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.
Chances Of Getting Pregnant While On Your Period
Its very unlikely you will get pregnant in the days immediately before your period. However, we are all unique and our cycles are not the same and so our peak fertility varies. This means for some women the days before menstruation are fertile. Getting pregnant 5 days before your period is a possibility for some women, if they ovulate close to the end of their menstrual cycle, but typically peak fertility occurs earlier in the menstrual cycle.
Factors That Change The Time You Ovulate
The sex hormones estrogen and progesterone largely determine the duration of a menstrual cycle. For example, over the course of a cycle, rising estrogen levels trigger ovulation and thicken the uterine lining so that you can potentially conceive and nurture a fertilized egg.
Slight changes in estrogen and progesterone levels can lead to changes in cycle duration and when you ovulate. These changes can come from factors like age, ethnicity, and body mass index.
Stress, illness, and other medical conditions can also affect when you ovulate, and alter the typical length of your cycle. “Even somebody with a 31-day cycle might have a shorter cycle than their average and have a slip-up,” Childson says.
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So Superfetation Is Different Than Carrying Twins Right
Correct. Superfetation might be mistaken for a twin pregnancy in an ultrasound because it also involves seeing two babies, but its not the same thing.
There will be a difference in gestational age with a double pregnancy, because the two babies were conceived at two different times . There may also be a gap in the size of the fetuses, but this is also common in regular twins when one twin takes more nourishment than the other, according to research. Twins can also simply grow at different paces, Dr. Minkin notes.
And, Dr. Minkin points out, twins are from two eggs released at the same time, with the same father. A double pregnancy could technically result from two different sexual encounters with two different people. But superfetation can of course be from the same father, and just conception happening at different times, says Dr. Minkin. Again, that would have to rely on a woman ovulating multiple times within a cycle, or ovulating once already pregnant, and the second pregnancy taking successfully.
When Are The Odds Of Getting Pregnant The Highest
Bottom line: Its very hard to get pregnant on your periodnearly impossible. So when can you get pregnant? Your best bet is leading up to and during ovulation. Since the egg is viable for only 12 to 24 hours after ovulation, it has to be fertilized by sperm before that time is up. Remember, sperm can live in your body for up to five days , so its possible to have sex before you ovulate and still conceive a few days later. On average, a woman is fertile for the five days leading up to ovulation and up to 24 hours after. So if you wait 36 to 48 hours after ovulation to have sex, youll be beyond your window of fertility.
Keep in mind, its not unusual to take several tries before you become pregnant. Often, both egg and sperm are available, but fertilization just doesnt happen. According to one study on women with the mean age of 29, the odds of getting pregnant within the first month of properly timed sex was 38 percent, but that figure shot up to 68 percent after three months and 92 percent after a year.
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What Are The Chances I Can Get Pregnant On My Period
The chances of getting pregnant if you have sex during your period are very low. However, if youve had unprotected sex, it is still possible to get pregnant during your period.
To understand how this can happen, you need to know how your menstrual cycle works.
- Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and lasts until the first day of your next period.
- About 10 to 16 days before the start of your next period, you will ovulate, which is when one of your ovaries releases an egg.
- Once youve ovulated, you enter the Luteal phase, when the now empty follicle develops the corpus luteum, which produces the hormone progesterone.
- The lining on your uterus thickens in preparation for a fertilized egg to implant.
- If you have not conceived, then the egg passes into the uterus, hormone levels drop, and the womb lining sheds as you begin your next period.
You are at your most fertile around the time you ovulate. Although the egg lives only for 12 to 24 hours after being released, you can get pregnant even if you have sex days before you ovulate as sperm can live up to five days in your body.
So how likely are you to get pregnant during your period? Well, it depends on a few factors like:
- whether you used contraception or not
- the length of your menstrual cycle
- the length of your period
- when you had sex
You can also conceive after having sex during your period if you have short menstrual cycles, as this means you ovulate a few days earlier, and closer to the end of your period.
Can You Be Pregnant And Have A Period
Experts share why it’s physically impossible to have a period while pregnant, and they give alternative reasons for bleeding during the first, second, and third trimesters.
