There is always confusion and a big question in women’s mind about their pregnancy and their menstruation cycle. It is very normal and good actually. Every woman should know about her body and her periods. She should aware of herself. So, if you are also one of them who have questions like When Can A Woman Get Pregnant After Menstruation, After Menstruation How Many Days Is Safe? Then read out this entire article. This will definitely help you to know every detail in brief.
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Can a woman get pregnant after her period 2 days?
Yes offcourse, you can get pregnant at any time during your periods. There is no safe period to not conceive. Whether you are in between your periods, just finish your periods or have sex before your periods. But there are times in your menstrual cycle when you’re at your most fertile, and this is when you’re most likely to conceive.
Understanding your menstrual cycle
This is a very important thing to understand that your menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period and continues up to the first day of your next period. A woman is most fertile at her ovulation period which occurs normally 12 to 14 days before her next period starts. This is the time of the month when you’re most likely to get pregnant.
There are very fewer chances to get pregnant just after your period’s finishes. But, this can happen. Don’t forget this. The sperm can live in women’s body for up to 7 days after you have sex.
This means it may be possible to get pregnant soon after your period finishes if you ovulate early, especially if you have a naturally short menstrual cycle. You should always use contraception when you have sex if you don’t want to become pregnant.
Ways To Calculate Safe Period To Avoid Pregnancy
There are many alternate methods to calculate a safe period to avoid pregnancy. Peoples are trying to determine infertile days or safe period for many years to intimate without getting pregnant. It is very easy to understand ovulation period if you understand correctly your menstruation cycle. Having regular periods is also very crucial to know about ovulation period correctly. Once, you understand about menstruation cycle what happens and when happens then you can calculate safer period with more accuracy. The benefit behind to know about infertile days is to prevent from unwanted pregnancy naturally without side effects and safe intercourse.
What is the Safe Period (Unfertile Period)?
Safe period or unfertile days can be defined as when a woman has the least chance to get pregnant or she doesn’t on her ovulation period. Those couples who don’t want to get baby without using contraceptives then these days are safer to make sex relation with partner.
If we see biologically then it can be understood as if you have sex with your partner when there is no egg to get fertilized by sperm in your fallopian tube then you cannot be pregnant. It is the time of the menstruation cycle when you are in your infertile period.
Normally, ovulation occurs approximately 14 days before the next menstrual cycle starts in most of the women. To know when will start your next menstruation cycle is not exactly easy. But, if you have mostly regular periods then you can easily calculate your ovulation’s days.
If you want to know your ovulation period then, first of all, take a calendar and mark the starting date of your previous menstruation. One thing you should remember that an egg can be fertilized only four days before ovulation and three days after ovulation. In other words, this is not a safe period, and so, you should avoid intercourse during this period.
Why Should You Calculate Your Safe Period?
There are many reasons including behind the importance of calculating the safe period. Some are explaining like if you know about your safe days then you can avoid pregnancy having sex with your partner. It is very important to calculate your unfertile days if you are not planning for a baby right away. Moreover, it will help you in birth control without having ingesting hormonal birth control pills, using an IUD, or hormone injections that can have side-effects on different women, ranging from extreme mood swings to weight gain and other problems that hamper one’s well-being.
How to Calculate Your Safe Period to Avoid Pregnancy?
Those who want to calculate their safe period to avoid pregnancy; they must understand the various phases of the menstrual cycle. Below, we have explained some of the main phases of the menstrual cycle, have a look.
Phases of the Cycle:
To understand briefly, you can divide the menstrual cycle into three phases: the follicular phase (pre-ovulation phase), the ovulation phase, and the luteal phase (post-ovulation phase). However, the duration of each phase completely depends on women to women. Mostly, if we see the average period cycle is believed to be of 28 days. The menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of menstrual bleeding. Let’s look at what happens in each phase.
