Hi thomascoh,
Technically, a woman can get pregnant on ANY day of her menstrual
cycle. She is more likely to become pregnant at certain times
(detailed below) however, there is no safe time for a woman to have
unprotected sex and feel safe against the possibility of pregnancy.
This means she can get pregnant ON her period, before it, after it, or
right dead center between her periods. I repeat... if a woman is not
protected against pregnancy ALL month, she runs a risk of becoming
pregnant.
To make it even more scary, no birth control is 100% effective, except
sterilization. I personally know 2 women that have become pregnant
while taking the pill. It is even possible for a woman to become
pregnant without intercourse occuring, if semen is released very close
to the vaginal opening.
There are times it is "more likely" a woman will get pregnant. If a
woman has a 28 day cycle (25-35 days is normal, with 28 being
'average'), she will likely ovulate on the 14th day. This means she is
MOST LIKELY to get pregnant from day 10 through day 18. Since day one
of the cycle is counted as the first day of the menstrual flow, this
is just after a period stops.
SEXUALLY SPEAKING - When can a woman get pregnant?
http://www.pchr.ca/PeaceCountry/pages/yourhealth_pages/SexuallySpeaking_pdf/WhenCanWomanGetPregnant.pdf
..."Q. Hello, I am a sexually active teenager who has a question, I
was wondering if it was at all possible to get pregnant 5 days after
your period. Thank you.
A. Hi and thanks for your question. I am not sure if you mean 5 days
after the first day of your period or 5 days after the last day of
your period. If it is 5 days after the LAST day of your period then
yes it is possible to get pregnant if you have had unprotected sex.
Unless your menstrual cycle is regular and you have kept track of it
over several months, it is difficult to predict when ovulation will
occur. Ovulation is when the egg is released from the ovary. When it
is released there are generally 24 hours in which it can be
fertilized. If you have had unprotected sexual intercourse up to 5
days before the egg is released fertilization can occur as the sperm
can survive for 5 days.
If you had unprotected sex 5 days after the first day of your period
the possibility of a pregnancy is there but less likely. Once again it
depends on the length of your cycle and when you ovulate, and as
mentioned earlier that can be a bit difficult to figure out. Trying to
guess at safe days is a bit like Russian roulette..."
Q. When can a woman get pregnant? (near the bottom)
http://www.pplm.org/Facts/overview/facts.html
..."A. Women ovulate (release an egg) at differing times, depending on
the length of their menstrual cycle. If a woman has unprotected sex,
she is at risk of becoming pregnant at any time during the month..."
7. When can a woman get pregnant?
http://www.ppmarmonte.org/services/faq.asp
..."If a woman has unprotected sex, she is at risk of becoming
pregnant at any time during the month. Women ovulate at differing
times, depending on the length of their menstrual cycle. The most
fertile time is generally 3 days before and 3 days after ovulation..."
Fertility & Periods
http://health.ivillage.com/gyno/gynoperiod/topics/0,,4v4w,00.html?arrivalSA=1&cobrandRef=0&arrival_freqCap=2
There are several fertility pretictor tools and articles on this page.
If a woman does not want to get pregnant, when should she avoid having
intercourse? When can a woman get pregnant?
http://www.studenthealth.ucla.edu/healthed/faq-contraception.html#7
..."Most women ovulate (release the egg) 11-15 days before their
period starts, so this is very difficult to predict. It is possible
for mucus produced by the body to harbor sperm, nourish it, and have
it ready for fertilization for up to 5 days prior to ovulation. Please
see a clinician to find out more information regarding the times that
a woman is fertile..."
Can a woman get pregnant while menstruating (even if she is on the pill)?
http://www.studenthealth.ucla.edu/healthed/faq-contraception.html#8
..."Women have probably gotten pregnant on any day of the whole
menstrual cycle. However, during the days of the period, it is very
rare for pregnancy to occur. It is even less likely if a woman is on
the pill. Ovulation does not occur in most women who are on the
pill..."
I hope this helps... If I can be of further assistance in regards to
when a woman is fertile and if she can get pregnant in the days
following her period, please don't hesitate to ask via the "Request
For Clarification" feature.
~~Cynthia
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