Can you get pregnant on your period?
THERE are times during a woman's cycle that they are more likely to get pregnant and the period isn't one of them.
While getting your period is usually a sure sign you're not pregnant, you can get pregnant on your period.
Can you get pregnant on your period?
Gynaecologist for intimate wellbeing brand INTIMINA, Dr Shree Datta previously explained: "Whilst it's less likely to get pregnant during your period, as it's not the most fertile point in your menstrual cycle, it can happen!
"The science behind this is that you can get pregnant when you ovulate - so if you ovulate early in your menstrual cycle, when you are still on your period, in theory, you can still get pregnant.
"It also depends on whether you are having a normal period or simply a bleed in between your periods - so try to get in the habit of monitoring your cycles."
Your period starts on day one of your menstrual cycle, and most people ovulate around the middle of the cycle.
So, with a 28 day cycle, the time you are most likely to get pregnant is days 11 to 21.
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Sperm survives up to five days in your body - so if you ovulate (i.e. release an egg) early, it is possible to have sex on your period and get pregnant, because the sperm is still alive when you become fertile.
Can you get pregnant a couple of days after your period has finished?
Yes, you can get pregnant in the couple of days after your period has finished - but, again, it is one of the less likely times in your cycle.
After your period starts, your cycle is moving closer to ovulation, and to your fertile phase, which is roughly days 11 to 21 in a 28-day cycle.
The closer you have sex to your fertile phase, the more likely you are to get pregnant.
Sperm can live up to five days in your body, so if you have a short cycle and early ovulation your chances of getting pregnant in the days just after your period are much higher.
Can you get pregnant just before your period?
Yes, it is possible to get pregnant in the days just before your period - but this is the least likely time in your cycle for this to happen.
By this point in your cycle, you have ovulated and the egg has died if your cycle is very regular.
Even if the sperm lives for five days in your body, it is unlikely to still be around after your period and by the time you become fertile again.
That said, bodies and menstrual cycles can be unpredictable, and you are always risking pregnancy if you don’t use contraception.