Is it possible to get pregnant while menstruating? Gynecologist explains if this can happen

On which days is the woman most fertile and can she get pregnant? And when there’s no chance of that happening? Knowing the menstrual cycle is essential to understand the possibilities of pregnancy.

Generally speaking, the fertile period happens in the middle of the cycle. But not every woman has a regular cycle, which ends up creating doubts about the dates.

The irregularity of the cycle can also make it possible to become pregnant a few days before menstruation or even during “those days”.

Gynecologist Patrícia Olivotti explains that, although technically it is rare to get pregnant during menstruation, in women with an irregular menstrual cycle it may be possible. She understands each case better.

Is it possible to get pregnant during your period?

“It would be necessary to have a menstrual cycle, the period between the first day of a period until the beginning of the next, very short so that the ovulation date is very close to the time of the initial bleeding, or even a period that lasts a long time”, he says. the gynecologist.

To better understand, it is necessary to know well the functioning of the menstrual cycle.

the menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is a physiological period that happens cyclically in all fertile women. It lasts an average of 28 days, starting on the first day of menstruation and ending when the next month’s menstruation begins.

Patrícia explains that each cycle is divided into three phases: Follicular Phase, Ovulatory Phase and Luteal Phase. “Menstruation occurs in the follicular phase, in the first phase of the cycle, which begins on the first day of menstruation, and lasts from 5 to 12 days. At this stage, the brain increases the production of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which causes the ovaries to mature their eggs.”

She further clarifies that, in a regular cycle, there is the same duration, the same interval of days and a relatively similar flow. In an irregular cycle, the woman menstruates without a certain interval of days, that is, menstruation is delayed or advanced, and the person never knows when her next period will be.

Calculating your fertile period

A woman’s fertile period occurs 10 to 14 days after the first day of menstruation, in a normal 28-day cycle. To calculate, just write down the first day of bleeding, which will be day number one, and, from there, count until you reach 14. “When you reach the 14th day of the cycle, theoretically this is the most fertile. To know your fertile period, write it down on the calendar three days before and three days after the 14th day. That is, it will be from the 11th to the 17th day of the menstrual cycle”, teaches gynecologist Patrícia Olivotti.

In an irregular cycle it is more difficult to know when a woman can or cannot become pregnant, as menstruation has different durations every month.

Conclusion

According to the professional’s explanations, if the woman’s cycle is regular, it is not possible to get pregnant during menstruation, as this phase represents the beginning of the cycle, when the organism will be acting in the maturation of the egg and in the increase of the thickness of the inner lining of the uterus. That is, the egg is not mature and not released to be fertilized.

However, in women with a 22-day cycle, it is possible to ovulate shortly after menstruation begins, and considering that sperm can stay alive in the reproductive tract for up to five days, it is theoretically conceivable that an encounter with the mature egg is possible. “Another situation that can occur is to confuse a small bleeding between periods, in the fertile period, with an actual period”, says Patricia.

Therefore, if you are going to have sex during menstruation, regardless of the pregnancy issue, it is advisable to use a condom, because during this period there are more chances of contracting or transmitting infections and diseases, as blood is also a route of contagion.

Is it possible to get pregnant before your period?

The gynecologist explains that in women who have a regular menstrual cycle this situation is very unlikely to occur. But in irregular cycles the chances can increase, especially if there is early ovulation.

Is it possible to get pregnant right after your period?

After the menstrual period, it is generally unlikely that a woman will become pregnant. “We cannot generalize, as there are women with short menstrual cycles who can get pregnant right after their period. That’s why it’s important to check the duration of the cycle before considering that the days after menstruation are infertile”, explains Patrícia.

In any case, the most important thing is to know your body well and identify the fertile period, thus avoiding an unwanted pregnancy or planning to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.