The Follicular Phase / Proliferative Phase
The follicular phase is that phase which occurs before ovulation. In this phase, the maturation of the follicles in the ovary takes place. This phase ends with ovulation. In this stage, estradiol is the hormone at work, and the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is secreted.
The Ovulation Phase
It is the phase when mature egg travels from the ovary into the fallopian tube of women. In other words, you can say that It is in the ovulation phase that a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and discharges an ovum (also known as an egg). The time just before and after ovulation is usually referred to as the ovulation phase. Remember, a woman can pregnant in this phase if she has sex with her partner.
The Luteal Phase / Secretary Phase
The luteal phase is the phase which comes at last in the menstrual cycle. It is marked by the creation of the corpus luteum and terminates in either pregnancy or degradation of the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum is a temporary endocrine structure. It helps in the production of oestrogen and progestogen. With the help of oestrogen and progestogen, the endometrium which is inner lining of the uterus is maintained.
The safe days for a woman after a period depending on the lifespan of both the sperm and egg. In most cases, ovulation happens on the 14th day of the menstrual cycle if the menstrual cycle is of average length (28 days). The ovulation time varies for each woman and can occur from the 12th day to the 19th day of the cycle. A sperm usually lives for 3 to 5 days in the reproductive tract. Therefore, it is possible to become pregnant unprotected sex is had five days before ovulation. The lifespan of the egg is quite short- only about 24 hours. If fertilization does not occur within that time frame, the egg will die.
Safe Period Chart to Avoid Pregnancy
If you want to learn how to calculate safe and unsafe days then here, we have stated a safe period chart. With the help of this chart, you can avoid pregnancy by knowing your safe and unsafe days.
Safe Times Using the Calendar Method | |||||||||
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | |||
Start of period1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Safe Days | ||
8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Unsafe days | ||
15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Unsafe Days | ||
22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | Safe Days | ||
Start of period 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Safe Days |
When to Have Sex to Avoid Pregnancy?
Those who want to know when should have sex to avoid pregnancy, are advised to go through the points mentioned below.
What Is a Safe Period to Have Sex?
There is a thumb rule when you have sex, you can get pregnant. There is no exactly the calculation or theory to determine when a woman cannot get pregnant. No one knows when women ovulate and get pregnant. Most of the women ovulate 12 to 14 days before they begin their period, but some women ovulate at a different time. So, figuring out when it is safe to have sex yet avoid pregnancy is quite a guessing game.
How Long Is a Safe Period?
According to many women’s experiences, if you have sex just after the period starts or before it begins then it can be a safe period to avoid pregnancy. Besides this, if hormones imbalance or schedules changes then the calculation may get inaccurate. According to the general rule, if your periods are regular without any delay of 28 days then the seven days before your periods coming are a safe period for you to have sex without getting pregnant. But, one thing keeps in mind that this calculation is fully based on regular period calculation. If you have irregular periods then take advice from your doctor to avoid pregnancy.
How to Calculate the Time of Ovulation?
Ovulation and safe period are related to each other because safe period is calculated on the basis of the ovulation period. If we go with the method of popular Safe Period Calculator method then we will see that in a regular menstrual cycle, day 1 to day 7 is absolutely safe and unfertile which lasts 26 to 32 days. This takes into account the premise that the lifespan of the sperm in the reproductive canal is 3 to 5 days. According to this method, the ovulation occurs on the 19th day. Therefore, fertilization can occur until the 20th day of the cycle. Since all these calculations are an approximation and the results can vary from woman to woman.
Different Methods to Calculate Safe Period:
Those, who want to know different methods to calculate safe period to have sex without getting pregnant then here, we have explained some easy methods for them.
Safe Period Calculator or Menstrual Cycle Calculator:
Cycle calculators are one of the best calculators in most of the cases. But, it is not friendly to use for every woman. It asks many things like body temperature, infertile period, cervical mucus and dates of menstruation. This is not possible for every woman to provide information. In simple words, if you are using the menstrual cycle calculator then you have to put all data regarding above stated about your periods as well as body temperature handy. Otherwise, there are people who are using other period calculators like below mentioned, which do not ask for months of data but still give accurate results.
