What To Know About Sex On Period And Pregnancy
Scientific studies have proven a woman might be fertile during her period, depending on her menstruation cycle length. However, the chances of becoming pregnant one to two days after the beginning of bleeding are practically nil. Nevertheless, even when a woman is still bleeding, her chances of getting pregnant grow with each passing day. And on the 13th day of the cycle, the estimated chance of conceiving after unprotected sex is 9%.
On the other hand, its exceedingly unlikely to conceive right before your period starts. This is because, unlike the higher survival rate of sperm in the Fallopian tubes, the egg is viable only for up to 24 hours after ovulation, usually around two weeks after the current period and before the next one. However, its beyond doubt that getting pregnant on your period is much harder. So, if youre trying to conceive, bear in mind its not the best cycle phase to succeed at it.
What Are The Possible Side Effects
The biggest downside to having sex during your period is the mess. Blood can get on you, your partner, and the sheets, especially if you have a heavy flow. Aside from dirtying the bed, bleeding may make you feel self-conscious. Anxiety over making a mess can take some or all of the fun out of sex.
Another worry about having sex during your period is the risk of passing on a sexually transmitted infection like HIV or hepatitis. These viruses live in blood, and they can spread through contact with infected menstrual blood. Using condoms every time you have sex can reduce your risk of spreading or catching an STI.
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?
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When Are You Least Likely To Get Pregnant
So you now know when youre most likely to get pregnant, but at what point during your menstrual cycle are you least likely? Youre least likely to get pregnant right before your period, aka right before your cycle begins, because thats when your fertility window and period probably wont overlap. However, Dr. Bhuyan still stresses that you can still get pregnant at any point in your cycle, particularly if youre someone who doesnt have a very regular cycle.
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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Why Did I Not Bleed When I Lost My Virginity
It’s normal to have bleeding the first time you have sex, but it’s also normal not to. Vaginas have a thin tissue that stretches across part of the opening. This is called a hymen. Sometimes when a person has vaginal sex for the first time, their hymen gets stretched open, which can cause pain or bleeding.
Can You Get Pregnant During Your Period
Most people have menstrual cycles that last 26 to 34 days, and if someone with this cycle has an average two- to eight-day period, they will probably not get pregnant during their period. An egg that is released during ovulation but remains unfertilized “comes out with all of the menstrual blood,” Dr. Hakakha explains.
That said, the chance of pregnancy on your period increases if you have an irregular cycle. “A woman with a shorter menstrual cycle , could have seven days of bleeding, have intercourse on her final day of bleeding, and ovulate three days later,” Dr. Hakakha says. “Since sperm live for three to five days, she could definitely get pregnant” if it fertilizes a released egg, which has a lifespan of about 24 hours.
In addition, some women experience breakthrough spotting or bleeding between periods. This can occur during ovulation and be mistaken for a period, making it difficult to establish the exact place in the menstrual cycle. Having sex during ovulation increases your chances of getting pregnant.
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Can I Get Pregnant Just Before 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.
Early Signs Of Pregnancy
If you miss a period, take a pregnancy test to make sure that youâre not pregnant. Other signs include tiredness, bloating, having to pee a lot, moodiness, nausea, and tender, swollen breasts. Most pregnancy tests will be positive by the time you miss your first period, but if yours isnât, itâs still important to see your doctor if youâre more than a week or two late to rule out any other health conditions and to confirm that you arenât pregnant.
Guttmacher Institute: âUnintended Pregnancy in the United States.â
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report: Appendix D: Contraceptive Effectiveness,â âContraception: Birth Control Methods.â
Contraception: âObese women need higher or continuous dose for oral contraceptive success,â
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: âClinical Challenges of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Methods,â âBarrier Methods of Birth Control: Spermicide, Condom, Sponge, Diaphragm, and Cervical Cap,â âProgestin-Only Hormonal Birth Control: Pill and Injection,â âCombined Hormonal Birth Control: Pill, Patch, and Ring,â âLong-Acting Reversible Contraception: Intrauterine Device and Implant,â âClinical Challenges of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Methods,â âBarrier Methods of Birth Control: Spermicide, Condom, Sponge, Diaphragm, and Cervical Cap.â
University of Michigan Medicine: âMissed or Irregular Periods.â
Healthlink BC: âBarrier Methods of Birth Control.â
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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.
Menstrual Cycle And Pregnancy
The menstrual cycle includes the time from the first day of the period to the first day of the next period. Typically, the menstrual cycle is 28 days and the period lasts about 37 days.
