Every woman has a love-hate relationship with periods. They want to figure out when the periods come, how long it will last and how many days after your period can you get pregnant. You will have a monthly fertile window if you ovulate regularly.
However, the fertility windows vary from woman to woman, and sometimes also from month to month. And this makes it uneasy to know when you are at your most fertile. If you have a 28-day cycle, then it will around day 14. So understanding when you are at most fertile is a must if you are trying to conceive. Here we are going to discuss all the aspects of how many days after your period can you get pregnant.
Right before your periods
It is possible to get pregnant during a narrow window of five to six days a month. However, you can get pregnant in the days leading up to your periods.
However, ovulation happens in the mid of your menstrual cycle. It is possible to ovulate earlier or later for those with a regular period.
In a given month, it can shift the fertile window by a few days. So we can say that it is uneasy for recognising a time in your cycle where you can guarantee can or can’t` get pregnant.
Understanding the menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period and is the vital aspect to determine when you can get pregnant. However, you are most fertile at the time of ovulation which occurs 12 to 14 days before your next period begins.
It is the time when a woman gets pregnant. Keep in mind that sometimes sperm can survive for up to seven days after you have sex.
So if you have a short cycle, then you can get pregnant right after your period. On the other hand, if you do not want to get pregnant, then make sure you always use contraception while having sex.
Understanding the time to get pregnant
Timing plays a vital role if you are deciding to get pregnant. It is essential to understand the right time of getting pregnant. If you are likely to conceive, then you will have a fertility window of around six days each month.
However, this whole process includes the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself. An egg can fertilize for up to 24 hours after release.
If you are menstruating, then your body will be shredding your uterus lining. However, progesterone is the hormone needed to sustain the pregnancy are low at this time.
Even your body is getting ready for the next fertile window. A woman may have a menstrual cycle that is like a well-oiled machine. And ovulate a few days earlier or later than usual suddenly one month. So you may skip any month.
However, your age is changing until we figure out how to stop time. Moreover, your weight may switch, and hormonal fluctuation also occurs. High-level stress and not getting enough sleep is may also affect your ovulation.
Women having medical conditions like PCOS may also make the ovulation process hard to predict. Most of the woman ovulates around 12 to 14 days after the first day of last period. But some women having a short cycle may ovulate as soon as six days or after the first day of the period.
Now sperm may survive inside your body for up to five whole days and can fertilize an egg at any time during that window after ejaculation. So if you are not close to and if you have sexy time, then pregnancy can still happen.
What if your menstrual cycle is of 28 days?
As we all know, the average menstrual cycle is of 28 days. However, most periods last two to seven days, and pregnancy is uncommon during this time because the peak fertility window is still about a week.
Your body will start releasing follicle-stimulating hormone around days six to fourteen days of the cycle. However, this hormone helps in the development of an egg inside your ovary.
Moreover, your body also starts rebuilding the endometrial lining in your uterus, and pregnancy is more likely during this time. Sperm can survive up to five days inside your body. So it can still present while the egg is maturing.
When an egg matures, your body will release a luteinizing hormone that triggers the ovulation process. Ovulation occurs around day 14 of the cycle, and pregnancy is likely on the ovulation day. So we can say ovulation does not always happen like clockwork.
It can occur anywhere from four days before, after, or midpoint of your menstrual cycle. The bottom line is that if you begin your period sooner than usual, then you could become pregnant having sex in the days leading up to your period.
What if you have shorter or longer than 28 days of the menstrual cycle?
Some woman has 21 days, and others have 35 days menstrual cycle. A study shows that only 30% of women have their fertile window fall within days ten to seventeen.
Before the next period starts, only 10% had ovulation fall 14 days. However, stress and diet can impact ovulation as well as medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome.
During adolescence or perimenopause, the menstrual cycle can also be more irregular. If you are trying to figure out when you might be ovulating, then start determining the midpoint of your period.
However, if your cycle length varies from month to month, then you can use a backup birth control method. You have to track your ovulation if you are trying to get pregnant. It can provide a reliable view of your fertile window.
There are some ways such as tracking your basal body temperature, wearing your fertility monitor and using an over the counter ovulation predictor kit to track your ovulation.
What is the right time for getting pregnant?
During your fertile window is the right time of getting pregnant. In your body, an egg can live up to 24 hours. On the other hand, sperm can only live for up to five days inside the body.
