Most of the people feel that they cannot have sex during the period. Yes, it is a messy thing, but, it is not like you cannot have sex during periods. A lot of people also take it as a safe pass, that they can have unprotected sex during the period and there are no chances that they can get pregnant. But, this is not completely right a woman may fall pregnant while on her period. So, let us discuss a bit about it. If you had unprotected sex during your period cycle, then the first thing that will come to your mind is can you get pregnant on your period. In order to understand this, let us first understand the menstrual cycle of a woman.
Phases of a menstrual cycle
By understanding the different phases of your menstrual cycle, you can understand a lot about, whether you can get pregnant on your period or not. For the most woman, the menstrual cycle lasts around 28 days. But, this may change from month to month. There are several phases including the following
- The menstrual phase
- The follicular phase
- The ovulation phase
- Luteal phase
The menstrual phase
The day of the beginning of your period is called the menstrual phase. It may last from 3 to 7 days, depending on person to person.
The follicular phase
It is the phase in which, the body prepares itself for the production of eggs.
The ovulation phase
When the mature egg is released from the fallopian tube, this phase is called the ovulation phase.
The luteal phase is the phase when your egg is not fertilized and the lining of the uterus sheds kicking off your periods.
The time frame in between the ovulation phase and the menstrual cycle beginning is around 14 days. But, the follicular phase varies a lot according to Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science Yale school of medicine.
Can you get pregnant on your period?
When you have sex during periods, there are chances that the sperm remains attached to the walls of the uterine lining. The sperm can survive for up to 3 to 5 days and this may increase the chances of you getting pregnant according to American pregnancy association. For this to happen you must be ovulating really fast. So, there are slim chances that you may get pregnant while on your periods. The chances may be about 10%. So, you cannot just take a clear pass and need to be careful even when on your periods.
So, if you do not want to get pregnant, please use protective measures even while on your periods. This is the safest way to be completely sure and safe.