Yes, it's possible to get pregnant right after, on, or even just before your period. The likelihood of getting pregnant varies depending on timing and the length of your cycle.
If you're trying to get pregnant, the best time to have sex is just before or during ovulation. If you're not trying to get pregnant, use reliable contraception no matter which day of your cycle it is.
Here's a rundown of your chances of getting pregnant during your period, and on the days before and after it.
Can you get pregnant on your period?
Yes, but it's unlikely. It's possible to get pregnant during your period when:
- You have a very short menstrual cycle (the time from the first day of one period to the first day of your next period).
- You have long periods.
- You were bleeding around the time of ovulation (spotting between periods) and mistakenly thought it was a regular period. If you had unprotected sex at that time, you could conceive.
Here's why you could get pregnant during your period:
Ovulation happens during the middle of your menstrual cycle – anywhere between 7 and 19 days before your period starts. During ovulation, an egg reaches maturity in one of your two ovaries, the ovary releases the egg into your abdomen, and it gets sucked into the nearest fallopian tube, where it can survive for about 24 hours. Conception occurs when an egg and sperm meet in a fallopian tube.
A typical menstrual cycle is 28 days, which usually leaves a good few days between the end of your period and the start of ovulation. But some women have cycles as short as 22 days. If you have a short cycle or long periods, you could ovulate right after your period ends. And because sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to five days, if you have sex during your period, it's possible that live sperm will be there when you ovulate, ready to fertilize the egg.
Can you get pregnant right after your period?
Yes. Immediately after your period is still not the ideal time to get pregnant, but you are more likely to conceive at this time than during your period. That's because you're closer to the time when you will ovulate.
Again, two factors can increase your chances of getting pregnant right after your period:
- A short menstrual cycle
- A long period
The shorter your cycle and the longer your period, the more likely it is that you'll be fertile during the last few days of your period or in the days just afterward.
Can you get pregnant right before your period?
Yes, but it's unlikely, and chances are even lower that you could conceive during this time than while you are on your period or right after it. That's because the time you are fertile has probably passed.
However, if you have a menstrual cycle that is shorter than the typical 28 days, there are fewer days between ovulation and the start of your next period during which you are not fertile. That means your chances of getting pregnant right before your period are higher if you have a shorter cycle and lower if you have a longer cycle.
Learn more:
- The best time to get pregnant
- How to get pregnant: A primer
- Ovulation symptoms
- Ovulation predictor kits
When we talk about avoiding pregnancy, it is important to understand your menstrual cycle well to know when a woman is most likely to get pregnant and when she is not. This can help you understand how many days after the period is it safe to avoid pregnancy.
Periods and pregnancy are highly related. So, if you are trying not to conceive, safe days to avoid pregnancy are 3-4 days before and after your periods. This time is not a fertile period for a female, and it is safe to have sex during these 3-4 days if you want to avoid pregnancy.
Periods And Pregnancy
A woman may consider and try to avoid getting pregnant or may choose to get pregnant. In either case, it is necessary to know your menstrual cycle well and the days when you can conceive. This will help you understand how many days after periods you can get pregnant or the safe days to avoid pregnancy.
Periods and pregnancy are closely related. If the female egg is not fertilised with the help of male sperm, a woman becomes pregnant. In case the female egg remains unfertilised, it sheds in the form of menstruation, along with the uterine lining. But how many days after a period is it safe to have sex to avoid pregnancy? Read on to find out!
Is it Safe to Have Sex After Periods?
Whether you are trying to avoid getting pregnant or trying to conceive, you should be tracking your menstrual cycle. This means you should be monitoring the period between the first time you get your period to the next. The average woman begins to ovulate about 14 days after her menstrual cycle has ended. However, the most fertile period of the female is about 3-4 days before and after her ovulation period. Hence, it is not safe to have sex during these 3-4 days if you do not want to get pregnant and advisable to have sex during this period if you wish to do so.
Is it Safe to Have Sex Just After Periods?
No, it is not safe to have sex just after periods if you are planning to go unprotected and don't want to get pregnant. As a matter of fact, there's no safe time of the month to have unprotected sex without the risk of pregnancy. However, it's unlikely that you will get pregnant just after your period, but it still is possible. This is because sperm can survive in your vagina as long as 7 days, and you will be the most fertile during your ovulation period (usually 12-14 days before the next period starts)
Also read: Foods that abort a month-long pregnancy
Is your menstrual cycle regular? One can have either a regular or an irregular period cycle. A woman's menstrual cycle can last from 21 days to 35 days, in general. However, an ideal menstrual cycle is 28 days.
Unprotected sex at any time during the menstrual cycle does not nullify the risk of getting pregnant, whether it is during the period, just after the periods, or any time.
Many of us might be wondering, "Is it safe to have sex after periods?"
Ideally, there is no terminology as 'safe time' to have sex without using contraception in the month. There are phases during the entire menstrual cycle when you are most likely to conceive and most unlikely to conceive.
If you are trying to avoid getting pregnant, you have a minimal chance of getting pregnant if you have sex within the initial seven days after periods, when the eggs are not released from the ovaries.
