When To Consult Your Doctor About Irregular Cycles
If your period cycle is between 45 to 60 days or even longer, it is best that you seek medical advice from a doctor you trust or one that is highly recommended. You can also approach a doctor if you are just worried about your periods and want to know if they are regular or not. Getting advice from a medical professional will help you in the long run and will also remove any fears or worries that you might have.
Note âIt is important to remember that there is no shame in having irregular periods please be open with your doctor about your condition and how it is affecting you. In some cases, PCOS has been known to lead to depression consult a psychologist and implement the course of action they suggest, talk to your partner and loved ones about your condition, a support system can be extremely important in this period of your life. Remember that taking care of yourself both physically and psychologically is extremely important.
Communication can also be an important aspect of dealing with the psychological strains PCOS puts on your life, especially when you are trying to get pregnant. Seek counselling with your partner to deal with the psychological strains you endure during this period of your life.
Can You Have Sex On Your Period
First things first, yes, you can absolutely have sex on your period. Theres no harm in it for either party, provided you dont have an STI that could infect your partner.
Of course, its normal to be a bit squeamish around blood, but period sex doesnt always have to be messy, especially if you use condoms. If youre feeling nervous, try having sex on a day when your period is lighter.
Period sex can actually be really fun and pleasurable, as many women find that their libido goes up around their period. As an added bonus, orgasms can help with menstrual cramps. Find out more here: Can you have sex on your period?
Implantation Bleeding Could Be Mistaken For A Light Period
Many women also mistake implantation bleeding for a period while pregnant. Following the same example above, if you often have a light period, and had spotting on day 23, you might mistake that spotting as your period a day or two early.
Bleeding varies from woman to woman, but a heavy flow is almost never implantation bleeding. You can read a full article or try our quiz on telling the difference between implantation and your period here.
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When Is Pregnancy Most Likely During The Menstrual Cycle
Understanding your fertile window helps determine when the best time is to try to get pregnantor not. And whether the goal is pregnancy or avoiding it at all costs, knowing when you ovulate, or at least an estimate, is a good place to start.
According to data published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, the fertile window starts five days prior to ovulation and ends on the day of ovulation.1 Moreover, the research shows that pregnancy rates peak three days before ovulation and reaches almost zero at two to three days after ovulation.
And while some people can pinpoint ovulation based on symptoms alone, others have no idea their bodies undergo massive changes just to release one tiny egg. Fortunately, there are a few signs that may help you track ovulation. According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the first signs to look for are changes in cervical mucus, such as an increase in clear, wet, and stretchy discharge. After ovulation, secretions become cloudier and thicker, and you may notice less of it.
That may seem like a lot of work, so if tracking these symptoms feels a bit overwhelming, consider an over-the-counter ovulation kit . These handy devices allow you to test your urine for the surge of hormones that occurs before ovulation. Some even display the optimal days for pregnancy based on predictions of when you may ovulate.
How Does Getting Pregnant On Your Period Occur
In order for pregnancy to occur, sperm has to fertilize a mature egg. If you only had sex on your period and still got pregnant, this may point to a few things:
- You have a short menstrual cycle: Typically ovulation occurs 14 days before the period, but menstrual cycles can be different for everyone and are sometimes irregular, or shorter than the usual 28 day cycle. Its possible that you have a shorter cycle, closer to 20 days, and ovulate only a few days after your menstrual period ends. Sperm can live inside the reproductive tract up to five days, creating some overlap in the final day of your period and the period of ovulation. Thus, even if a woman has sex during her period, sperm from ejaculation may remain inside her reproductive system and may fertilize the egg if ovulation occurs.
- That blood wasnt from your period: If you experienced some bleeding that you assumed was your period, its possible it couldve been implantation bleeding. Its normal to have a little bit of spotting after a fertilized egg burrows into the uterine lining. Taking a pregnancy test too soon after implantation or before implantation has actually occurred can result in a false-negative result. However, waiting seven days after implantation is likely to yield an accurate result.
Read more about spotting
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How Not To Get Pregnant
If you want to get pregnant, plan to get frisky halfway between periods for the best chances. But if youre trying to avoid pregnancy, dont use your period as a guide. Instead, choose a reliable form of birth control.
Thats the best way to prevent pregnancy, Dr. Stephens says.
Yeah, you probably already knew that. But now you know the whole story.
