Is it possible to get pregnant during menstruation
It is believed that the optimal period for conception is the days of ovulation. But if you rely only on your calculations, you can get a surprise in the form of two stripes. Let’s figure out with the doctor how high the risk of unwanted conception during menstruation is

Not all women regularly use contraceptives. Some calculate “dangerous days”, rely on the partner’s reaction. And absolutely extreme girls hope for “maybe”.

At the same time, there is a common misconception: it is impossible to get pregnant during menstruation. Allegedly, the egg dies, and therefore, there is nothing to fertilize. But how justified is this assertion? Can you get pregnant during your period? How to properly approach this issue, will tell obstetrician-gynecologist Elvira Agliullina.

sex without contraception

According to a survey conducted by VTsIOM (1), almost half of the respondents do not use any methods of protection. And 29% of respondents admitted that they know little about contraceptive options.

At the same time, today many are convinced that it is impossible to get pregnant during menstruation. Is it really?

For conception, it is necessary that in the body of a woman:

  • a mature and suitable for fertilization egg and active spermatozoa met,
  • there were favorable conditions for the fusion of germ cells and implantation of the zygote (cells with a complete set of chromosomes) into the endometrium.

The process of sperm production in a healthy man does not stop, while the period of ovulation in a woman lasts only 1-2 days per month.

Ovulation is the process of release of a mature egg capable of fertilization from the ovarian follicle into the abdominal cavity (2). This usually happens in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Before that, about 14 days (some more, some less) from the onset of menstruation, the follicle matures in the ovary. If a mature egg is not fertilized, it dies and leaves the woman’s body with the next menstruation.

This is where the confusion is born. It would seem that it is enough to calculate the days of ovulation and you can easily avoid unwanted pregnancy. 

However, firstly, it is far from always possible to determine ovulation on your own – without medical instruments. And secondly, do not forget about the male sex cells. They are much more viable: under favorable conditions in the uterine cavity, spermatozoa remain active for up to 3-4 days (3). 

If unprotected sex occurs before ovulation, sperm can “wait” for an egg. And given that 1 milliliter of a healthy man’s ejaculate contains 20-120 million (!) germ cells (4), imagine how high the risk of conception is.

contraceptive sex

There is a large selection of contraceptives on the market. Among them are:

  • condoms,
  • oral contraceptives (tablets),
  • neck caps,
  • intrauterine contraception,
  • subcutaneous implants,
  • contraceptive injections,
  • spermicide,
  • hormone patch,
  • hormone ring.

The most reliable, according to the recommendations of the WHO “Medical acceptance criteria for the use of contraceptive methods” (5), is a subcutaneous implant. In second place is male sterilization.

The effectiveness of condoms, intrauterine devices and other means does not depend on menstruation. But what about oral contraceptives (COCs and mini-dranks). Will they prevent conception during menstruation?

There are pills that need to be taken for 21 days, then take a 7-day break, other oral contraceptives are taken according to the 24 + 4 scheme. Here everyone chooses for himself, after consulting with his doctor.

According to all the same WHO recommendations, this is one of the most reliable methods of contraception, including during menstruation. The only thing: it is important to take the pills according to the instructions and not skip days. Over 70% of women make mistakes in taking (6), which is already a risk. You can try a prolonged regimen of taking pills – you need to take a break only 4 times a year. But in any case, when choosing a method of contraception, you need to consult a gynecologist.

Let’s add: many people use PPA (coitus interruptus) as a method of protection. But here, too, a catch awaits women. Spermatozoa are contained not only in the semen itself, but also in the pre-seminal fluid released before ejaculation. This method is completely unreliable: 4 out of 100 women using this method. (5).

Popular questions and answers

Can you get pregnant on the first day of your period?

This is unlikely. At least for the reason that in the body of a woman during this period conditions are extremely unfavorable for spermatozoa. However, there is a risk of confusing periods with bleeding of a different nature. For example, in the first days of pregnancy, blood may flow – this is implantation bleeding, indicating conception. And the woman thinks: menstruation. You can distinguish it from menstruation: the discharge is bright scarlet, scarce and lasts about a day.

In addition, it is important to remember the extreme “survivability” of spermatozoa and their ability to “wait” for a new egg.  

Can you get pregnant on the last day of your period?

Can. If the periods are long, 7-10 days, and during this period there was sex without contraception. Again, we recall the survivability of male germ cells and their ability to “wait”. In addition, ovulation can “start” earlier than usual.

Is it possible to get pregnant immediately after the end of menstruation?

A couple of days after the end of menstruation, the ovulatory period begins. So, the chances of getting pregnant are great. Even if unprotected intercourse did not occur after the cessation of menstruation, but on the third day of menstruation.

Sources of

  1. Contraception: responsibility or harm? Analytical review of VTsIOM. 2017. URL: https://wciom.ru/analytical-reviews/analiticheskii-obzor/kontraczepcziya-otvetstvennost-ili-vred
  2. Korotkikh I.N., Kryshtopina O.S. Pregnancy under control: modern methods for determining ovulation // Gynecology. T.17 No. 1. – P. 45-47. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/beremennost-pod-kontrolem-sovremennye-metody-opredeleniya-ovulyatsii/viewer
  3. Sataeva T.P., Kovalchuk A.V., Kutya S.A. Life cycle of the sperm. Norm and violations // Crimean Journal of Experimental and Clinical Medicine. – 2018. V.8 No. 1. – S. 112-121. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/zhiznennyy-tsikl-spermatozoida-norma-i-narusheniya/viewer
  4. Mayboroda A.A. Gametogenesis and fertilization in human ontogenesis: theory and practice // Siberian Medical Journal (Irkutsk). – 2019. No. 3. – S. 58-65. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/gametogenez-i-oplodotvorenie-v-ontogeneze-cheloveka-teoriya-i-praktika/viewer
  5. WHO Guidelines Medical Eligibility Criteria for the Use of Contraceptive Methods, 5th edition. URL: https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/348116/MEC-merged.pdf
  6. Contraception: possibilities and limitations // Journal “Remedium”. 2017. – 10. P.21-23. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/kontratseptsiya-vozmozhnosti-i-ogranicheniya/viewer

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