Avoid Your Fertile Days:
If you want to avoid pregnancy then it is very simple. You are required to avoid your fertile days only, don’t have sex on these days. Otherwise, get intimate with your partner in safe days, you will not get pregnant. Here, we have listed the most fertile days for various cycle lengths. If you do not want to get pregnant, you need to avoid intercourse on the following days:
Length of Cycle | Most Fertile Days |
24 days | Days 5 to 10 of the cycle |
28 days | Days 9 to 14 of the cycle |
30 days | Days 11 to 16 of the cycle |
35 days | Days 16 to 21 of the cycle |
Calculate When You Are Less Likely to Get Pregnant
Those who want to know their period cycle, have to track at least six months periods date. It will help you to know your fertile days also.
Step 1:
You can use this formula to know your fertile days. Take your shortest cycle and subtract 18 days from the total days of your shortest cycle. By using the resulting number, count from the first day of your next period and mark that date on your calendar.
Step 2:
Otherwise, take your longest cycle and subtract 11 days from your longest cycle. Now, by using that number, count forward from the first day of your next period. Mark that date on the calendar.
Step 3:
Your most fertile period is between those marked dates. It should be safe to have unprotected sex any time other than on those dates. However, bear in mind that sperm live up to 4 days, so count four days on either side as risky too. Note that this only works if your periods are regular.
Who Can Use the Safe Period Calculator?
Remember one thing; consult with your doctor before using a safe period calculator. Otherwise, always use natural family planning methods. But, if your periods are regular and are falling between 26 to 32 days and if the variation between your longest cycle and your shortest cycle is about seven days, you should be reasonably safe using the safe period calculator method as birth control.
Who Cannot Use the Safe Period Calculator?
This rule applies to those women who have not regular periods as mentioned above. If your periods are not falling between 26-day to 32-day cycle and the variation between your longest and your shortest cycle is more than eight days, then it would be risky to use this method. One thing, you should keep in mind is that the reregulation in periods may be occurred because of hormonal imbalance or changes. It would be wiser to wait for six months after childbirth to use this method.
Also, because of erratic cycles, this method is not suitable for teenagers or women on the verge of menopause. This method might not work for women who have erratic cycles because of conditions like PCOS and hormonal imbalance.
Examples of Calculating Safe Periods:
Let us take two examples. With the help of these two examples, you can calculate safe periods.
- Assume that any woman has 24 days between 2 menstruating cycles. This means that her ovulation would be ten days after the first day of her last period. Based on this (24 minus 14) calculation, her safe period would be from day one to day six after her last period and from day thirteen to her next period.
- After that, take another example of a woman who has 32 days between 2 menstruation cycles. Her ovulation would be 18 days after her last period. Based on this calculation (32 minus 14), her safe period would be from day one after the last period to day 14 and from day 21 to the next period.
- Safety: Women with regular menstruating cycles have an 85% safety ratio for not getting pregnant in 12 months. However, the success rate depends on how well you calculate the safe period and how religiously you follow it.
- Handy Technology: In today’s world of technological advancement, there are numerous apps available that can help you chart your menstrual cycle, calculate your infertile days and store all this data for your quick reference!
- Besides this, there are many tools are available in the market which can give you a rough estimate regarding your ovulation period. As a result, you can calculate ovulation as well as the safe period with higher accuracy and greater ease.
Natural Family Planning (Fertility awareness-based Methods)
Woman’s body gives many indications at the ovulation period. If you recognize these indications then you don’t require any safe period calculator. This is called natural family planning.
Various fertility awareness-based methods are:
1. Basal Body Temperature Method
There is a drop in body temperature at the time of ovulation. If you also experience this type of body temperature in your body then you can take help of thermometer to measure it.
2. Charting Basal Body Temperature
If you are going to measure your basal body temperature then keep these 4 rules in mind.
