Will i get pregnant if i have intercourse during period

Your period came, so does that mean you can be a little more lax about birth control? After all, you can’t get pregnant while Aunt Flo is around, right?

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Unfortunately, that’s not true. You can get pregnant during your period.

• If you didn’t ovulate in the middle of your cycle.

• If your periods aren’t regular — so you don’t ovulate regularly.

• If you have a short menstrual cycle.

It’s not quite that simple, says Ob/Gyn Amy Stephens, MD. She clears up the confusion about fertility and your monthly cycle.

Fertility windows

The most fertile time of your cycle, when you are most likely to get pregnant, is when you ovulate, or release an egg, Dr. Stephens explains. That typically happens midway between periods.

So if you have a regular 28-day cycle, Day 1 would be the first day of your period, and you would ovulate around Day 14. “You have the highest chance of getting pregnant during the few days before and after that day,” she says.

But that’s a general guideline and not a rule. “You can definitely get pregnant outside that window,” Dr. Stephens says.

Ovulation timing

If you have unprotected sex during or right after your period, there is a lower chance of getting pregnant. “But the chances are not zero,” Dr. Stephens stresses.

That’s especially true for women with irregular periods, whose ovulation date is harder to predict. Even women who normally have periods like clockwork can experience an unpredictable cycle as the result of things like stress, hormonal changes, and losing or gaining weight.

Having a shorter-than-average cycle also increases your risk of conceiving during period sex. That’s because sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days. They could still be hanging around, looking for love, if you release an egg 4 or 5 days after your period ends.

How not to get pregnant

If you want to get pregnant, plan to get frisky halfway between periods for the best chances. But if you’re trying to avoid pregnancy, don’t use your period as a guide. Instead, choose a reliable form of birth control.

“That’s 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 if You Have Sex During Your Period?

Most likely you will not get pregnant having sex while on your period. That’s because your ovulation time is several days away decreasing any chances of getting pregnant during this time. However, there are exceptions. This applies to women who have a typical 28 to 30 day or longer cycle. If you have a shorter cycle, say every 21 to 24 days, that means you are ovulating earlier in the cycle. Because sperm can live inside you for up to 5 days, you could have sex towards the end of your period and then conceive 4 or 5 days later with your early ovulation.

The probabilities of getting pregnant during your period are low, but the possibilities are there. This is not the time to have sex if you are trying to get pregnant.

Can You Get Pregnant Right After Your Period?

You are moving into your fertility window, so yes, you can get pregnant right after your period. On a typical cycle that occurs every 28 to 30 days, the fertility window is usually between Day 11 and Day 21.  Remember, sperm can live up to 5 days. If your period (bleeding time) lasts for 5 to 7 days, and you have sex right after that, you are approaching your fertility window.

Can You Get Pregnant on the Last Day of Your Period?

If you stop bleeding on Day 6, have sex on Day 7 and ovulate on Day 11, it’s possible the sperm from Day 6 will be waiting in your fallopian tubes for conception. Your chances of conceiving right after your period increase each day after your bleeding has stopped. If you are trying to conceive this is a good time to have sex. Increase your chances of conception by having sex every other day for the next 14 days.

What About Right Before Your Period?

The likelihood of getting pregnant right before your period is extremely low. For women with a typical 28- to 30-day cycle or longer and their cycles are regular, it is fairly safe to say your ovulation occurred between Day 11 and Day 21. The egg is only available for 12 to 24 hours for conception.

This means the days right before your period are the safest to have sex without the expectation of getting pregnant. The number of “safe days” right before your period go up with longer cycles and lessen with shorter cycles.

If you wait 36 to 48 hours after ovulation, you should be beyond the possibilities of conception. The further you are from ovulation, the less likely your chance for conceiving. This is not the time to have sex if you are trying to conceive.  It’s still a good time to enjoy intimacy with your partner.

Bottom Line

A woman’s ovulation cycles can vary, so it’s statistically possible you could become pregnant while on your period. While pregnancy is less likely in the earlier days of your period, the chances increase in the later days.

If you’re trying to become pregnant and haven’t conceived after a year or more of having unprotected sex, download our new e-book The Ultimate Fertility Resource Guide. It’s a free download and has the essential information and tips you need to improve your fertility and get pregnant faster.

Want to Know More?

• Track your ovulation cycle with our free Ovulation Calendar
• Tracking Ovulation with Irregular Periods

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