To answer the question - Can you get pregnant right after your period?- the answer is it’s possible, but not for all women.
If you are seeking to get pregnant there are important aspects you will need to take into consideration.
Let me explain a bit further…
Let’s take a look at the 3 most influential factors why you may or may not be able to get pregnant right after your period.
What are the 3 key aspects for a woman in the process of getting pregnant?
The 3 key factors you want to understand are:
Menstruation cycle
Knowing the length of your cycle is one key to getting pregnant.
Ovulation
Timing when you ovulate is crucial when wanting to getting pregnant.
Cervical fluid
Your cervical fluid plays an important role in getting pregnnat.
What role does your menstrual cycle play in getting pregnant?
When it comes to getting pregnant, your menstrual cycle plays a vital role.
What most of us don’t realize is during your menstrual cycle your body by nature is designed to prepare for pregnancy whether or not you are trying to get pregnant.
Two things to know about your menstrual cycle that will help you tremendously when trying to conceive a child are:
When you get your period
And the length of your cycle
Now, keep in mind that the length of menstrual cycles varies from woman to woman, so don’t be surprised if you have a 31-day cycle and your friend’s cycle 28 days- it is all normal.
According to the nationally respected women’s health educator and speaker, Toni Weschler, in her book ‘Taking Charge of Your Fertility’ a typical cycle length is anywhere between 21 to 35 days.
How do you determine the length of your menstrual cycle?
The first day of your cycle starts on day 1 of your period and ends on the day before your next period begins.
As your period ends, your body is creating the necessary conditions for ovulation.
For help determining the length of your period, consider charting.
As Weschler says, by charting your menstruation cycle a woman can tell on any given day whether or not she is capable of getting pregnant.
What role does your ovulation play in getting pregnant?
When you are ovulating you are at the most fertile state in your menstruation cycle.
During your menstrual cycle, there are a total of around 6 days that you are fertile- the 5 days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself.
What is ovulation?
Ovulation is the ultimate key to getting pregnant.
As Toni Weschler describes, ovulation is the phase when the egg is released from the ovary so it can be fertilized by a sperm to make a baby.
It’s only around this time in your menstrual cycle that you are fertile, meaning this is the only time you can get pregnant!
So, you may be wondering - when do you ovulate?
When does your ovulation occur?
Unfortunately, there is no specific way of calculating when you will ovulate during your menstrual cycle.
And the time in which you ovulate will vary from woman to woman.
If you’re anything like me, I know what you may be thinking: “So there’s no definite way of knowing when I ovulate?”
But that’s not entirely true, you can know to a certain degree…
How?
Weschler states the time between ovulation and your next period will almost always be between 12 and 16 days.
So for example, if you know your cycle is 28 days long, you will most likely ovulate on day 14 of your cycle.
Your best bet if you want more certainty on when you ovulate – will be taking an ovulation test.
There are some tricks however that could help you determine if you are in ovulation besides taking ovulation tests.
One way to tell if you’re ovulating is to check your cervical fluid.
What role does your cervical fluid play in getting pregnant?
Your cervical fluid is the medium through which sperm travels.
To conceive a child, the sperm must be able to travel into the cervix making its way to the egg. This is only possible with the right type of cervical fluid.
What you need to know about your cervical fluid when wanting to get pregnant?
Throughout your menstrual cycle, your cervical fluid will go through some changes.
Depending on what day of your cycle, your cervix releases different types of fluid.
Your cervical fluid will go through the following phases:
- Dry
- Creamy
- Sticky
- Egg-white
What quality of cervical fluid you want to look for when wanting to get pregnant?
According to the book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”, about 2 to 3 days before ovulation, you should notice your cervical fluid becomes an egg-white texture.
It tends to be clear, slippery, and stretchy – this is your most fertile quality of cervical fluid and a key to knowing when you’re ovulating.
Once you notice this type of cervical fluid, your body is ready to allow a pregnancy to occur!
How can you yourself increase your chances of becoming pregnant?
There are 3 signs you can look for to help you determine if you are ovulating - that if you can learn to track, will not only help you get pregnant but could help you get pregnant faster.
If you chart your menstrual cycle knowing when you are ovulating will be easy for you.
If you don’t chart, these 3 fertile signs will help you.
Check your basal body temperature. Though checking your waking temperature will not tell you when you are ovulating – it will tell you if your body has ovulated. This is valuable information for your next cycle as it allows you to understand when during your cycle your body is ovulating.
Check your cervical fluid. Checking your cervical fluid is key to timing intercourse when trying to conceive. Check for egg-white cervical fluid, this is your most fertile quality.
Check your cervical position. Your cervix can also tell if you are ovulating. Your cervix prepares for pregnancy during every cycle. During ovulation your cervix becomes soft and opens, allowing sperm to pass through finding their way through your uterus and on to the egg.
Conclusion: Can you get pregnant right after your period?
As you now understand, it depends…
Getting pregnant right after having your period is possible for some women.
Women that experience getting pregnant right after their period have a shorter menstruation cycle (i.e. 21 days), which means they ovulate earlier in their cycle than women with longer cycles.
And this is completely normal!
Remember this is not under your control – whether or not you can get pregnant right after your period is all based on nature.
Quick Questions & Answers
Can you get pregnant when you aren’t ovulating?
Ovulation is key to getting pregnant.
You only produce the necessary cervical fluid when you are in ovulation. Without the “egg-white” cervical fluid the sperm will not survive.
Can I get pregnant a week after my period?
Depending on the time in your menstrual cycle when you ovulate it is possible.
Ovulation can take place just a few days from when your period ends, depending on the length of your cycle.
Can you get pregnant the day before your period and still bleed?
Although there may be counter-examples, generally, woman can only get pregnant during the 5 to 6 day window in which they are fertile, which typically occurs 12 to 16 days prior to their period.
When the egg is not fertilized by the end of their cycle, the woman’s uterus will shed and she will have her period.
Can you get pregnant the day after your period?
The chances of getting pregnant the day after your period are low.
As Toni Weschler mentions in her book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”, at the end of your period you experience a dry vaginal sensation.
She states that it may appear that your vaginal opening is dry or that you have a slight moisture at your opening - that if touched would evaporate within a few seconds.
Once your period ends your body is not producing the egg-white cervical fluid needed for sperm to travel and survive long enough to conceive.
This means your fertility is extremely low at this time.