Can You Get Pregnant Without Having A Period
Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. She is a professional member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and has been writing about womens health since 2001. Rachel uses her own experiences with infertility to write compassionate, practical, and supportive articles.
Brian Levine, MD, MS, is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
Can you get pregnant without having a period in months? Yes, its possible, but its not likely. If youre not getting your periods, this is a good reason to see your gynecologist. There are some normaland some not-so-normalreasons this can occur. What could cause you not to get your periods? Could you be pregnant and not know it?
What do your periods have to do with getting pregnant? And, if you want to get pregnant, how can your doctor help you conceive if youre not menstruating?
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Period Symptoms But Period Like Bleeding
If you are already pregnant, period like bleeding may be due to a miscarriage, rough vaginal intercourse or vaginal infections. You should inform your doctor.
Spotting before period with early pregnancy symptoms nausea, fatigue and breast changes, is likely because of implantation.
Now its your turn. Still worried you have pregnancy symptoms after period? Let us know if we could help.
Pregnancy During Period Sex: How It Happens
Yes, it is possible to get pregnant on your period, confirms , an OB/GYN at Yale University School of Medicine. She said that while women are more likely to get pregnant during ovulation, there is always a chance a person could get pregnant during intercourse.
This is more likely to occur at the end of your period, due to the length of time that sperm can live inside a womans body, Dr. Minkin tells Motherly.
While its not common, it could happen, especially if you have a short cycle.
Generally speaking, a typical menstrual cycle is considered anywhere from 24 to 38 days, with an ovulation window around day 13 to 15 right in the middle of the cycle.
But if you have a short cycle, ranging from 21 to 23 days, youre more likely to ovulate earlier in the cycle, which could be right after your period ends.
Related: What is a menstrual cycle?
Because sperm can survive in your vagina for up to 5 days, if you have sex toward the end of your period and then ovulate 4 or 5 days later, you could end up getting pregnant.
While the risk is low, its not zero. To get a more precise predicition of when youre ovulating, try tracking your cycle through an app or ovulation tracking device. Any tracking method will be more accurate the longer you use it and enter data.
Related: The actual chances of getting pregnant each month
Recommended Reading: Mayo Clinic Pregnancy
Truth: Caffeine Does Not Prevent Conception
Its debatable whether you need to completely quit caffeine when youre trying to get pregnant. The research hasnt been clear. For example, a study in Denmark found that tea drinkers were slightly more likely to get pregnant, soda drinkers were slightly less likely to conceive, and coffee seemed to have no impact on fertility.
What does all that mean? We dont know. For now, though, most agree that less than 300 mg of caffeine a day should be fine. One cup of coffee is less than 300 mg.
Is It Possible To Have Sexual Intercourse During Menstruation
Yes, it is possible to have sex during the days of menstruation if that is what the woman desires.
However, it is important to remember that there is no safe period to avoid pregnancy during the menstrual cycle and, thus, pregnancy would be possible with menstruation if sexual intercourse takes place without contraceptive protection.
Therefore, it is advisable to use a contraceptive method even if you have sex during your period if you do not want to become pregnant. In addition, if it is barrier contraception , it will prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases .
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The Last Phase Of Your Monthly Cycle
During the second half of your menstrual cycle, the hormone progesterone kicks in to help prepare the lining of your uterus for a fertilized egg. If the egg isnt fertilized and doesnt implant, it disintegrates, progesterone levels fall, and about 12 to 16 days later, the egg along with blood and tissues from the lining of the uterus is shed from the body. That process is menstruation. It usually lasts 3 to 7 days.
How Is It Possible To Get Pregnant On Your Period
So, now that weve determined its a possibility , its time to sort through the details and explain the chances of getting pregnant on your period.
The first day of your period is considered day one of your cycle. During a menstrual cycle, you may experience hormonal shifts, ovulation, and menstrual bleeding as your body prepares for the possibility of pregnancy, according to Planned Parenthood.
A person with regular monthly periods will likely experience a menstrual cycle that is around 28 to 30 days long, with some cycles as short as 21 days and others as long as 35 days, per the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Haque says most people ovulate between day 14 and day 16 of their cycle, but it can be as early as day seven in people with shorter cycle lengths. If thats the case for you, and you bleed for six or seven days and have unprotected sex on one of the last days of your period, its possible to conceive.
Now, paired with the fact that sperm can live up to six days in the cervical mucus and uterus, the possibility of getting pregnant during your period makes more sense. That said, Dr. Haque points out that the sperm has to be alive to reach the egg within 24 hours of ovulation to result in pregnancy. In other words, the timing has to be impeccable.