Can you get your period while pregnant? The short answer is no. “Women can certainly have vaginal bleeding during a pregnancy, but when they bleed, they are not having a ‘period,'” explains Michele Hakakha, M.D., a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist based in Los Angeles and co-author of Expecting 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Pregnancy. Keep reading to learn why menstruation stops during pregnancy, as well as other possible causes of spotting during the first, second, or third trimester.
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Who Should Take Clomid
Clomid is often prescribed to women with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, which is a syndrome that can cause irregular or absent ovulation.
Not everyone will respond to this medication. Women with primary ovarian insufficiency, or early menopause, and women with absent ovulation due to low body weight or hypothalamic amenorrhea are most likely to not ovulate when taking Clomid. Women with these conditions may need more intensive infertility treatment.
For women who are appropriately treated with Clomid, there are many benefits:
Can You Get Pregnant Right After Your Period
Yes, it is possible to get pregnant right after a period if the fertile window starts immediately after menstruation ends. Sperm can live for up to five days inside the body. If bleeding stops on day six, sex happens on day seven, and ovulation occurs on day 11, the sperm from day six may still be in the uterine tubes. In this case, pregnancy is still possible. The likelihood of pregnancy after a period increases with every day after bleeding has stopped.
For people trying to conceive, this can be an ideal time to try. Having sex every day increases the chance of conception.
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Chances Of Getting Pregnant After Ovulation
Also known as the luteal phase, this final portion of your cycle lasts a minimum of 12 days and a maximum of 16 days. Progesterone starts to rise, signaling that the ovaries don’t need to release any more eggs this month. Your cervical mucus will dry up and create a plug to prevent any additional sperm from entering the uterus.
It takes about six days for any fertilized eggs to travel to your uterus. If one implants in your endometrium, you’ll start to see the rise in human chorionic gonadotropin , the hormone measured by home pregnancy tests, within a week.
Your chances of conceiving: Low. Once the egg has been released, there’s not much that can be done until next month. But there’s certainly no harm in having sex if you’re in the mood!
Don’t sweat it if it’s time for your cycle to start over again and you’re still not pregnant. You may not have tracked your most fertile days accurately, in which case your guy’s swimmers never had the chance to work their magic. The vast majority of couples who are trying to conceive do so within a year, with only about half achieving their goal by 6 months. Talk to your doctor or a fertility specialist about any concerns regarding your chances of getting pregnant.
Can You Get Pregnant On Your Period If You Have An Irregular Cycle
Yes. If you have an irregular period, it can be harder to predict when youll be ovulating and that could cause you to get pregnant accidentally, since it can be harder to avoid having sex close to that time.
Here are a few types of irregular menstrual cycles, and how it’s still possible to get pregnant:
- You have a short cycle. Some women have cycles as short as 21 days and still ovulate, which means they dont have as much time between when they finish menstruating and when they next ovulate. And since sperm can live in your reproductive tract for a few days, if you happened to have sex during your period and then ovulated the following cycles egg two to three days later, that egg could encounter viable sperm. And you know what that means.
- Your periods last a long time. While your body is slowly shedding that uterine lining, the clock is ticking on ovulation and your next egg shows up while youre still bleeding from the previous months egg. So youre already fertile again which means you can get pregnant on your period.
- You have breakthrough bleeding, or spotting, when you ovulate. Especially if you have light or irregular periods, it would be easy to mistake this bleeding for a true period even though its happening when youre actually most fertile, since youve just ovulated.
Sometimes, however, an irregular period can be a sign that you’re not ovulating at all, which is one cause of infertility.
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Ovulating Without Getting Your Period
If you are not getting your periods, you are probably not ovulating regularly. There are a number of reasons this may occur . However, this doesnt mean you wont suddenly ovulate without getting a period first.
As mentioned above, menstruation marks the end of one cycle. If ovulation occurs, and you dont conceive, you will get your period. But lets say you are currently not having regular cycles. You could, depending on the reason why youre not menstruating regularly, suddenly start a menstrual cycle.
The end of your cycle is marked by your period starting, but there are no obvious signs that your body has begun a cycle. You can ovulate and not know it.
You will only know you ovulated if you get your period or, if you had sexual intercourse within your fertile window, you get pregnant. You may not realize youre pregnant for a while, though, since you havent been getting your periods. You wont have a period to be late if you havent been getting one.
