Can I get pregnant on my period?
A common fertility myth is that a person can’t get pregnant when they're on their period. There is a lower chance that you will get pregnant while on your period, BUT there is a possibility, so be sure to use protection!
The chances of getting pregnant if you have sex during your period are very low. However, if you’ve had unprotected sex, it is still possible to get pregnant during your period.
To understand how this can happen, you need to know how your menstrual cycle works:
- Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and lasts until the first day of your next period
- About 10 to 16 days before the start of your next period, you will ovulate, which is when one of your ovaries releases an egg
- Once you’ve ovulated, you enter the Luteal phase, when the now empty follicle develops the corpus luteum, which produces the hormone progesterone
- The lining on your uterus thickens in preparation for a fertilised egg to implant
- If you have not conceived, then the egg passes into the uterus, hormone levels drop, and the womb lining sheds as you begin your next period. In addition, sperm have been shown to live in the uterus for up to 7 days.
