Can you get pregnant 5 days after your periods

How to Chart Your Cycle to Know When You Can Get Pregnant

Written by Jennifer Rainey Marquez

The first step is to learn the days when you're most fertile. Most women have a 28-day menstrual cycle. That means you have about 6 days each month when you can get pregnant. That includes the day that one of your ovaries releases an egg, called ovulation, and the 5 days before. Having sex within that window is key. You can’t get pregnant without ovulation, and tracking your monthly periods is one way to get familiar with your body’s fertility.

To figure it out, you'll need to chart your menstrual cycle and record how long it lasts. Day 1 is the first day of your period. Since the length of your cycle can vary slightly from month to month, it's best to keep track for a few months.

Once you have an average, subtract 18 days from the length of your shortest cycle. This is the first day you're likely to be fertile. Next, subtract 11 days from the length of your longest cycle. This is the last day you're likely to be fertile. Having sex between those two dates will give you the best shot at getting pregnant.

Check Your Basal Body Temperature (BBT)

It's also a good idea to pay attention to the signs that your body is ready to ovulate. Checking your basal body temperature (BBT) is one way to do this.

The BBT is your temperature first thing in the morning. Just after you ovulate, it rises slightly -- sometimes by less than a degree -- and stays higher until your period starts. If you record your temperature every day, you can spot the subtle changes that mean one of your ovaries has released an egg.

To take your BBT, you need to:

Use a basal body thermometer. It's more sensitive than a standard one and will show temperature changes down to a fraction of a degree. You can get them at many pharmacies for less than $20.

Take your temperature at the same time each morning. Always do it before you get out of bed. (To make it easier, keep the thermometer on your nightstand.) Even getting up to go to the bathroom can affect your body temperature. So can smoking, drinking, or getting a bad night's sleep.

Remember, your BBT won't tell you exactly when you've ovulated, and it may take a couple of months before you start to see a pattern. You're most likely to get pregnant 2 or 3 days before your ovary releases an egg, and then another 12 to 24 hours after that. When your temperature has spiked for 3 days, your chances of conceiving drop.

Check Your Cervical Mucus

The same hormones that control your menstrual cycle also affect the mucus that your cervix makes. Just before and during ovulation, the amount, color, and texture of it change to make it easier for you to get pregnant.

As your ovaries prepare to release an egg, your cervix makes more mucus. A few days before ovulation, it may be sticky and cloudy or whitish. Then, right before you ovulate, the mucus gets slippery, like egg whites. It may stretch across your fingers if you spread them apart. This stage usually lasts 3 or 4 days, which is when you're most likely to get pregnant.

To check your cervical mucus:

Use your fingers or a tissue to check the opening of your vagina for mucus a few times a day. Make sure your hands are clean before you start. Write down whether it's cloudy and sticky or clear and slippery.
Chart your cervical mucus changes and your basal body temperature to get a clear picture of where you are in your cycle.

Keep in mind that other things, like breastfeeding, can change your mucus. Using douches or other hygiene products can also affect it. Gynecologists usually don't recommend these products.

When Can You Get Pregnant After Your Period?

June 25 2019

Chapel Hill Obstetrics & Gynecology Fertility & Family Planning, Infertility Treatments, Pregnancy

Understanding your menstrual cycle is crucial to defining when you ovulate and calculating when you are most likely to get pregnant.

“Women should be aware that if they have an irregular period, it can make the ovulation days difficult to determine.” Said Dr. Martinelli. “When examining fertility, it’s important to realize that an egg can survive for about 24 hours after ovulation, and sperm can live inside a woman’s body for three days—though sometimes it’s possible for them to survive for five days. “

How long should a normal menstrual cycle last?

An average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, defined from the first day of menstrual bleeding to the first day of bleeding of the next period. However, irregular periods are very common. An irregular period is defined as a cycle that varies by more than seven to nine days.

There are several reasons why women may have abnormal periods, which can include fibroids, ovarian cysts, polyps, and even something as common as stress.

“If you’ve constantly had an irregular period, please contact us for an appointment to determine the underlying cause and initiate treatment,” said Dr. Martinelli.

When does ovulation start?

If you have a normal 28-day cycle, ovulation should occur about 14 days before you start your next period.

When can I become pregnant after my period?

If you have intercourse five days before ovulation until one day after ovulation, you can become pregnant. You’re much more likely to become pregnant if there are live sperm in the fallopian tubes during ovulation.

Fertility Awareness and Family Planning

Some women use fertility awareness as a method of natural birth control. One of the tools used is something called the Standard Days method. This establishes that if you have a period that is between 26 to 32 days long, days eight through 19 will be your most fertile days. However, this method is most effective when you have regular menstrual cycles.

If a woman has a regular period and uses the method perfectly, less than one to five women out of 100 will become pregnant. However, the key words here are “perfect use. ” The typical use rate is different. Typical use means that the methods may be done incorrectly or measured inconsistently. In the first year of this typical use, 12 to 24 women out of 100 will become pregnant. (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

Infertility Treatments

For those who are struggling with the challenge of infertility, understanding your ovulation cycle can help; however, it’s important to speak with us about some of the innovative infertility treatments offered at our Chapel Hill office or Durham office. We have helped hundreds of couples conceive by utilizing the latest state-of-the-art treatments and caring for both their physical and emotional needs.