Can You Get Pregnant On The First Day Of Your Period
It’s possible though not very likely for you to get pregnant on the first day of your period, especially if you have a regular, 28-day cycle.
If you have an irregular or a shorter menstrual cycle, however, ovulation might occur much closer to day one of your period, which would cause you to get pregnant on the first day.
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Can You Get Pregnant On Your Period
If you are wondering whether you can get pregnant while on your period, the answer is not as simple as you think. The answer to the question has more to do with understanding your cycle, said Lyndsey Harper, MD, FACOG, IF, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A& M College of Medicine. Many women think they know their menstruation cycle, and therefore their fertility cycle, but the truth is not all vaginal bleeding is a true period.
What Not To Do When Someone Is Experiencing A Stroke
Dont allow the person to drive to the hospital. Stroke symptoms can be subtle in the beginning. The person may realize something is wrong, but not suspect a stroke. If you believe the person is having a stroke, dont let them drive to the hospital. Call 911 and wait for help to arrive.
Dont give them any medication. Although aspirin is a blood thinner, dont give someone aspirin while theyre having a stroke. A blood clot is only one cause of a stroke. A stroke can also be caused by a burst blood vessel in the brain. Since you dont know which type of stroke the person is having, dont give any medication that could make bleeding worse.
Dont give the person anything to eat or drink. Avoid giving food or water to someone having a stroke. A stroke can cause muscle weakness throughout the body and, in some cases, paralysis. If the person has difficulty swallowing, they could choke on food or water.
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Are Double Pregnancies Safe
There isnt much data on the pregnancies and deliveries of these cases, given that superfetation is so unusual, Dr. Minkin says. But there shouldnt be a problem with safety and the babies should be fine and make it almost to full term, especially if you have good prenatal health and obstetrical care. In general, multiple gestation pregnancies often need to be delivered early, but again, would likely do well, Dr. Minkin says.
Older research has shown that delivery timing might be tricky in cases of double pregnancies since the fetuses are two different gestational ages, but delivery somewhere between 37 and 38 weeks of pregnancy is typically recommended for superfetation cases. As for the delivery itself, the two babies most likely will have to be born on the same day, regardless of when they were conceived or how long of a period of time theyve had to develop. It may be necessary to induce labor early or deliver both babies by C-section, since itd be nearly impossible to deliver one at a time, but those instances are also common in regular multiple births, according to 2017 research.
The bottom line: While superfetation is not impossible, you really dont need to panic about the chance of having a double pregnancy, as it’s so rare. Remember, superfetation may only happen in one out of a few million pregnancies.
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 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 here to help you maximize your chances of conceiving.
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Can Sperm Survive In Period Blood
Sperm have a sneaky way of hanging around longer than you might think. Sperm can live up to five or six days in the reproductive tract whether a person is menstruating or not, Dr. Haque says. If youve never really thought about the details of an orgasm, let this blow your mind: With each ejaculation, up to 100 million sperm are released.
Despite those odds, sperm are still in for an epic journey. Hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle can affect the ability for sperm to navigate from the vagina to the fallopian tubes to reach and fertilize the eggsperm are called swimmers for a reason, Dr. Haque says.
Can You Get Pregnant On Your Period While Using Birth Control
It’s possible to get pregnant when you’re using birth control, whether you’re on your period or not.
The likelihood that a contraceptive will fail varies depending on the method of birth control :
- Oral contraceptives : About 7 to 9 percent failure rate
- Progestin-only pill: About 7 percent failure rate
- Patch: About 7 to 9 percent failure rate
- Vaginal contraceptive ring: About 7 to 9 percent failure rate
- Male condoms: About 13 to 18 percent failure rate
- Diaphragms: About 12 to 17 percent failure rate
For what it’s worth, tracking your monthly cycle called “fertility awareness” in order to avoid pregnancy isn’t the most reliable birth control method the typical failure rate may be as high as 23 percent.
The bottom line: Although the odds are slim, you can get pregnant on your period or any other time of the month. It’s even possible to get pregnant on your period if you’re using birth control.
So unless youre trying to conceive, its always smart to be vigilant about contraception unless you like big surprises.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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