Can You Get Pregnant While You're on Your Period?
Believe it or not, a lot of women are fans of “period sex.” Period sex is simply having sex during your menstrual cycle. Many women feel this is the safest time to have sex and not worry about getting pregnant but is this truly the case? Let’s explore.
Unless you are planning on getting pregnant, you should always consider using a form of birth control, no matter what time of the month it is. Using condoms can help prevent sexually transmitted diseases, and all types of birth control pills may prevent you from having to say, “oops.”
The fact of the matter is, depending on your menstrual cycle - when your period starts, when you ovulate, etc. - and your lifestyle, it is very possible to get pregnant at any time of the month, including while on your period. However, this is not a 100% fact for every time you have period sex.
Various factors can play a role in whether or not you can get pregnant while on your period. You cannot get pregnant while your uterine lining is shedding. However, not all vaginal bleeding is the shedding of the uterine lining. If you experience irregular menstrual cycles, it is very important for you to use birth control at all times.
Many women have spotting throughout each month of their menstrual cycle. The spotting can appear to be light and last only a few hours, or even heavy like a light cycle. If you do not know the normal process of your body shedding its uterine lining, you may have sex and get pregnant during a time that you think you are on your period, but instead, are experiencing vaginal bleeding that resembles a period.
Some women have very short menstrual cycles. While the typical menstrual cycle is 28 days, some women have menstrual cycles that are 21 days. On top of that, some women have their period for 6-7 days a cycle.
So, if your cycle is 21 days long, and your period lasts for 7 days, this means ovulation would take place around day 7 of your cycle. If you have unprotected period sex between day 2 and day 8 of your 21-day menstrual cycle, you are more susceptible to getting pregnant while on your period.
Alcohol and drug abuse can also play a role in how your menstrual cycle functions, and in turn can affect the possibility of getting pregnant while on your period. Because alcohol consumption, even in the smallest amounts, can increase estrogen levels in the body, the time of ovulation during your menstrual cycle can temporarily be altered.
If enough alcohol consumption changes your menstrual cycle, you may not know if you are shedding the uterine lining during the beginning of your menstrual cycle, or if you are just simply experiencing vaginal bleeding.
It is important that whenever you choose to have sexual intercourse, whether on your period or not, that you use some form of birth control. The regular use of birth control is the most efficient way to help prevent pregnancy from taking place.
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