So we can say that you can only get pregnant if you have sex in the five days leading up to ovulation, on the day of ovulation or the day after ovulation.
However, having sex right before ovulation gives sperm time to reach the fallopian tube and meet the egg. So, having sex right before your ovulation is the best time if you are trying to conceive.
If no sperm fertilized the egg, then it will dissolve. Until your cycle restarts, you can not get pregnant.
Pregnancy during your periods
A bunch of best friends and a calendar is going to tell you the number of days each woman spends menstruating. At the end of your cycle, your menstrual flow may start to diminish and lighten in color.
However, your body is gearing up for the next fertile time, but it will feel you are still menstruating. If you have a short menstruating cycle and if you are having sex towards the end of your period, then you are getting close to your fertile window.
We can say that about six days after your period starts, you ovulate early. It is possible for the egg and sperm to alive at the same time, and fertilization occurs.
Right after your periods
Having sex right after your periods is unlikely or slightly more likely than if you have sex during your period.
However, you can get pregnant if you have sex right after your period and you ovulate early. However, it is more likely for the woman to have a shorter than the average menstrual cycle of around 21 days.
Will you still get periods after getting pregnant?
If the egg not fertilized and the cells get absorbed, then your period will only start. It starts menstruation and causes estrogen and progesterone.
A study shows that in the first eight weeks of pregnancy, 14 out of 151 women experienced one day of bleeding. Moreover, during the first three months of pregnancy, 15% to 25% of women may experience spotting.
However, noting down the time and determining any other symptoms will help you differentiate between pregnancy-related spotting and typical menstruation.
However, this light spotting is much lighter than the average period and only lasts 24 to 48 hours.
As a result of increased blood flow in the cervix, you may also experience spotting. This spotting is most common for a pap test, pelvic exam and after sex. Consult a doctor or other healthcare provider if you are encountering unexpected bleeding.
How long should you wait?
When it comes to avoiding pregnancy or if you are having unprotected sex, then keep in mind that your body is continuously changing and it is pretty much impossible to be 100% safe.
As we all know, the menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period and ends on the last day of your period. You are at your safest if you have a clockwise menstrual cycle of 28 days. However, this sort of secure window may change if you have unprotected sex because sperm continue to survive in your body.
Keep in mind that without giving you a heads up in advance, your cycle can change at any time.
What is the vital step if you are trying to get pregnant?
Firstly, ovulation is a vital step if you are trying to get pregnant. Keep in mind that ovulation is the only factor needed for pregnancy to occur. Below we are going to discuss several ways to figure out your ovulation pattern.
Fertility apps
These fertility apps give a monthly record of multiple factors such as cervical mucus and basal body temperature. This app can help a woman to determine when they are ovulating. However, these apps are not birth control and are not used to prevent pregnancy.
At-home ovulation predictor kits
This ovulation predictor kit will help you to detect luteinizing hormone which surges 1-2 days before ovulation takes place. However, this kit will tell you when you are going to ovulate, but it can not tell when ovulation takes place.
Tracking basal body temperature
Tracking your basal body temperature is efficient in cluing you to when you ovulate each month if you are trying to get pregnant. Take your temperature each morning when you wake up, and if the temperature rises around 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit, then you probably ovulated.
Is it ok taking emergency contraception?
Take emergency contraception as soon as possible if you are trying to avoid pregnancy. The two main types of emergency contraception are the copper IUD and the hormonal EC pill that work up to five days after unprotected sex.
However, IUD produces an inflammatory reaction that is toxic to sperms and eggs and prevents pregnancy. Make sure that it is only available by prescription and inserted by a doctor within five days of unprotected sex.
However, the pill delivers a high dose of hormones that prevent a fertilized egg from implanting into the uterus.
When you have to test your pregnancy?
However, taking the test one week after the date of your missed period is the best time and may produce the most accurate results.
Wait for one to two weeks after you had sex to take the test if you have an irregular cycle. The pregnancy test will help you to detect the level of human chorionic gonadotropin in your body.
However, you might have to check again in a day or two if you get a positive result because it is possible to get a false result.
Final thoughts
The purpose of this guide is to provide you with every possible information about how many days after your period can you get pregnant. However, it always the best idea to concern with a doctor or health provider if you are trying to conceive or trying to prevent pregnancy. It could help you to learn about your menstrual cycle, fertility awareness or family planning.
