Your Chances Of Getting Pregnant Right After Your Period
If you’re trying to get pregnant, you’ll want to start having sex after your period ends for optimal chances of conceiving, says Kelly Pagidas, M.D., a fertility specialist formerly with Women & Infants Center for Reproduction and Infertility in Providence, Rhode Island.
For most people, “I recommend having sex frequentlytwo to three times a week, but every other day if you canshortly after you stop menstruating to cover your window of pre-ovulation,” she explains.
Here’s why: Sometime after your period ends, you may notice a change in vaginal discharge. This change doesn’t mean the egg has been released, but it does indicate that your body is preparing for ovulation by producing cervical mucus that offers a friendly environment for sperm. As you approach ovulation, cervical mucus will gradually change from more dry and sticky to pasty or creamy and finally to clear and stretchy, like the quality of raw egg whites. You may also notice an increase in the amount of discharge.
Your chances of conceiving: Low to medium. An egg isn’t technically released during this phase, but having sperm in place and sustained by fertile cervical mucus can be helpful in the event that you ovulate earlier than expected.
How Many Days After My Period Can I Get Pregnant
Whether you are a woman trying to get pregnant or youre trying to avoid getting pregnant, it is entirely your choice.
In both cases, it can be helpful and extremely important to do your research on fertility and help you identify the best time to get pregnant or prevent possible pregnancy. This article should be able to help and will tell you all about fertility and your period.
To learn more about fertility and pregnancy, you can also read our guides to working while pregnant and whether you can run when pregnant.
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Can You Ovulate More Than Once During A Cycle
A woman should not ovulate more than once during each cycle. This is due to a careful balance of hormones and their levels it takes just the right timing and release of hormones to bring on the release of a mature egg. Therefore, she cannot get pregnant more than once during a cycle. Remember, if you are not using a tracking method such as OPKs, basal body temperature, or cervical mucus, there is no guaranteed way to pin down the day you are ovulating. Many period tracking apps will give you your day of ovulation, but this is only an estimation of when it might happen. Thus, two days after the predicted ovulation day may not be a safe day to have sex to avoid pregnancy, since its possible that you have not actually ovulated yet.
Multiple ovulation is another phenomenon that can occur and is when two or more eggs are released in a single cycle. The eggs are released during one 24 hour period and are responsible for the birth of fraternal twins. It is believed that this may occur in as many as 5-10% of all cycles but does not result in that many twins due to a type of miscarriage referred to as the vanishing twin phenomenon.
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In Which Days Pregnancy Is Not Possible
But the most fertile days are the three days leading up to and including ovulation. Having sex during this time gives you the best chance of getting pregnant. By 12-24 hours after ovulation, a woman is no longer able to get pregnant during that menstrual cycle because the egg is no longer in the fallopian tube.
Dpo: Early Pregnancy Signs 10 Days Past Ovulation
You might begin to suspect that youre pregnant once youve missed your first period. This usually happens a few days after 10 DPO.
Ovulation is when the ovaries release a mature egg, and it happens around the 14th day of your menstrual cycle. Although the average cycle is about 28 days long, some people have slightly longer or shorter cycles.
Once the egg is released, youll either become pregnant or get your period. The latter occurs when the egg dies and is shed by the body, along with the uterine lining.
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When Does Conception Take Place
Conception starts at the moment of fertilisation, when the sperm penetrates the outer shell of the egg, and an embryo is formed. Over the next four to six days the embryo moves down the fallopian tube to the uterus, where it implants in the uterus lining and hopefully continues to grow. To check if you are pregnant, you should wait two weeks after ovulation before undertaking a pregnancy test.
When Should I Worry About Ovulation Bleeding
Normal menstrual bleeding occurs at regular intervals and lasts between five and seven days. Some women also experience light spotting during ovulation, about two weeks after the first day of their last period or in the middle of their cycle for women who have a cycle that is longer or shorter than 28 days.
Sometimes, irregular bleeding is an indication of an underlying health condition and not just cycle spotting. Some of the most common causes of irregular bleeding outside of ovulation and implantation include fibroids, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome , polyps, menopause or perimenopause, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections .
Its important to see your healthcare provider if:
- you typically experience regular periods and have recently noticed that your menstrual bleeding patterns have changed
- you notice bleeding that doesnt occur during your menstrual cycle or spotting that doesnt occur around the middle of your cycle
- bleeding at any time during your cycle is accompanied by the signs and symptoms of an infection or severe pelvic pain
- you experience ovulation bleeding while taking hormonal birth control
Your physician will ask questions to better understand your history, symptoms, and risk factors conduct a physical examination and order additional labs or diagnostic imaging tests if necessary.
