Many women spend years trying to not get pregnant. So when you finally decide to try to get pregnant, you might wonder, what is the best time? How do you track your cycle and how many days after your period can you get pregnant? Read on for more.
Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle
Your menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period and starts over when your next period begins. A typical menstrual cycle is 28 days, but cycles can range anywhere from 21 to 35 days.
About halfway through your cycle, one of your ovaries releases a mature egg. The lining of your uterus thickens while the egg goes into one of your fallopian tubes where it waits to be fertilized by sperm.
If you get pregnant, the egg implants into the side of your uterus and you don’t get your period. If you don't get pregnant, the uterine lining sheds - this is your period.
Should you Have Sex Before, During or After Ovulation?
So when should you have sex - before, during, or after ovulation? The short answer is, all of the above.
This is because sperm can live in your uterus for up to five days after ejaculation. So while there may not be an egg in your uterus yet, it is beneficial to have sperm waiting in the uterus when an egg is released. In addition to having sex before ovulation, it is also beneficial to have sex during ovulation, as well as the day after ovulation, since an egg can live in your uterus for 24 hours.
If having sex daily during this weeklong time frame isn’t realistic, aim for every other day.
How Many Days After Your Period is it Possible to Get Pregnant?
When you can get pregnant is unique to your body and cycle. Not all women have the same cycle length and not all women ovulate on the same day in their cycle.
Typically, the ovaries release the egg (ovulation occurs) about two weeks after your period, but since cycle length and other factors vary by woman, it may not be exactly two weeks.
Therefore, if you are trying to prevent pregnancy, it is important to track your cycle or use contraception throughout your cycle. If you are hoping to become pregnant, it is best to track signs of ovulation and/or use ovulation tests.
Can You Get Pregnant Just Before Your Period?
Most women are not fertile in the days just before your period. The chances of getting pregnant right before your period are low.
Can You Get Pregnant on Your Period?
While not impossible, the chance of getting pregnant while on your period is low. It is most likely in a woman with a short cycle. For example, if your menstrual cycle is only 22 days, then it is possible that you could ovulate soon after your period. Since sperm can live in the uterus for 5 days, it could be feasible for a woman to get pregnant if she has unprotected sex while on her period.
If you do not want to get pregnant, you should use contraception during sex, even during your period. If you do want to get pregnant, it’s fine to have sex during your period, but be sure to focus on the week of ovulation too.
Is it Safe to Have Sex During Your Period?
Period sex can be messy, but it is perfectly safe with a trusted partner. If both partners are on board, there is no reason to avoid sex during your period.
What is The Best Time to Conceive After My Period?
The best time to conceive is in the 5 days leading up to ovulation, as well as during ovulation and the day after ovulation. This totals about seven days or one full week and the exact days vary by women.
To find out how many days after your period you can get pregnant, track your menstrual cycle for a few months and calculate how long your cycle lasts on average. The menstrual cycle starts on day 1 of your period and ends when the next period starts. Ovulation typically occurs halfway through the cycle.
For example, if your cycle is an average of 28 days long, count 14 days from the beginning of your period to get an approximation of when ovulation will occur. Women with shorter menstrual cycles will tend to ovulate sooner after a period and those with longer cycles will tend to have a longer time between the start of their period and ovulation.
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