Can You Get Pregnant On Your Period? And Common Misconceptions

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According to studies, you are the most fertile about 12 to 14 days before your next menstrual cycle. But can you get pregnant on your period? This post will give you more information in this context. The period is when the uterine lining sheds itself due to the absence of an embryo to nurture. The ovulation period is your most fertile period of the month, which comes right before your menstrual cycle.

But what are the chances of getting pregnant during or after you get your periods? This question mainly arises because the time after your period is considered to be comparatively less fertile. So read on to learn more about the chances of getting pregnant after your cycle.

Can You Get Pregnant During Your Period?

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Generally, the period phase of the menstrual cycle is less fertile, and you have negligible chances of getting pregnant. But the chances cannot be ruled out completely. Let’s see why:

As mentioned above, ovulation occurs around 14 days before the next period. Therefore, in a typical 28-day cycle, ovulation starts around the 14th day, and in a 32-day cycle it is likely to happen on the 18th day. During the process of ovulation, the egg is released into the fallopian tube and remains there for 12 hours.

• In the case of a shorter menstrual cycle i.e. 21 to 23 days, the ovulation starts much earlier (can be predicted using an ovulation calculator), which means that the time gap between menstruation and ovulation is less. Since the sperms can live for 48-72 hours inside the reproductive tract under favorable conditions, if you have sex during your period, there are chances of you getting pregnant following your early ovulation as the sperm is still there in your body (1).

• If your period lasts for a long time beyond four days, and your cycle is short, then you might ovulate soon after your period. Therefore, if you have sex during the end of your period, there is a chance of you getting pregnant.

• Sometimes, you might mistake ovulation bleeding or spotting as menstrual bleeding and have unprotected sex soon after that. Having sex under these circumstances is likely to make you pregnant. It becomes difficult to know the right time of ovulation, especially when your periods are irregular (2).

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In short, if you do not want to get pregnant, then have protected sex even when you are bleeding. You may use condoms or birth pills. And if you want to get pregnant, period is not the right time to try.

Things to know

An ovulation kit may help predict the exact time of your ovulation. These kits are handy and allow you to test your luteinizing hormone at home. If the test shows positive, you may ovulate within 36 hours (5).

Can You Get Pregnant After Your Period?

Yes, there is a possibility.

The phase after the menstrual cycle is when you move into fertility.

For a menstrual cycle of 28-30 days, the ovulation starts somewhere between 14th and 17th day. Although the chances of getting pregnant immediately after your period are minimal, it is not impossible.

Let us understand this with an example. If you have a 28-day cycle, the fertility window will be open from days 9 to 14. As we have mentioned earlier, the sperm can live for up to six days in the reproductive tract.

Now, let’s assume that your period gets over by the sixth day and you have intercourse in the next five days. The sperm might stay in the fallopian tube for the next six days; and if you ovulate on the 14th day, the egg can get fertilized and you might become pregnant. This indicates that you can still get pregnant just after your periods.

However, if your period stops early (say, after three days), there is a long time for ovulation to happen, and thus you may not have any chances of getting pregnant.

In the case of shorter cycles (24 days), ovulation will happen around the 10th day. So, if your menstrual flow stops after five days and you have sex on the last day of bleeding, you may get pregnant.

For longer cycles (32 days), you might ovulate on the 18th day. In this case, if your bleeding stops after five days, then you have a safe window as there is time for ovulation to begin.

Note: If you are planning to get pregnant, this is still not the right time, though you may try for it. But if you want to avoid pregnancy, then use contraceptives.

Can You Get Pregnant Before Your Period?

You are least likely to become pregnant during this time.

We know that for women whose menstrual cycle is 28 to 30 days, the ovulation window ranges from the 14th to 17th day. The period after this is the post-ovulation stage, which lowers the chances of pregnancy. Therefore, having sex right before the onset of the next cycle is a safe period to avoid pregnancy.

However, if your ovulation gets delayed due to health issues or stress, and moves to the end of the cycle, then you are likely to get pregnant before your period. The tricky thing here is it is difficult to know if your ovulation is getting delayed.

Unless you have a regular menstrual cycle, it isn’t easy to know about your fertile and non-fertile days in a month. Adding to the confusion are innumerable misconceptions that have been passed on to us over years.

Common Misconceptions About Getting Pregnant During Period

Here, let’s know about some myths about getting pregnant during periods:

1. You don’t get pregnant during periods.

The chances of getting pregnant are remote but we cannot completely rule out the possibility. As you have read above, there is a possibility of getting pregnant if ovulation happens near to your period.Therefore, to prevent pregnancy, it is advisable to utilize birth control and contraception methods.

2. Periods won’t influence your chance of getting pregnant.

If you get fewer menstrual cycles in a year, then your chances of conception are reduced, as the ovulation process also takes a beating. Moreover, irregular cycles make it difficult to predict your ovulation time, and so you wouldn’t know your fertile days in a cycle.

3. Wait until the ovulation occurs to indulge in sex.

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Usually, the safe window for fertilization is four days before the ovulation time. The chances of conception increase if you have unprotected sex for pregnancy during this period. If you wait till ovulation, you might miss the fertility window.

Say, you had sexual intercourse during your period and got pregnant, how would you know that you are pregnant?

Common Signs Of A Successful Fertilization

Here are the common signs and symptoms that you may experience after conception (3, 4):

• You may notice light spotting or implantation spotting around 6 to 12 days after fertilization which may look similar to the menstrual blood.

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• The breasts may feel heavier, fuller, or swollen and tender to touch. The areola (the area around the nipples) may also darken.

• Hormonal changes, particularly in progesterone levels, cause extreme tiredness.

• The most prominent sign of pregnancy is missing your periods.

• You tend to urinate more frequently than before.

• You may feel nauseated.

• You develop a craving for various foods that include the ones you never liked before.

Image: IStock

• Be prepared for mood swings.

Quick fact

Every woman experiences pregnancy signs differently. While some may start feeling pregnant just after a few days of conception, others do not feel anything for weeks after conception (6).

Periods, ovulation and chances of getting pregnant are no doubt a little confusing, especially due to the various myths associated with them. In the below Q&A section, we make them easier to understand.

Infographic: Why Some Women Become Pregnant On Periods While Others May Not?

Pregnancy occurs anytime when a viable ovum fuses with viable sperm. Changes in cycle and ovulation day could change a woman’s fertile window. Read through the infographic to know the reasons for conceiving on periods.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Can You Get Pregnant On Your Period? And Common Misconceptions

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Are you wondering if you can get pregnant while on your period? Join us for an in-depth discussion on the topic in this informative video and get the answers you need!

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Michael FleischerMD

Dr. Michael Fleischer is an obstetrician-gynecologist having a private practice in Boca Raton, Florida. He completed his MD at Tulane University and did his fellowship at the University of Texas at Houston. He specializes in high-risk pregnancies as well as minimally invasive gynecologic surgery.

Read full bio of Michael Fleischer

Sakshi MishraMSc

Sakshi holds a bachelor’s degree in Science and a master’s in Bioinformatics from Panjab University, India. She has worked on a research project, “In silico ligand designing exhibiting anti-diabetic activity derived from responsible phytochemicals of selected herbs.

Read full bio of Sakshi Mishra

Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

Read full bio of Rebecca Malachi

Aneesha AmonzMSc

Aneesha holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from USTM, Meghalaya and Master’s degree in Applied Microbiology from VIT, Vellore. With two years of experience, she has worked on different research projects in the field of Food Sciences.

Read full bio of Aneesha Amonz