Can You Get Pregnant if Having Sex While on Your Period 2024?

What is your menstrual cycle, also known as your period, and how does it affect your body? A menstrual cycle is a monthly cycle that a woman’s body goes through to help her body get pregnant. When your body does not achieve pregnancy, you have your period, which releases an unfertilized egg, and the lining of your uterus sheds, causing a menstrual period. 

Your period causes bleeding from your vagina that typically lasts four to five days for the average woman. You will stop bleeding once the egg sheds from your body. Your cycles can differ from others; some women experience irregular periods. Some symptoms you may experience during or before your period are abdominal pain, mood swings, cravings, tender breasts, and fatigue. In addition to your period, ovulation is also a big part of your menstrual cycle. Your chances of getting pregnant are high when you are ovulating, but what about when you are on your period? 

Ovulation Timing

A woman’s ovulation cycles are the most fertile window of her menstrual cycle. Your ovulation cycle typically happens several days after your period. When estrogen levels increase, it promotes the hormonal fluctuation of the luteinizing hormone. This hormone aids in maturing your egg^[1] and causes the hormonal surge to cause ovulation by releasing the eggs from the ovary. 

It also depends if you have a short or longer menstrual cycle. A normal menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days, with ovulation occurring about 14 days before the start of your next period. However, research^[2] has found that women with a shorter menstrual cycle tend to ovulate earlier. 

Each month during ovulation, your ovary releases an egg, with each ovary alternating each period cycle. This is released during your fertile window, and your chances increase of conceiving a baby. 

Can you get pregnant without having a menstrual period? Research^[3] has found that you do not have to have a menstrual cycle to ovulate, and you do not have to have periods to get pregnant.

In some cases, ovulation can cause light bleeding, and some women may think they are on their menstrual cycle, but actually, it’s their most fertile time. With that being said, women go through many hormonal fluctuations during their menstrual cycle and ovulation. 

How Does Conception Happen?

Conception happens during intercourse with your partner. When you have unprotected sex during your fertility window, the male’s sperm has to reach the female egg to fertilize the egg. In addition to healthy sperm and egg, studies^[2] have found that you are typically most like to conceive within the six fertile days of your cycle. 

With that being said, ovulation plays a significant role in pregnancy. When your body ovulates and releases your egg, it prepares your body for conception. 

For many years it has been thought that women are born with all of the eggs they will ever have, but recent studies^[4] have found that a woman may be able to produce more eggs later in life, but more research is needed.

Can You Get Pregnant While on Your Period?

Now that we know it is possible to get pregnant while on your period, how high are the chances of pregnancy occurring from period sex?  You are more likely to get pregnant right after your period than before. When can you get pregnant after your period? If you have sex on the last day of your period and ovulate within five days of having unprotected sex, then you can find yourself pregnant.  

However, your chances of getting pregnant before your period are extremely low. An egg lives about 12-24 hours and has to be fertilized through sex during that time. Therefore, it is vital to keep up with your cycle if you are trying to get pregnant or avoid an unwanted pregnancy. Obviously, if you do not want to get pregnant, do not have unsafe sex during your most fertile time window; with that being said, having sex on the first day of your period results in less risk of conception.

Also, there are other ways to avoid pregnancy. One of the most popular options is the birth control method. Using some form of birth control will help avoid pregnancy and unwanted risks. Let’s talk about some options for birth control.

Birth Control Precautions

Many women who want to avoid pregnancy take birth control pills or use some form of birth control to prevent becoming pregnant. Some of the most popular forms of birth control are birth control pills and implants, condoms and rings, diaphragms, tracking your hormonal cycles, and a more aggressive option of sterilization. 

But can you get pregnant while on your period and on the pill?

No, you should not get pregnant while on prescription birth control pills as long as you take them correctly and as your professional medical care provider advises. You can have sex while on your menstrual cycle while taking birth control and still be protected from unwanted pregnancy.

Although birth control pills can prevent pregnancy, they can also leave you open to some health conditions. Birth control pills will not prevent sexually transmitted diseases, for example.

If you have had any of the following conditions^[6], you will want to avoid taking birth control pills: breast cancer, blood clots, migraine headaches, high blood pressure, heart conditions, and several others. You will want to talk to your health care providers to find what is right for you and outweigh any potential side effects or risks. 

If you want to avoid pregnancy naturally, you will want to keep track of your cycles and when you ovulate. Your hormone levels can fluctuate, so you are encouraged to reach out to wellness professionals for help and guidance. 

Final Thought

If you are actively trying to conceive, then having sex while on your menstrual cycle will not increase your chances of conception. You will be most fertile during ovulation. Fertility can be tricky, and every woman will experience fertility in different ways.

A woman goes through many hormonal changes that affect her body in numerous ways. Although periods and ovulation can sometimes come with unpleasant side effects, they play a significant role in your menstrual cycle. In addition to periods playing a big role in women’s health, they also help you track your cycles. Not only can pregnancy occur during ovulation, but you can get pregnant during your period, so do not think you do not need to be cautious just because you are on your menstrual cycle. During your next period, try to track your cycle and see how each day is for you.

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