Is it easier to get pregnant right after your period

Can You Get Pregnant if You Have Sex During Your Period?

Most likely you will not get pregnant having sex while on your period. That’s because your ovulation time is several days away decreasing any chances of getting pregnant during this time. However, there are exceptions. This applies to women who have a typical 28 to 30 day or longer cycle. If you have a shorter cycle, say every 21 to 24 days, that means you are ovulating earlier in the cycle. Because sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days, you could have sex towards the end of your period and then conceive 4 or 5 days later with your early ovulation.

The probabilities of getting pregnant during your period are low, but the possibilities are there. This is not the time to have sex if you are trying to get pregnant.

Can You Get Pregnant Right After Your Period?

You are moving into your fertility window, so yes, you can get pregnant right after your period. On a typical cycle that occurs every 28 to 30 days, the fertility window is usually between Day 11 and Day 21.  Remember, sperm can live up to 5 days. If your period (bleeding time) lasts for 5 to 7 days, and you have sex right after that, you are approaching your fertility window.

Can You Get Pregnant on the Last Day of Your Period?

If you stop bleeding on Day 6, have sex on Day 7 and ovulate on Day 11, it’s possible the sperm from Day 6 will be waiting in your fallopian tubes for conception. Your chances of conceiving right after your period increase each day after your bleeding has stopped. If you are trying to conceive this is a good time to have sex. Increase your chances of conception by having sex every other day for the next 14 days.

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.  It’s still a good time to enjoy intimacy with your partner.

Bottom Line

A woman’s ovulation cycles can vary, so it’s statistically possible you could become pregnant while on your period. While pregnancy is less likely in the earlier days of your period, the chances increase in the later days.

If you’re trying to become pregnant and haven’t conceived after a year or more of having unprotected sex, download our new e-book The Ultimate Fertility Resource Guide. It’s a free download and has the essential information and tips you need to improve your fertility and get pregnant faster.

Want to Know More?

• Track your ovulation cycle with our free Ovulation Calendar
• Tracking Ovulation with Irregular Periods

• Sex During Period
  • Is it safe to have sex during periods?
• Early Signs of Pregnancy
  • What are the most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy?
• When To Take The Test
  • How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
• How They Work
  • How do pregnancy tests work?
• Accuracy
  • How accurate are home pregnancy tests?
• Related Resources
  • Related Resources - Can I Get Pregnant Shortly After My Period?

Getting pregnant just after your period is unlikely, but it’s not impossible.

Getting pregnant just after your period is unlikely, but it’s not impossible.

The chances of getting pregnant are low right after periods compared to a few days or a week in the menstrual cycle:

• If a woman has sex without using contraception, she may get pregnant at any time during the menstrual cycle, even during or just after the period.
• 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. The chances of getting pregnant just after the period depend on how short the menstrual cycle is and how long the period lasts. If periods are long, women may only have a few days left after the period ends before fertile days begin.
• If the menstrual cycle is short, for example, 22 days, then women could ovulate just days after the period. The longest that sperm can survive in fertile cervical mucus is 5-7 days. So, it may just be possible for women to get pregnant if they ovulate a little earlier than usual.
• A woman may also get pregnant just after a period if she has an irregular cycle.

Is it safe to have sex during periods?

Unprotected sex during periods is not advisable. Having unprotected sex, whether oral, anal, or vaginal, always leads to a higher risk of infection owing to skin-to-skin genital contact. While it is often considered safe to have sex during periods, it may lead to a risk of infection due to vaginal discharge. Yeast infection is the most common infection acquired during period sex.

Implementing birth control measures, such as using a condom, may lower your chances of contracting infections and getting pregnant.

There are a few common benefits of having protected sex during periods, such as:

• Period cramp relief: Since the uterus may be shedding its lining, orgasm may relieve the menstrual cramp. The uterine muscles contract and release over time, leading to less muscle tension. Also, sex leads to the release of endorphins, which helps ease body pains, headaches, and discomfort.
• Better lubrication: One of the most prominent benefits of having sex during periods is that it allows better lubrication. If the vagina is mostly dry while having sex, the menstrual flow can help to enhance lubrication by acting as a natural lubricant. This contributes to safer and more comfortable sex.

