You Can Get Pregnant On Your Period, But Doctors Say It's Not Likely
Before and when you start having sex, it's totally natural to have tons of questions and concerns about STDs, pregnancy, condoms, and everything in between. You might be thinking about whether some condoms are more effective than others, if you should be on birth control pills, or how TF you can recover from the awkward things that happen during sex. And it doesn't help that there are so many myths about sex, STDs, and periods out there that need to be debunked. Luckily, we're here to address your worries when it comes to having sex. More specifically, having sex during that time of your month. Is it safe to have sex on your period? Are you more or less likely to get pregnant? What if your period isn't regular every month? Seventeen chatted with Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, family physician at One Medical, to break it all down.
Can you get pregnant on your period?
The short answer is yes, it's possible, especially if you're not using a condom. However, it's not super likely. "It's entirely possible to get pregnant any time during your menstrual cycle," Dr. Bhuyan says. "You should never assume that periods will protect you against pregnancy." However, you are more likely to get pregnant within about 14 days after the first day of your last menstrual period.
While that is when you're most fertile, remember that sperm can live in your system for three to five days. So according to Dr. Bhuyan, if you're someone who has shorter periods, and you have sex towards the end of the bleeding, you could very much conceive if that sperm is alive. It is definitely possible to get pregnant, but the chances are quite low.
Kinda complicated, right? Let's review how your cycle actually works. Dr. Bhuyan explains that an average menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days, so on the day you get your period, your cycle is at day one. Around day 14 is when ovulation happens, which means that an egg is being released from your ovary, and it's on its way to the uterus, waiting to get fertilized. If an egg and sperm meet on that journey, they'll implant into the uterus, and pregnancy will occur. "If pregnancy doesn't occur, that's what triggers a period," says Dr. Bhuyan. That's why that 14-day mark is when you're most likely to get pregnant.
If you need help figuring out your cycle, try using a period tracking app like Flo or just a plain old calendar to keep track of your next period.
When are you least likely to get pregnant?
So you now know when you're most likely to get pregnant, but at what point during your menstrual cycle are you least likely? You're least likely to get pregnant right before your period, aka right before your cycle begins, because that's when your fertility window and period probably won't overlap. However, Dr. Bhuyan still stresses that you can still get pregnant at any point in your cycle, particularly if you're someone who doesn't have a very regular cycle.
What if your cycle is unpredictable?
"When you have irregular periods with unpredictable cycles, it's much more difficult to predict fertility," Dr. Bhuyan says. Not everyone's cycle is the perfect 28-day period. In fact, it's perfectly normal to have a 21-day cycle one month, and a 35-day one the next.
Conditions like Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or even everyday changes in stress levels, exercise, or eating can throw off your cycle, making ovulation unpredictable. While an irregular cycle is super common, it might be worth a visit to your gynecologist if it's becoming an issue for you.
So it's OK to have sex on your period?
Yes! In fact, not only is having sex on your period completely safe and normal, but it can also help make your period suck less. While it can get messy, it's up to you and your partner whether or not you choose to have period sex. Dr. Bhuyan assures that there's nothing you need to worry about as long as you're using condoms. While the pill can protect you from pregnancy, condoms are the only thing that can prevent STDs, she says. "When you have any exchange of bodily fluids, whether that's semen, vaginal secretion, or blood, you can get a STI," she says.
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