Nevertheless, if you have a shorter cycle, you may ovulate around this time, thus using appropriate contraception is necessary.
| 1-7 | Menstruation | Least Fertility Stage |
| 8-9 | Post-Menstruation | Possible to Conceive |
| 10-14 | Days Around Ovulation | Most Fertile |
| 15-16 | Post-Ovulation | Possible to Conceive |
| 17-28 | Thickening of Uterine Lining | Less Fertile Unlikely to Conceive |
How Many Days After My Period Can I Get Pregnant?
If you are planning to get pregnant, you should practice sex without contraception. A woman is more likely to conceive during the fertile window stage of the menstrual cycle, known as the ovulation phase.
Ovulation is a phenomenon when ovaries release the mature egg towards the fallopian tube (a part of the female reproductive system).
If you have a regular menstrual cycle, you are more likely to get pregnant during the 10th-14th day, considering the onset of menstruation as day 1. However, the days can vary among each woman.
Sperms can survive in the woman's body for 5-7 days. Thus if you have intercourse without contraception during the fertile window of the menstruation cycle, you are more likely to get pregnant.
Also Read: Sperm & Pregnancy- When Can You Get Pregnant
How Many Days After Your Period Do You Ovulate?
Ovulation varies in each woman depending on the length of their menstrual cycle. It generally occurs from day 11 to day 21, depending on the menstrual cycle. These days are counted considering the onset of vaginal bleeding as day 1.
Women with shorter cycles tend to ovulate around day 11 after the period, while women with longer menstrual cycles tend to ovulate around day 21.
How Do You Count the Safe Days After Your Period
Though safe days are just a prediction based on human calculations, it helps women understand their menstrual cycle well and know safe days to have unprotected sex without the fear of being conceived.
To calculate safe days, we need to start with calculating the length of a woman’s menstrual cycle. This length is calculated from the beginning
of the menstrual period to day 1 of the next menstrual period.
The first week after the period is usually safe in a menstrual cycle as eggs are not producing and ovaries are still forming the eggs. A week before the next period cycle is also considered safe as ovulation is done, and there is less chance of fertilisation.
Can you get pregnant a week after your period?
Yes, you can get pregnant a week after your period. There lies a possibility to conceive a week after your period if you have sex without contraception. It is more likely for women with a shorter menstrual cycle since their fertile window gets activated earlier.
Take home message: Always use effective contraceptive methods while having intercourse unless you are planning pregnancy, as none of the days of the month in menstrual cycles can be claimed as 100% safe days.
How Soon
Can I Take A Pregnancy Test?
Timing is very important in pregnancy testing as HCG levels in urine help determine that a woman is pregnant. As HCG levels double every 48 hours, we can conclude that a woman is pregnant even in her early days of pregnancy.
The best time to take a pregnancy test is when your period is late. But, if you wish to know sooner, you can wait for two weeks after you had sex and can take the pregnancy test, but still, a test after the period is late is the most effective one.
How To Prevent Pregnancy
1. Condoms
These are the only type of contraception that protects individuals from sexually transmitted diseases. Condoms are also 80% effective against pregnancy when used correctly.
2. Female Condoms
Female condoms are above 79% effective against pregnancy, and they can be used instead of male condoms while having sex, but both condoms should never be used simultaneously.
3. Diaphragm
The estimated effect of a diaphragm in avoiding pregnancy is 90%. It is a barrier method of contraception that must be placed in a female vagina hours before sex, must be kept intact six hours after, and can be removed 24 hours after the sex.
4. Contraceptive Pills
Contraceptive pills are one of the most widely used methods to avoid pregnancy and are 95 per cent effective. They must be taken every day at the same time, usually.
5. Cervical Cap
This soft silicone cup is placed deep inside a vagina and covers the cervix by stopping the sperm from reaching the egg. It is considered to be 70-85 per cent effective.
Also read: Indian foods to avoid pregnancy
In a Nutshell… How Many Days After Period is Safe to Avoid Pregnancy?
If you wish to avoid pregnancy, make sure you do not indulge in sexual intercourse without a condom at any time of the month. Moreover, avoid having sex with your partner in your most fertile days, about 3-4 days before and after ovulation.
FAQs
Can You Get Pregnant at the Beginning of Your Period?
This is a common misconception
that women can’t get pregnant during their periods, but that is not always true. The chances are slim, but a woman can get pregnant, especially on the first day of her period, if she has a 20-day menstrual cycle.
This is because a sperm lives in the woman’s body for six days, and eggs are released from the ovaries 14-16 days before her first day of the period. In this way, a sperm lives in the vagina on a woman’s first day of the period. This can cause pregnancy at the beginning of the period, so it is always advised to use protection.
I Had Sex 3 Days After My Period. Can I Get Pregnant?
Yes, a woman can get pregnant if she has unprotected sex 3 days after her period. However, it is very rare for a woman to get pregnant right after the period. It is possible as sperm can live in a woman's reproductive tract for 7 days. The ovulation period can start for women with
shorter menstrual cycles.
Can You Get Pregnant 24 Hours After Your Period?
Once your menstrual cycle ends, you are gradually moving towards your fertility window or ovulation period. Moreover, sperm can live inside a female body for about 3-5 days. Hence, yes, there are chances of pregnancy if you have sex 24 hours after your period.
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.
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.
References
Rachel Gurevich (2020) How Long Does Ovulation Last? (Very Well Family) //www.verywellfamily.com/how-long-does-ovulation-last-1960235