The fertility windowthe time when a woman can conceiveis during ovulation. Ovulation is the event in the female body when the egg is released from one of the ovaries and usually happens in the middle of the period, about 14 days after the first day of bleeding. However, the fertility window may open at different points of the menstrual cycle.
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The Ins And Outs Of Period Sex
So now we know it is possible to get pregnant on your period, its important you take the right precautions. When used correctly, barrier methods such as the condom are very effective at preventing pregnancy and also offer protection against STIs.
While many may think its gross or messy, having sex on your period is perfectly healthy and lots of women swear by it for a number of reasons. Due to a dip in progesterone, you may find your sex drive increases around menstruation. On top of this, orgasms can alleviate period cramps and cause the uterus to contract more, which in the end can mean shorter periods too.
While you might be expecting a Stephen King-style horror scene, you may actually be surprised by how little menstrual blood there is. The heaviness of your period is a very personal thing that varies from cycle to cycle, however, the average woman will only produce 6-8 teaspoons worth of blood during her entire period. That being said, you might want to have an extra towel on hand, or suggest things get steamy in the shower.
Irregular Periods Increase The Risk Of A Surprise Pregnancy
For women with regular cycles, its easy to track when you will ovulate to prevent pregnancy. However, many people experience irregular cycles, which makes it more difficult to know when youll start your period and when youll ovulate.
There are women who say, I get my period regularly every 35 days, but it is much more common to hear women say, I never know when Im going to get my period,’ says Joshua Copel, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive services at the Yale School of Medicine.
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Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle
For starters, it helps understand your menstrual cycle. “A period is defined as the blood loss that happens at the end of an ovulatory cycle, as the result of an egg not being fertilized by a sperm,” explains Michele Hakakha, M.D., a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist based in Los Angeles and co-author of Expecting 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Pregnancy.
“Every month, a woman releases an egg on approximately day 14 of her cycle,” says Dr. Hakakhathough ovulation date varies for everyone, and it’s also possible to have irregular cycles. “Prior to the release of the egg, the hormones in a woman’s body increase to prepare the lining of the uterus in case the egg is fertilized and a pregnancy occurs. If there is no fertilization, the lining of the uterus is sloughed off about 14 days later. This is called your period.” Most people have periods that last from two days to eight days and take place every 26 to 34 days.
Ovulation typically occurs midway through the cycle, and it’s the most fertile time in your menstrual cyclemeaning when you’re most likely to conceive. Because sperm can survive for several days in the reproductive tract, a woman can get pregnant by having sex during ovulation or the days leading up to it.
Ive Been Using Contraception Will This Affect My Cycle
This depends on what type of contraception youve been using. If youve been taking the pill, your period may be irregular when you first come off it, so try to give yourself up to 3 months for your natural menstrual cycle to get back to its normal routine.
The first period after stopping the pill is known as a withdrawal bleed. The next one after this is your first natural period.
The contraceptive injection can also affect your cycle. Your periods may change and become irregular, heavier, shorter, lighter or stop altogether. This can carry on for some months after you stop the injections.
If you use the contraceptive implant your fertility will return to normal as soon as it is taken out.
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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.
Can You Get Pregnant On Your Period With Birth Control
Unfortunately, no method of birth control method is 100% effective. So if you use a condom on your period, it breaks and you are fertile directly after your period, there is still a risk of pregnancy – although this is extremely unlikely. If you are using hormonal birth control, then the monthly bleeding you may experience is not in fact a period, its called a withdrawal bleed. Since hormonal birth control works by stopping ovulation, you will not have a fertile window in the same way as with non-hormonal birth control. If youre using Natural Cycles as a birth control method – then you will know your own fertile window.
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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.
Period Tracking And Logging Sex
Women who use Natural Cycles take their temperature every morning and record it in the app. The method works by identifying a rise in body temperature just before ovulation. This means Natural Cycles can tell you when you can and cant get pregnant, so you will know your own fertility whilst on your period, or any day of your cycle, for that matter. On top of this, you will also know where you are in your cycle, meaning you can plan for your period, PMS or when to do a self breast exam.
If you are looking for a hormone-free birth control option that learns your unique cycle, then Natural Cycles could be the solution youve been searching for.
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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.
Why Do People Think You Cant Get Pregnant On Your Period
Theres no way to track down exactly where this idea came from, but its likely due to a misunderstanding about ovulation. Because ovulation typically occurs mid-cycle, or around days 14 to 16 on average, it seems logical that you cant get pregnant on your period, which is day 1 of your cycle. But there are several reasons that this isnt necessarily true and other important factors that can come into play.
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