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.
Pssst Shop These Condoms
When are you least likely to get pregnant?
So you now know when you’re most likely to get pregnant, but at what point during your menstrual cycle are you least likely? You’re least likely to get pregnant right before your period, aka right before your cycle begins, because that’s when your fertility window and period probably won’t overlap. However, Dr. Bhuyan still stresses that you can still get pregnant at any point in your cycle, particularly if you’re someone who doesn’t have a very regular cycle.
What if your cycle is unpredictable?
“When you have irregular periods with unpredictable cycles, it’s much more difficult to predict fertility,” Dr. Bhuyan says. Not everyone’s cycle is the perfect 28-day period. In fact, it’s perfectly normal to have a 21-day cycle one month, and a 35-day one the next.
Conditions like Polycystic ovary syndrome or even everyday changes in stress levels, exercise, or eating can throw off your cycle, making ovulation unpredictable. While an irregular cycle is super common, it might be worth a visit to your gynecologist if it’s becoming an issue for you.
So it’s OK to have sex on your period?
Chances Of Getting Pregnant On Your Period
In essence, menstruation is the monthly shedding of the endometrium, the inner membrane of the uterus. Menstruation lasts between three and seven days for most women. By the third day, levels of progesterone and estrogen are rising and working to rebuild your endometrium. Around day four, follicle ripening begins to go on the uptick, meaning the ovaries will start preparing eggs for release.
Unless you’re a very early ovulator , there’s little chance your man’s sperm will actually have any eggs to work with during this phase of your cycle.
Your chances of conceiving: Almost zero. It’s not detrimental to have intercourse, though, and some women see menstruation as a breather from the rigors of frequent procreation-oriented sex.
Don’t Miss: How Can You Delay Your Period
Irregular Periods Increase The Risk Of A Surprise Pregnancy
For women with regular cycles, it’s easy to track when you will ovulate to prevent pregnancy. However, many people experience irregular cycles, which makes it more difficult to know when you’ll start your period and when you’ll 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 I’m going to get my period,'” says Joshua Copel, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive services at the Yale School of Medicine.
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: What To Do If Your On Your 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 Can I Do To Get Pregnant
If you want to get pregnant, its a good idea to talk to your doctor. Many doctors will advise a few lifestyle changes if youre trying for a baby, such as taking a folic acid or prenatal vitamin supplements, avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking, and trying to maintain a healthy weight. You may also want to use an ovulation test to help you identify when your most fertile days are. You can see our range of ovulation tests and fertility monitors here to help you maximize your chances of conceiving.
Recommended Reading: How To Stop Your Period For A Month
When Are You Most Likely To Get Pregnant
It is 5 days before ovulation because sperm can survive up to 5 days in the reproductive tract and still fertilise the egg. It is 1 day after ovulation because the egg can only survive for 1 day if fertilisation does not occur.
As if this wasnt a short enough time frame, most pregnancies actually result from sex on the 2 days before ovulation and the day of ovulation itself, reducing the peak times of the fertile window to 3 days only.
This short time frame means that couples who focus sex during their fertile window have significantly higher pregnancy success rates. They are also more likely to get pregnant quicker than couples who do not time sex in this way. This therefore leads to the question how do I know when my fertile window is?
Ovulation And The Fertile Window For Beginners
If we were to look at the perfect menstrual cycle, it would be 28 days. The first day would be the day your period starts and the last day would be the day before your next period starts.
Your cycle has two phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase.
During the follicular phase you have a period and you ovulate around day 14 .
After ovulation, you start the luteal phase, which is essentially when your body preps your cells and hormones for the next round.
Ovulation only lasts a whopping 12 to 24 hours, but sperm can survive for an estimated 5 days, meaning you have about a 6-day window to get pregnant .
This window includes the 12 to 24 hours of ovulation and the days sperm can live in the female reproductive tract. You are most fertile typically around 10 days to 2 weeks before your period, but there can be a lot of guesswork to figure out this window because it is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Don’t Miss: Do You Have A Period With Mirena
We Offer Extensive Options For Both Infertility Treatment And Birth Control
We see patients at every stage of their lives. While some are trying to get pregnant, others may be looking for the most effective form of permanent birth control. Still, others may be entering menopause while some may be having their first gynecological exam.
At any stage of your life, we offer compassionate care that has made us a leader in the area for more than 40 years. We have locations in Chapel Hill and offer Durham gynecology and Durham obstetrics services. No matter what stage in your journey, we want to care for you throughout your life. See why our patients love our personalized approach to medicine. Schedule an appointment today.
For more than 40 years, Chapel Hill OBGYN has served women in the Triangle area, sharing the joy of little miracles and supporting them during challenges. Our board-certified physicians and certified nurse midwives bring together the personal experience and convenience of a private practice with the state-of-the-art resources found at larger organizations. To schedule an appointment, please contact us for more information.