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Ovulation Cycle: When Does Ovulation Occur
Outlined above is a fairly basic understanding of how ovulation works. In reality, ovulation and a womans monthly cycle are actually quite complex. While a monthly cycle is usually considered to be about 28 days, most women will find their cycles vary in length.
Some women even experience very irregular cycles. Conditions like PCOS might cause spotting or even bleeding more days than not. That means that, while the average or ideal cycle is the one most often described, any specific woman may find her schedule is somewhat different.
Ovulation occurs about halfway through a cycle, between days 10 and 22 of your cycle . The levels of estrogen and other hormones rise until the release of an egg is triggered. The egg moves from the ovary to travel down the fallopian tube.
After the egg is released, a womans body begins the luteal phase of their cycle. The egg moves into the fallopian tube and may be fertilized or may end up being expelled with the uterine lining.
Some forms of non-hormonal birth control, like the fertility awareness method, depend on tracking the progress of your cycle. The fact that cycles arent reliably regular means that they are less effective. A more reliable method may be to look for physical signs of ovulation.
Your Menstrual Cycle And Conception
There are two phases to the menstrual cycle: the follicular phase occurs before ovulation, and the luteal phase occurs after ovulation, says Lauren Sundheimer, M.D., MS, FACOG, an OB-GYN practicing in Orange County, California. Dr. Sundheimer explains that people who have 28-day cycles typically ovulate approximately 14 days after the first day of their period.
Though ovulation tends to occur 14 days prior to the next period, cycle length varies for from person to person and even cycle to cycle. This variation can make predicting ovulation especially tricky if you have irregular cycles since you dont know when your next period will arrive.
The egg thats released during ovulation survives for only 24 hours. Sperm, on the other hand, can survive three to five days in the uterus and fallopian tubes under the right circumstances, says Barbara Stegmann, M.D., a triple board-certified OB-GYN and womens health clinical lead at Organon, a global health care company. So having PIV sex during ovulation or the days beforehand can result in pregnancy since the egg can meet with existing sperm in the reproductive tract.
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When To Speak With A Doctor
A person should speak with a doctor if they do not become pregnant after 1 year of trying to conceive.
Age may also determine when to seek help. People between 3540 years of age should speak with a doctor after 6 months of trying to get pregnant. For those above 40 years of age, a healthcare professional may run some fertility tests.
A doctor may also test for possible signs of infertility or if a person has ever had repeated miscarriages, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, prior cancer treatment, or a history of irregular periods.
How To Know When Ovulation Occurs For Cycles Longer Or Shorter Than 28 Days
Because the length of the luteal phase is relatively rigid, its easy to determine when you ovulated once your period starts: about 14 days ago. Its not as easy to determine when you will ovulate. But a few tools can help you estimate:
Tracking your cycle
Tracking can help you identify patterns in your cycle and estimate a cycle length thats typical for you. You can roughly calculate your ovulation day by subtracting 14 days from your average cycle length.
Say your average cycle is 32 days . A 14-day luteal phase would put your ovulation day around Day 18 of your cycle.
Say your average cycle is 22 days. A 14-day luteal phase would put your ovulation day around Day 8 of your cycle.
Keep in mind its normal for your cycle length to fluctuate from month to month, so this method is just an estimate.
Also keep in mind this method assumes your luteal phase is 14 days long. While 14 days is typical for most, the luteal phase can vary between 10 and 16 days. If youre on either end of that range, its more accurate to determine your average ovulation day using an ovulation test strip, or by taking your temperature.
Ovulation test strips
Ovulation test strips are over-the-counter sticks you pee on, and they reveal when youll ovulate. Its recommended you start using ovulation test strips no later than Day 8 of your cycle, then continue to test every day until you see a positive test. A positive test usually means youll ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours.
Mild pelvic pain
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Truth: Ovulation Can Happen From Either Ovary
Your body doesnt systematically schedule ovulation to alternate ovaries from month to month. Ovulation can switch from side to side, but it doesnt have to.
Its also common for women to ovulate more often on one side than the other, actually. That could be your left ovary or your right ovary it depends on a number of factors. This is also why you may notice you get ovulation pain on one side more frequently than the other.
Which ovary releases the egg has more to do with which ovary has a follicle that reaches the final stage of maturity. At the start of your cycle, several follicles in each ovary begin to develop. Only one will make it all the way through the stages of development to ovulation. When more than one follicle releases an egg, thats how you may conceive non-identical twins.
Which Method Works Best
Its hard to say which method truly works better than another.
