a pregnancy test. However, some home pregnancy tests are able to detect hCG levels as early as four days before your missed period. If you cant wait to find out if youre pregnant, you can use one of these early detection tests.
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.
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Basal Body Temperature Method
Also called the temperature method, you take your temperature each morning as soon as you wake up . You use a basal body thermometer, which may go in your mouth or your rectum. A basal thermometer is more sensitive than a regular thermometer. It measures body temperature to a tenth of a degree.
A womans basal body temperature rises slightly during ovulation . If you track your temperatures leading up to ovulation, you should see a sustained rise in your basal body temperature after ovulation.
To help you plan, write your body temperature down each day on a tracking sheet. You should track your temperature for at least three months before using this method for family planning.
However, its important to note that the basal body temperature method is not good at predicting your ovulation when trying to conceive. Once you identify the rise in your temperature, youve already ovulated. However, this method is a good tool to monitor your pattern of ovulation.
Effectiveness Of Birth Control
If you use a birth control method like condoms or the pill every time you have sex, your chances of getting pregnant are really, really low, whether you’re on your period or not. There is less than a 1 percent chance of becoming pregnant while using protection.
We hope this blog post helped answer a few of your questions about becoming pregnant on your period. We at Garnuu care about women’s health and want our Garnuu Girls to be as educated on it as possible.
Thanks for reading, we love you!
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Can I Get Pregnant A Couple Of Days After My Period Has Finished
Its possible, but also unlikely. Though there is always risk of pregnancy if you have sex without contraception a. If you ovulate early when you have short menstrual cycles you may be able to get pregnant this time of the month. However, once youve finished your period youre moving into your fertility window, which means your chances of getting pregnant increase as you approach ovulation.
How To Know When Youre Ovulating
Knowing when you ovulate can help you plan for sex at the right time and improve your chance of getting pregnant. You can keep track of your menstrual cycles on a chart, in a diary, or on a free period-tracker app on your smartphone.
To work out the length of your menstrual cycle, record the first day you start bleeding . This is day 1. The last day of your cycle is the day before your next period begins.
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Some people think the menstrual cycle and a period are the same thing.
A period is when you bleed .
A menstrual cycle starts on the day when a period starts and ends the day before the next period. A cycles length is considered normal if its between 21 and 35 days. They can vary between women and from one cycle to the next.
- Working out your average menstrual cycle length
If your menstrual cycles are different lengths you can work out your average cycle length.
The number of days in a womans menstrual cycle can vary month to month. Periods are not always regular. It can be useful to work out an average cycle length, based on the length of three menstrual cycles, to estimate when youre most likely to be ovulating.
If you add the number of days in three cycles and divide the total number by three, it gives you your average cycle length.
Example
Sarah tracked her last three menstrual cycles by counting the time from the first day of one period, to the day before the next period.
Cycle 1 was 28 days Cycle 2 was 32 days Cycle 3 was 27 days
28 + 32 + 27 = 87
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Pregnancy Prevention During Your Period
“It would be best to always have protection against pregnancy,” Lew advised.
Protection comes in many forms, of course. Anyone on the combined pill or the mini-pill is no more likely to get pregnant from period sex than from sex at any other time. With perfect use, the pill is considered 99 percent effective at preventing all pregnancies because it stops ovulation altogether.
Nonhormonal options can work, too, especially when the chance of getting pregnant on your period is already so low. Nonhormonal birth control, such as condoms and diaphragms, are easy-to-use, lower-cost choices, according to Planned Parenthood. If you’re interested in nonhormonal, long-acting reversible contraception , the copper intrauterine device is an option.
An emergency contraceptive pill, such as Plan B, can also help prevent pregnancy by temporarily stopping ovulation so no egg is released or fertilized. The morning-after pill is available over the counter in most pharmacies.
The bottom line: The risk of getting pregnant on your period is slim, but it still exists. If a surprise pregnancy would be unwelcome, take precautions every time you have sex.