- First 5 days rule: For the most part, you can assume that you are infertile during the first five days of your menstrual cycle. This may not be accurate if you have had a cycle that was shorter than 25 days. To determine this, track your menstrual cycle for about six months.
- Dry day rule: You might be infertile on the day you don’t observe any cervical fluid.
- Peak plus 4 rule: Your infertile period starts on the 4th evening after your most fertile cervical fluid (CF). This is when your CF becomes infertile again, and there is a clear BBT shift.
- Temp plus 3 rule: You might be infertile on the evening of the 3rd day after your BBT shift.
3. Cervical Mucus / Ovulation Method
When the ovulation period starts then the color of cervical mucus changes. Note the color of cervical mucus every day. A change in colour would indicate that you are in the ovulation phase.
4. Symptoms-Thermal Method
You will see other changes also in the body at ovulation period starting like pain in the abdomen, heaviness and tender breasts, in addition to body temperature and the color of the mucus. Using different methods simultaneously ensures that the safe days are predicted with greater accuracy.
5. Cycle Beads App
Cycle beads app is the most useful and effective app to track menstruation and ovulation cycle. It runs in both android and Iphone users. Here is how to use the cycle beads:
- On the first day of the period, place a rubber ring in the red bead.
- Move the band over the beads in the direction of the arrow.
- The brown beads indicate safe days. The white beads indicate unsafe days.
6. Standard Days Method
Here is how you can predict safe days using this method:
- Consider the shortest cycle for the calculation of the first fertile day.
- Subtract 18 from the total number of days.
- Use the result to count from the first day of your cycle to mark the first fertile day.
- Consider the longest cycle for the calculation of the last fertile day.
- Subtract 11 from the total number of days.
- Use the result to count from the first day of your cycle to mark the last fertile day.
How Effective Are Fertility Awareness Methods (FAMs) to Avoid Pregnancy?
Well, fertility awareness methods are not 100% reliable. But, if you want to avoid pregnancy then you can follow other kinds of FAMs also. Condoms are the easiest option, but if you dislike using then the next best choice is oral contraception.
FAMs will work only if:
- You are meticulous with the safe period calculation and follow it accurately.
- Your partner is willing to follow the safe-days-only sex method.
- You use other forms of contraception on your fertile days.
What Are the Advantages of Using Fertility Awareness Methods to Avoid Pregnancy?
There are some most common advantages given below. If, you want to know then go through the content.
Some advantages of using FAMs are:
- No expense
- No medication, therefore no side effects
- Greater understanding between a couple
- Some religious beliefs do not allow artificial contraception, so safe days method is a preferred option
What Are the Disadvantages of Using Fertility Awareness Methods to Avoid Pregnancy?
- You can face difficulty if your partner doesn’t want to use this method.
- You cannot protect yourself from sexually transmitted diseases.
- Some medicines may cause reactions and your periods may occur irregularly.
Things to Remember About Having Sex During the Safe Period
- First of all, keep in mind that there is no such thing as a 100% safe period.
- If you have regular periods then this thing can work for you.
- If your periods are not regular as above mentioned in this article then this trick will not work for you.
- At this time, you can use other emergency contraceptive pills to avoid a pregnancy
Other Ways to Have Sex Without Worrying About Getting Pregnant
Looking for other ways to have sex without worrying about conception? We’ve got you covered.
1. Use a Condom
The easiest method of contraception, condoms also protects you from STDs.
2. Try New Positions, Places and Tricks
Spice up things by having intercourse in different positions and at different places in the house!
3. Invest in Sex Toys
With couples shedding their inhibitions in the bedroom, it is easy to find a sex toy which you both love. Choose from vibrators, dildos and more for a pleasurable experience.
4. Sexy Foreplay
Engage in a game of strip poker or invent a game of your own to add an element of fun to foreplay. You should also read about pregnancy stages to become more conscious before getting pregnant.