You’re Most Likely To Conceive In The Five Days Around Ovulation
“The most fertile time of your cycle is right around ovulation,” says Minkin.
During ovulation, you release an egg from your ovaries into one of your fallopian tubes where it can be fertilized by sperm. But if that egg isn’t fertilized within 12 to 24 hours, it breaks down and, essentially, dies.
However, the time when you’re most likely to get pregnant is longer than 24 hours. That’s because sperm have a longer lifespan, living inside a person’s body for 3 to 5 days.
So, “if some sperm are deposited a day or so in advance , that’s fine,” says Minkin, because the sperm will still be around when the egg is released.
Therefore, you’re most likely to conceive if you have sex in the five days surrounding ovulation and the day of ovulation. But don’t overdo it.
If you have sex too often, the amount of sperm in each ejaculation might be less concentrated and “it may not be as effective at getting you pregnant,” says Minkin. Once a day, or every other day, seems to give the best results.
Read Also: Can Fibroids Come Out During Period
Length Of Your Menstrual Cycle
Your menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period and is a critical component in determining when you can get pregnant. Most women have a 28-day cycle from the first day of one period to the first day of the next, but it can vary. Some have cycles as short as 21 days, for example. Technically, your cycle is considered regular if you have your period at least every 24 to 38 days, but that degree of variation can make estimating your fertility period challenging.
If you skip periods entirely or have cycle lengths that fall outside the regular range or change significantly from month-to-month, then you have what is known as an irregular cycle. Unfortunately, that will make it harder to pinpoint when you are likely to ovulate. If you are having difficulty conceiving and want to calculate the best estimate for when you could become pregnant, you may have to track your periods for a few months to determine an average length or some sense of a pattern for your cycle.
A period is a time when your reproductive system sheds the uterine lining. It is when your previous cycle ends and a new one begins.
The period also sets the stage for ovulation around 14 days before your expected period. Your chances of getting pregnant are the highest during ovulation. But is it possible for you to get pregnant during or around your period, which is considered an infertile time in a cycle? MomJunction answers this question and more. Read on.
The Causes Of Irregular Periods You May Be Overlooking
One of the main causes of an irregular period is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome . PCOS is an imbalance in the hormones controlling the reproductive system. PCOS causes irregular ovulation, cysts on ovaries, bleeding, and infertility. Research shows PCOS cases double miscarraiges and premature deliveries.
Recommended Reading: What Pills To Take For Period Cramps
What About Right After Your Period
Its unlikely though slightly more likely than if you have sex during your period.
If you have sex right after your period and you ovulate early that month, its possible to get pregnant.
This is more likely with people who have a shorter-than-average cycle, because ovulation occurs more frequently.
Your period will only start if the egg isnt fertilized and the cells are reabsorbed.
This causes estrogen and progesterone levels to fall and menstruation to begin.
However, you may experience some spotting during early pregnancy.
One study found that 14 out of 151 participants experienced one day of vaginal bleeding in the first eight weeks of pregnancy.
Furthermore, 15 percent to 25 percent of people may experience spotting during the first three months of pregnancy.
Taking note of the timing and any other symptoms present can help you differentiate between typical menstruation and pregnancy-related spotting.
Implantation bleeding usually occurs 6 to 12 days after conception. Its caused by the fertilized egg attaching to your uterus lining.
This light spotting usually only lasts 24 to 48 hours and is generally much lighter than the average period.
You may also experience spotting as a result of increased blood flow in the cervix. This type of spotting is most common after sex, a Pap test, or a pelvic exam.
If youre experiencing unexpected bleeding, see a doctor or other healthcare provider.
Tracking Your Period Can Help You Understand Your Cycle
Tracking your cycle may give you a better idea of how long your periods usually last and when you will ovulate. For example, some apps track symptoms like changing body temperature or cervical mucus that can help you pinpoint when you are ovulating in any given month.
Another possible sign of ovulation is mid-cycle spotting which can occur when estrogen levels dip. However, there are a number of other reasons for why you might bleed in between periods including the following:
- Birth control. Hormonal birth control can lead to mid-cycle breakthrough bleeding, especially when you’re using a new prescription or missed a dose.
- An infected or inflamed cervix. Sexually transmitted infections as well as chemicals from a douche, spermicide, or tampon can irritate the cervix and cause bleeding.
- Implantation. If an egg is fertilized, it will attach itself to the endometrium within a week, causing light spotting.
Tracking your cycle carefully can help you recognize when bleeding between periods is normal for you, or is a reason for you to talk with your doctor. You’ll also be able to determine whether or not it’s actually your period.
“There are many women who think that any vaginal bleeding is menstruation,” Copel says. A risky assumption if they have unprotected sex because it could lead them to incorrectly estimate when their fertility window falls.
Don’t Miss: How To Make Period Pain Go Away