Charting your BBT may be impacted by a number of factors that influence your body temperature, like illness or alcohol use. In one study, charting only accurately confirmed ovulation in 17 of 77 cases . Keep in mind that in a year of typical use, 12 to 24 out of 100 people will get pregnant while using fertility awareness methods, like charting, to prevent pregnancy.
Fertility monitors, on the other hand, boast the potential to increase your chances of pregnancy with just one month of use. Still, these tools might not work well for everyone.
Talk with a doctor about your options if you:
- are approaching menopause
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How Do I Know If I Am In The Luteal Phase
There are some ways you may be able to tell youre in the luteal phase. Not everyone will notice symptoms.
Basal body temperature
Keeping track of your cycle using basal body temperature, or your bodys resting temperature, is one way to know if youre in your luteal phase. If you take your temperature immediately after waking, youll notice a slight increase in your body temperature after ovulation. The shift can be as little as 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit .
Vaginal discharge
Another way to tell if youre in the luteal phase is to look at your vaginal discharge. Your cervical mucus changes throughout your menstrual cycle. During ovulation, your discharge is wet and slippery like egg whites. It gets thick, dry and paste-like in the luteal phase.
Symptoms of the luteal phase
Symptoms of the luteal phase resemble those that happen during PMS .
Some signs that youre in the luteal phase of your cycle include:
- Changes in your appetite.
After Ovulation If Pregnant
The zygote can take 5-7 days to travel down the fallopian tube and nestle into the bloody lining of the uterus. All the time, the cells are dividing and multiplying as the zygote becomes a blastocyst. Most women dont know theyre pregnant at this early stage because its too early for any hormonal changes to be felt.
Around 10 days after fertilisation, the blastocyst implants in to the uterus and has a name change to embryo. Some women have an implantation bleed when this happens. An can be like a very light period or just a couple of spots of blood.
Pregnancy symptoms after ovulation and conception vary day by day. Some women report they just knew they were pregnant from the moment of conception or when the blastocyst implanted into their uterus.
Once the blastocyst implants, hormonal activity can lead to early pregnancy symptoms. is responsible for many symptoms such as breast tenderness, nausea and tiredness.
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How Many Days After Period Is Safe
There is no absolutely “safe” time of the month when a woman can have sex without contraception and not risk becoming pregnant. However, there are times in the menstrual cycle when women may be most fertile and are most likely to conceive. The fertile days may last for up to 3-5 days after the end of your period.
When Do You Ovulate After Your Period
Normally, women ovulate about halfway through their menstrual cycle. The cycle begins on the first day of a period and ends the day the next period begins. To get a rough date of ovulation, figure out the next day you expect a period to begin. The day about halfway along is an estimate for your ovulation date.
An average cycle is about 28 days, though they can often vary. As a result, while its possible to make a guess at when your next period starts, its not considered a reliable guess.
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Fertility During Your Period
A menstrual cycle is a cycle that begins inside a womans reproductive system on the first day of her period. This is not to be mistaken for the actual period, which is simply the act of bleeding.
Cycles can be regular or irregular and can last anywhere between 21 and 35 days. They are not always consistent and even for the same woman, one cycle can be very different from the next. A regular menstrual cycle only fluctuates between 21 to 35 days while an irregular menstrual cycle can be inconsistent and unpredictable, this usually lasts less than 21 days or more than 35 days. Knowing your menstrual cycle, period, and when you ovulate can help you pick the right time to have unprotected sex to get pregnant.
If you are a woman who has been going through cycles for quite some time now, you will more or less have an idea of what you might find in this article. However, if you are new to all this, perhaps you are a person trying to conceive or are wanting to learn more about contraception, here are some explanations of terms that you need to know before moving forward.
Ovulation: This is when a mature egg cell is released from the ovary into the fallopian tube where it gets a chance to be fertilized by a sperm cell. The egg will stay in the tube for about 24 hours, which is the best time to have sexual intercourse and increase the chances of pregnancy. Whilst ovulation happens as part of a cycle, some women can ovulate early from time to time.
Getting To Know Your Cycle
When Should I Be Concerned About Ovulation And My Period
If you track your period or ovulation and notice an irregular menstrual cycle, be sure to reach out to your doctor to determine the reason why.
Without a normal menstrual cycle, you may have lower fertility. And, it could also indicate a lack of ovulation even if you experience a menstrual period.
Many different factors can cause irregular cycles and irregular periods. Some are more easily corrected, while others may require medical attention.
Some causes are:
- Hormonal changes due to an estrogen and progesterone imbalance or medications
- Medical conditions like thyroid disorders
Your doctor may prescribe medications, supplements, or lifestyle changes to help get things in working order. In some cases, you may need extra help from a fertility specialist.
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