We Offer Extensive Options for Both Infertility Treatment and Birth Control

We see patients at every stage of their lives. While some are trying to get pregnant, others may be looking for the most effective form of permanent birth control. Still, others may be entering menopause while some may be having their first gynecological exam.

At any stage of your life, we offer compassionate care that has made us a leader in the area for more than 40 years. We have locations in Chapel Hill and offer Durham gynecology and Durham obstetrics services. No matter what stage in your journey, we want to care for you throughout your life. See why our patients love our personalized approach to medicine. Schedule an appointment today.

For more than 40 years, Chapel Hill OBGYN has served women in the Triangle area, sharing the joy of little miracles and supporting them during challenges. Our board-certified physicians and certified nurse midwives bring together the personal experience and convenience of a private practice with the state-of-the-art resources found at larger organizations. To schedule an appointment, please contact us for more information.

What Causes Bleeding After Menopause? 5 Important, Valuable Things to Know Before Your Next Exam

Pregnancy after menstruation

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Pregnancy after menstruation

The question of unwanted, unexpected pregnancy is occupied by the minds of both the beautiful half of humanity and the stronger sex. There was a strong, but unsupported from a medical point of view, opinion that menstruation and a few days before and after it is an excellent natural contraceptive that guarantees 100% protection against pregnancy.

But is it?

It is these questions that friends and girlfriends or complete strangers ask each other on forums and chats. The answers to them can be heard different, to a greater extent based on initial knowledge about the process of fertilization and the so-called monthly calendar of the menstrual cycle, when safe days are calculated.

Unfortunately, medicine has long proven that there are no safe days. And the question of whether it is possible to get pregnant after menstruation is just as meaningless as the question "Is it possible to get pregnant with protection?".

In fact: all women are different, and ovulation cycles are also different. And this means that the movement of an egg ready for fertilization can occur on any day (these terms are affected by the state of health, hormonal levels, stressful situations, etc.). Accordingly, there are simply no safe days and asking if it is possible to get pregnant after menstruation is simply unreasonable. You can ... and before, and on time, and after. Any day.

By the way, there is an opinion that only one way gives a 100% guarantee against pregnancy - the absence of a classic sexual intercourse. As it turns out, even this view is wrong. It is not for nothing that the topics “Is it possible for a virgin to get pregnant?”, “Is it possible to get pregnant from lubrication?”, “Is it possible to get pregnant during petting?” began to appear on the forums. etc.

Everything is possible and there are no immaculate conceptions (maybe we have unraveled the mystery of the Virgin Mary?). The most active spermatozoa are released just in the first drops of lubricant on the glans penis. And if a man touches them to the genitals of a woman, even without direct penetration, conception can occur. Nimble ponytails will quickly find their way to where they need to be. And they absolutely don't care if the girl is virgin or not.

Therefore, be protected. Always protect yourself. Of course, even condoms and contraceptives do not give a 100% guarantee (which is a pity), but at least they minimize the very fact of an unwanted pregnancy.

Reprint conditions: With obligatory active link to www.pre-ambula.ru

Is it possible to get pregnant immediately after menstruation

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Why is it considered impossible to get pregnant after menstruation?
What is the chance of getting pregnant immediately after menstruation?
If you can get pregnant after your period, why do people use the calendar method?
Why can you get pregnant after menstruation?
- Is it possible to estimate my individual risk of getting pregnant right after my period?
- Is it possible to improve the reliability of the calendar method?

What is the probability of getting pregnant immediately after menstruation, what factors affect this, is it worth relying on calendar calculations? We will answer your questions.

Some women use the calendar method of contraception. It consists in calculating the period when fertilization is impossible. At first glance, the method seems to be quite reliable, because it is based on modern medical knowledge. However, the practice of obstetrics and gynecology shows that the result of its use is often an unplanned pregnancy ¹ .

Why is it considered impossible to get pregnant after menstruation?

Even in ancient times, scientists understood that the menstrual cycle is associated with the likelihood of pregnancy. Reasoning about this is found in the writings of Hippocrates, in ancient Chinese treatises on medicine, and in other ancient sources. At the beginning of the 20th century, doctors completely decided on how conception occurs, and realized that it was possible for a very short period after ovulation - the release of an egg from the ovary into the fallopian tube. Shortly thereafter, the Ogino-Knaus method (this is the scientific name for the calendar method) appeared.

What the Japanese and Austrian gynecologists have suggested can be expressed like this:

According to the adherents of the calendar method, it is impossible to get pregnant during the first seven days of the cycle. From the 8th day after the start of menstruation, you can get pregnant until the 19th day. From the 20th day, the sterile period begins again. These calculations have a sound grain and even a scientific basis, but they are based on the idea of \u200b\u200bthe ideal menstrual cycle and do not take into account many different accidents. And they, as you know, sometimes happen.

