Many girls want to know if it is actually possible to get pregnant during menstruation. This is an extremely important issue. After all, someone uses the calendar method of protection in order to avoid an "interesting situation", but someone wants to quickly become a mother. When planning a baby, the menstrual cycle plays an important role. It depends on him on what days a girl can undergo fertilization. What can be said about this issue? Further, the views of experts on pregnancy planning will be presented.
The menstrual cycle and its phases
Is it possible to get pregnant during menstruation or not? To correctly answer this question, you need to understand the features of baby planning.
A woman’s menstrual cycle is the period between two periods. It consists of several phases. Namely:
- follicular;
- ovulatory;
- luteal.
Can I get pregnant during menstruation? The answer depends on a complete coincidence in relation to a particular woman, namely the phase of menstruation during which critical days come.
Follicular stage
To begin, consider each stage of the cycle in more detail. The follicular stage is the period when the egg matures and develops in the follicle. She is not yet ready for fertilization and is hidden in a special "carapace".
At the moment, conception is not possible. Therefore, the risk of becoming pregnant during menstruation is minimal. The follicular stage of menstruation is its initial phase.
Ovulation
Is there a chance of getting pregnant during menstruation or not? Ideally, conception should occur during ovulation with a 100% chance. This stage occurs approximately in the middle of the cycle.
The egg is ready for fertilization and leaves the follicle, and then begins its journey through the body. A female cell goes through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. During this time, conception may occur.
The ovulation period is very short - it is only 48 hours. After this stage, the likelihood of becoming pregnant decreases. And by 3-4 days after ovulation, the risk of becoming a mother is not planned, equal to zero. In any case, a perfectly healthy girl.
Luteal phase
Can I get pregnant during menstruation? The third phase is called luteal. It occurs immediately after ovulation and lasts until the start of a new menstrual cycle.
At this time, the unfertilized egg dies. The body is preparing for a new menstrual cycle. The stage ends with critical days.
During this phase of the cycle, pregnancy is excluded. After all, the egg, ready to fully fertilize, is no longer in the body. So, to become a mother at this time will not work.
Critical Days and Conception
Can you get pregnant on the first day of your period? Not. This is possible mainly during ovulation. The remaining days of the cycle are considered safe. And during them to become a mother will not work.
Nevertheless, experts say that there is still a chance of becoming pregnant during menstruation. It is minimal, but present. Although, ideally, fertilization of the egg is carried out in the ovulatory period.
Unsafe days
The risk of becoming pregnant during menstruation, as already mentioned, is the place to be. But this statement should not be understood directly. It is interpreted a little differently.
Unprotected intercourse during menstruation can lead to an unplanned pregnancy. This is a fairly common occurrence. Doctors confirm that any unprotected sex can lead to successful fertilization of the egg.
The thing is that the menstrual cycle can be divided into two types of days relative to conception - dangerous and not. As a rule, the absence of risks of successful fertilization of the egg occurs in the luteal phase, 3 or more days after ovulation.
In this case, before moving the egg from the follicle, you should be careful about unprotected sexual intercourse. After all, no doctor can say with confidence that critical days are a good method of contraception.
Short cycle
Is it possible to get pregnant immediately after menstruation? Yes, but the likelihood of such an event in healthy girls is extremely small.
The risk of an unplanned "interesting situation" during and after menstruation exists in women with a short monthly cycle. Then ovulation can occur 6-10 days after the start of critical days. Sometimes menstrual bleeding is not over yet, and ovulation is on its way.
Under such circumstances, becoming a mother in the near future is really possible. Therefore, girls with a short menstrual cycle should take an extremely responsible approach to protection issues.
Lifetime
Can I get pregnant immediately after menstruation? Ideally, no. But nature decided otherwise. In certain circumstances, girls experience ovulation immediately after menstruation. And so the risks of becoming a mom are maximum.
As we already said, during the cycle there are safe days regarding conception, but risky times also occur. They are calculated taking into account the life span of the sperm.
Ideally, male cells, ready for fertilization, will live in the girl's body for about 6-7 days. So, sexual intercourse without protection a week before ovulation can lead to the successful conception of the baby.
Inconstancy of ovulation
We found out why you can not get pregnant during menstruation. This is simply not possible because the egg is not yet ready for fertilization. The conception of a baby immediately after menstrual bleeding occurs with a short interval between critical days.
Another problem when planning a baby is the inconstancy of ovulation. Ideally, it occurs in the middle of a cycle. But external factors and diseases can accelerate or delay the X-day.
Accordingly, doctors say that any unprotected sex can lead to pregnancy. And this is a reliable statement.
Anovulation
It is impossible to get pregnant during menstruation on the 3rd day. But unprotected sex at this time can lead to a successful conception. Especially if the girl has a short menstrual cycle. If it is long, it is impossible to hope for successful fertilization during the indicated period.
Sometimes a girl has anovulation. This is the absence of an X-day. Is it possible to become a mother in such circumstances?
While there is anovulation - no. If a girl gets rid of this phenomenon, she will again be able to become a mother.
Lack of ovulation can occur even if there is a steady menstrual cycle. This is not the most common phenomenon, but it still occurs in real life.
What affects ovulation
Getting pregnant during your period in real life is not possible. But unprotected intercourse can lead to unplanned fertilization.
As already mentioned, a variety of factors can affect ovulation. Namely:
- stress;
- overwork;
- physical and mental stress;
- alcohol / tobacco use;
- acclimatization;
- long journeys or flights;
- taking hormonal medications.
In addition, a number of hormone-free drugs affect ovulation. Sometimes a girl thinks that everything is going as usual, but in fact, "X-day" has already passed. Or he is still far away. Therefore, it is important to correctly determine ovulation. Only then will the girl be able to deal with child planning.
Childbirth, menstruation and pregnancy
Special attention should be given to newly born women. After childbirth, the female cycle goes astray. The body is faced with strong changes and therefore planning the next baby can be a lot of trouble.
The risk of getting pregnant in recently born girls is quite high. This is due to the fact that the cycle after childbirth goes astray and begins to form again. Ovulation occurs unexpectedly. And no one can say exactly when to wait for the next menstruation.
An unstable critical cycle lasts about 12-18 months after birth. But longer periods of uncertainty are not excluded. Thus, everything will depend solely on the individual "settings" of a single female body.
Taking oral contraceptives
In some cases, women take oral contraceptives. For example, in the treatment of infertility or as a protection against unwanted pregnancy. Should you worry about conceiving in such circumstances?
Yes. The thing is that it is possible to get pregnant during menstruation when taking oral contraceptives. Rarely, but this happens. Immediately after the end of taking OK, egg maturation and ovulation are provoked. In some cases, similar processes are observed with menstrual bleeding.
It follows that taking OK does not give any guarantees that it is impossible to conceive during menstrual bleeding. So, protection should be taken extremely seriously. Especially if the girl does not want to become a mother in the near future.
Finally
Ideally, menstruation leads to the formation of an unfavorable environment for the life of sperm. And therefore, male cells die quickly, without having to wait for a suitable day for fertilization.
However, sometimes even during menstruation, you may encounter successful fertilization of the egg. Doctors assure - the calendar method of protection is not reliable. And sexual intercourse during menstrual bleeding does not give any guarantees for the absence of a successful conception of the baby.
It follows that for safer sex it is better to use condoms. Interrupted sexual acts, as well as making love during menstruation, have the risk of an unplanned "interesting situation." Oral contraceptives can also fail in some situations.
From the foregoing, it follows that on the first day of the "red days of the calendar" you can become pregnant only in exceptional cases. And ideally, the successful conception of a child falls on ovulation.