There are many women who do not know or are unsure of which days they can get pregnant after having sex. If they are not ready to be pregnant and are not able to raise a child, Uncle Doctor needs to explain a bit to the curious ladies so they can be cautious. Here is an example of a question that was asked.
Question: I started my period on the 18th, then had sex on the 1st and he ejaculated inside, but my period came, though it was very light. Could I be pregnant?
Answer: There is a very high chance of pregnancy because you had sex on what is likely the exact day of ovulation! And there was only a little bleeding on the day your period was supposed to come, which could be implantation bleeding, further indicating pregnancy! Please take a urine test 7 days after the bleeding (which you thought was your period) to see if you are pregnant.
Uncle Doctor will explain the days that are risky for pregnancy like this:
Each month, a woman’s period can be regular, close to the previous time, or may be missed. The menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of the period to the first day of the next period. On average, a woman’s cycle is between 28 – 32 days, but some may have shorter or longer cycles. The important thing is that in each cycle, there is an ovulation day, which is the day you can definitely get pregnant if you have sex.
Let’s understand what happens inside the body during a normal 28-day cycle.
- Start counting day 1 on the first day of the period.
- On day 7, the ovaries develop multiple follicles, but only one egg is selected and developed to full maturity.
- On day 11, the egg is about to be released from the follicle and moves close to the ovary wall.
- Days 13 – 16 of the cycle are the days to be aware of pregnancy. The fully developed egg is released from the follicle, called “ovulation,” and is pushed into the fallopian tube, waiting to be fertilized by sperm. Pregnancy occurs if fertilization happens. During ovulation, there may be slight bleeding, and some may feel a sharp pain in the lower abdomen. Notice that during this time, there will be a lot of clear, egg-white-like mucus from the vagina.
- The released egg only lives for 12-24 hours. Ovulation can occur at any time of the day and can vary in each cycle. Stress, illness, and changes in daily routine can disrupt ovulation.
The person who asked the question had sex on days 13-14 of the cycle, assuming a 28-day cycle, so there is a chance of pregnancy because it coincides with ovulation. However, if it is past days 13-16 or within 12-24 hours after ovulation, even if there is sex, fertilization will not occur, and the egg will disintegrate. - On day 28, progesterone and other hormone levels drop, and the thickened uterine lining breaks down and is shed as a period.
Women with irregular periods, meaning sometimes short, sometimes long cycles, find it difficult to know when ovulation occurs and when there is a risk of pregnancy. The pre-ovulation phase is the first part of the cycle, starting from the first day of the period to the day of ovulation. This duration varies greatly among women, ranging from 7 days to as long as 4 days, making it difficult for women to be cautious because they do not know the days they might accidentally get pregnant.
The post-ovulation phase starts from the day of ovulation to the next period. This phase is less variable than the first phase, lasting about 12-16 days from ovulation, determining the length of each person’s cycle from the day of ovulation.
If you want to know when ovulation will occur if your period is irregular, there is a calculation method.
First, you need to know the shortest cycle in several months and subtract 18 to get the first day of the cycle with a chance of pregnancy.
Next, you need to know the longest cycle and subtract 11 to get the last day with a chance of pregnancy.
This calculation method will give a relatively long period of potential pregnancy, lasting ten days or more.
For example, days 8-21 of the cycle, in the case of a 26 and 32-day cycle.
It is important to know that ovulation can occur even without a period, and a period can occur even without ovulation.
The processes Uncle Doctor mentioned may sound complicated, but understanding our body’s mechanisms can help us better plan and manage sexual activity. Uncle Doctor suggests being sure and safe by using contraception and wearing condoms every time.
With love and care,
Uncle Doctor Ruangkit Sirikanchanakul