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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.
Are You Fertile If You Have Your Period
If you have regular periods, theres a good chance you are ovulating. However, there are times when an ovary does not release an egg even though you are having regular bleeding. This is called an anovulatory cycle and is associated with abnormal uterine bleeding. According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 1 in 10 people with ovaries and of childbearing age experience anovulation at some point in their lives.
Since the bleeding you experience during an anovulatory cycle can resemble menstruation, its important to know the general signs of ovulation and regularly track your menstrual cycles. If you notice any irregularities, such as missing periods or periods that are much heavier or lighter than usual, consider making an appointment with an ob-gyn to discuss your concerns. If you are trying to conceive and have irregular periods, consider speaking with a fertility doctor.
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Pregnancy Days Before The Menstrual Period Starts
As discussed above, a woman has a certain chance of becoming pregnant if she has sexual intercourse during menstruation or in the days immediately following menstruation, especially if she has short menstrual cycles.
However, the chances of conceiving in the days immediately preceding menstruation are even lower. This is because the egg can only be fertilized within the first 24 hours or so after ovulation.
However, there is no totally safe period within the menstrual cycle to have unprotected sex without contraception to avoid the risk of pregnancy, as it is usually unknown when ovulation has occurred.
When You Are Most Fertile
You are most fertile three days prior to ovulation, during ovulation, and two to three days afterward.
Once you ovulate, your system flushes the egg out within 12-24 hours if it’s not fertilized. And you will not be able to get pregnant until around the next time you ovulate.
The first day of your period marks the start of your cycle, but most people don’t ovulate until the middle of a menstrual cycle.
However, cycles vary in length for each person, which means the fertility window may happen earlier or later.
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Truth: Ovulation Doesn’t Always Occur On Day 14 Of Your Cycle
Ovulation might occur on day 14 of your cycle. Butit also might not. Ovulating as early as day 6 or 7 or as late as day 19 or 20 isnt uncommon or abnormal.
When learning about female reproduction, most people are taught that the female cycle is 28 days on average and that ovulation occurs at the mid-point on day 14. The key phrase here is on average. A healthy woman with good fertility can have a cycle as short as 21 days or as long as 35 days, and all be considered fine. The day of ovulation shifts earlier or later, depending on how long a womans cycle is.
You Have An Ectopic Pregnancy
Do you have severe abdominal pain, light brown discharge and pregnancy symptoms? Then its possible you have an ectopic pregnancy.
What does ectopic pregnancy mean?
In normal pregnancies, fertilization occurs inside the Fallopian tube, which is a 10cm tube attached to the body of the uterus. After fertilization, the embryo or fertilized ovum is transported back to the uterus for implantation.
However, in ectopic pregnancies, this process fails to result in implantation outside the uterus, or in the fallopian tubes. Implantation inside the Fallopian tube will cause bleeding into the abdomen with symptoms like
- Pain especially in the right or left side of the abdomen
- Heavy vaginal bleeding, though it may be light bleeding or no bleeding at all.
- Dizziness or fainting attack
- Severe pain in the abdomen that gets worse with time
Who are at risk of an ectopic pregnancy?
- Untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea infection
- Pelvic inflammation disease
- Drugs like Clomiphene citrate used to stimulate ovulation
- Previous history of an abortion
What to do?
You should inform your doctor ASAP about your symptoms. Ectopic pregnancy is an emergency worldwide and may cause death in young women if not treated early.
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Can You Get Pregnant During Your Period
Most people have menstrual cycles that last 26 to 34 days, and if someone with this cycle has an average two- to eight-day period, they will probably not get pregnant during their period. An egg that is released during ovulation but remains unfertilized “comes out with all of the menstrual blood,” Dr. Hakakha explains.
That said, the chance of pregnancy on your period increases if you have an irregular cycle. “A woman with a shorter menstrual cycle , could have seven days of bleeding, have intercourse on her final day of bleeding, and ovulate three days later,” Dr. Hakakha says. “Since sperm live for three to five days, she could definitely get pregnant” if it fertilizes a released egg, which has a lifespan of about 24 hours.
In addition, some women experience breakthrough spotting or bleeding between periods. This can occur during ovulation and be mistaken for a period, making it difficult to establish the exact place in the menstrual cycle. Having sex during ovulation increases your chances of getting pregnant.