Do not rely on outdated methods for proper pregnancy planning. Learn all about modern approaches - watch this video tutorial from reproductologist Anna Ilyina.

What is the probability of getting pregnant immediately after menstruation?

In medicine, there is such a thing as the "Pearl index". This indicator reflects the effectiveness of various methods of contraception and is equal to the number of unplanned pregnancies during the year per 100 women. If the index for some method of protection is low, this means that the method is effective, if it is high, the method does not work well.

Combined oral contraceptives ² have a Pearl index less than 1 (one unplanned pregnancy within a year among 100 random women using this method). Condoms have 2 or slightly higher, taking into account force majeure that can happen to them during intercourse. One of the most unreliable methods of contraception - coitus interruptus - shows an index of 22 ³. The calendar method even beats him: according to experts, the Pearl index for this method is from 24 ¹ and above, i.e. about a quarter of women who are protected only according to the calendar are convinced of the ineffectiveness of the method from their own experience.

Here is the answer to the question, what is the probability of getting pregnant after menstruation is very high. All it takes is a small calculation error, a tiny change in the menstrual cycle, an unusual set of circumstances - and you are faced with a choice of what to do with an unplanned pregnancy.

Another important question: is it possible to get pregnant during menstruation? Read in this article.

If you can get pregnant after your period, why do people use the calendar method?

First, the calendar method was promoted by the Roman Catholic Church. It was believed that believers should not use any other method of contraception, except for this - natural. So in Western countries, the nickname "Vatican roulette" ⁴ has firmly entrenched behind the unreliable calendar method. These days, the church no longer takes this position, but there are people who continue to use this method for religious reasons.

The method is popular in poor countries for a quite banal reason: contraceptives cost money, and you can look at the calendar for free. To help such women, a special "contraceptive necklace" ⁵ has been developed. It looks something like this:

The red bead near the clasp indicates the first day of menstruation, the white beads indicate the days on which the probability of pregnancy is minimal, the blue ones indicate the fertile period. There is a ring on the necklace that needs to be moved every day.

In developed countries, couples most often practice the calendar method due to the reluctance of men to use condoms, and women to take “hormonal pills”. And, of course, because many are still convinced of the effectiveness of this roulette.

Why can I get pregnant after menstruation?

Because the human body is very complex, and sometimes all sorts of unexpected situations happen. Here are just a few of them:

In an ideal menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs 14 days before the onset of menstruation ⁶ . In reality, the maturation of an egg in the ovary can begin as early as the last days of menstruation, and its release almost immediately after it ends. The reason for this may be a change in hormonal levels, severe stress and other factors.
Once in the vagina, spermatozoa find themselves in a highly acidic environment and die within a few hours. However, those that have reached the cervix or the uterus itself can remain alive for up to 3 days, in some cases even longer ⁷ . Thus, it may happen that sexual intercourse took place on a safe day, but tenacious spermatozoa waited for the release of the egg.
Often women tend to think of any bleeding as menstruation. However, it can also occur for other reasons, such as cervical erosion or too violent sex. Confusing such bleeding with the onset of menstruation, you can make a very serious mistake in the calculations.

Is it possible to estimate my individual risk of getting pregnant right after my period?

There are a number of conditions that increase the chance of getting pregnant after your period. If you have one of them, you are at increased risk:

Irregular menstruation
Very short cycle, less than 21 days
Prolonged menses, more than 7 days

Even if you have happily ruled out all these factors, do not assume that you or your partner do not need protection immediately after menstruation. Pregnancy should be desired and planned. Until you are going to become a mother, use more reliable methods - barrier (condom, diaphragm, uterine cap) or hormonal (combined oral contraceptives, intrauterine device, and others).

If you suspect that fertilization could have occurred, learn how to detect pregnancy before menstruation from our article.

Is it possible to improve the reliability of the calendar method?

It is possible, and there is even a special term for this - the symptothermal method of fertility recognition (STMRP). In addition to tracking the cycle according to the calendar, it includes monitoring the basal temperature and the condition of the cervical mucus. The day before ovulation, the basal temperature rises by about half a degree compared to normal, and the mucus in the cervix becomes wet and viscous.

This method has a low Pearl Index of less than 1, providing a chance of unplanned pregnancy at the level of hormonal contraceptives. But with one small caveat - only with the right understanding and the most precise observance of all procedures. If you decide to practice this method, it is advisable to undergo training under the guidance of a specialist. It will not be easy to master symptothermal diagnosis on your own.

Sources:

Hatcher, R.A.; Trussel J; Stewart F; et al. (2000). Contraceptive Technology (18th ed.). New York: Ardent Media. ISBN 0-9664902-6-6.
Ammer, Christine (2009). The encyclopedia of women's health (6th ed.). New York: Facts On File. pp. 312–15. ISBN 978-0-8160-7407-5.
Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (June 21, 2013). U.S. Selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use, 2013: adapted from the World Health Organization Selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use, 2nd edition.
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