QUESTION

What are the most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy?

Many of the signs and symptoms differ from person to person.

Below are a few common signs and symptoms that may indicate early pregnancy:

• Blood or spotting on the panty is one of the early symptoms of pregnancy. The embryo pushes itself into the wall of the uterus (or womb). This causes some light bleeding or spots of blood to appear on the panty.
• Fatigue or tiredness is a high-ranked symptom among early symptoms of pregnancy. During early pregnancy, levels of the hormone progesterone soar, which makes a patient feel sleepy or tired.
• Patients might find urinating more often than usual. The amount of blood in the body increases during pregnancy, causing kidneys to process extra fluid that ends up in the bladder.
• Vulva changes are the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy. Change in the color of the vulva and vagina happens because more blood is needed in that area to build the tissue for pregnancy.
• Breast and nipple changes are an early sign of pregnancy. Hormonal changes might make breasts sensitive and sore. Nipples may become larger and darker as the pregnancy progresses. Women may also notice small, goosebumps or pimple-like white areas on their areola, which may be an early sign of pregnancy.
• Having random food cravings is one of the most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy. It’s caused by the body's craving for what it needs. For example, some women want combinations like fish and ice cream; this could be because the body is lacking protein and sugar.
• Missed menstrual cycle or period pain is the most common symptom of early pregnancy. If a woman has missed her period by a week or more, there is a chance that she might be pregnant.

Health News

How soon can I take a pregnancy test?

You can take a pregnancy test on the first day of a missed period.

You may take a pregnancy test as soon as you miss a period or if your period is late.

• You would know the date of your missed period if your periods are regular.
• If your periods are irregular, or you do not have periods for some reason, you can do a pregnancy test at least three weeks after having sexual intercourse.

It is recommended to take a pregnancy test as soon as possible if you miss your period or if you think you might be pregnant. Knowing about your pregnancy early helps you plan accordingly and seek the necessary care.

You must read the instructions in your test kit to know about the accuracy of the test and how and when to perform it. Some pregnancy tests claim that they can give results a few days before a missed period. The results of testing this early are often less accurate.

Certain pregnancy tests may detect pregnancy hormones as soon as 10 days after unprotected intercourse. These tests have higher chances of inaccuracy and giving false-positive or false-negative test results.

SLIDESHOW

How do pregnancy tests work?

Pregnancy tests are a quick and easy means to know whether you are pregnant. Most at-home pregnancy tests work by detecting the levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in your urine.

• HCG is also known as the pregnancy hormone because the levels of this hormone increase considerably when you get pregnant.
• This hormone is released when a fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus (the endometrium).
• Thus, when you pee or dip the test stick into your urine, it detects whether HCG is present in your urine.

Most pregnancy tests can be taken beginning on the first day of your missed period. Because the HCG concentration increases rapidly (doubling every two to three days), taking a test early may not be accurate enough. Refer to the label instructions in your test kit to know the best time to take the test.

• It is generally advised to take the test first thing in the morning because during this time the urine will have the highest concentration of HCG.
• Drinking a lot of water before the test may dilute the HCG levels in your urine, increasing the chance of a false-negative test result.

How accurate are home pregnancy tests?

Home pregnancy tests are quite accurate and reliable when you use them correctly. Most of the tests available at drugstores claim that they work 99 out of 100 times. Their accuracy is similar to that of a urine pregnancy test that you get in a doctor’s office or hospital. 

• Because these tests work by detecting the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone in your urine, their accuracy might be lower in early pregnancy or when you have just missed your period.
• If your pregnancy test comes out negative but you feel that you might be pregnant, repeat the test a week after the date you missed your period.

You may want to visit your healthcare provider if you are not confident about the result of your pregnancy test.

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Medically Reviewed on 2/24/2022

References

Am I pregnant? Early signs and symptoms of pregnancy: (https://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/family/early-signs-of-pregnancy-64319)

Can I get pregnant just after my period has finished? (https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/can-i-get-pregnant-just-after-my-period-has-finished/)

Medscape Medical Reference

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/home-pregnancy-tests/art-20047940

Planned Parenthood https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/pregnancy/pregnancy-tests