Can You Get Pregnant Right After Your Period?

If you’re trying to get pregnant, you’re likely also trying to figure out when you’re most fertile. You might be tracking your ovulation or even charting your basal body temperature.

But is your fertile window the only time when you can get pregnant? After all, we’ve all heard stories of people getting a positive pregnancy test when they least expect it.

When I suddenly had nausea and food aversions while trying to conceive, I wondered if I might be pregnant—even though it was right after my period. My symptoms ended up being due to a case of minor food poisoning, leaving me wondering if that was a waste of a pregnancy test.

So, can you get pregnant right after your period? It’s possible, but the answer’s a little complicated. Here’s what doctors want you to keep in mind about getting pregnant immediately following that time of the month, plus how likely this is to happen.

Key Takeaways

• It’s technically possible to get pregnant right after your period, although it’s unlikely. If ovulation occurs early in your cycle and your period’s on the longer side, this could happen.
• If you have irregular cycles, your ovulation time will vary. So if you end up ovulating closer to your period, you could get pregnant.
• Sperm can live in your body for up to five days, which can contribute to getting pregnant right after your period.
• To track when you’re most fertile, it’s a good idea to use an ovulation predictor kit, chart your basal body temperature, monitor your cervical mucus and watch out for ovulation symptoms.

Can I Get Pregnant After My Period?

It’s unlikely to get pregnant right after your period, since ovulation typically occurs between day 12 and 16 of your monthly cycle, says Andrew Rubenstein, MD, director of the division of general obstetrics and gynecology at NYU Langone Health. However, it’s technically possible: “A woman can conceive right after her period if ovulation occurs early in her cycle or if her period is long,” explains Roxanne Jamshidi, MD, MPH, director of the division of general obstetrics and gynecology at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Science. So if you bleed until day seven, have sex on day eight, and ovulate on day nine or 10, it’s possible to become pregnant. Sometimes, what you think is your period could also be bleeding due to something else, points out Christine Greves, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at the Orlando Health Women’s Institute. Always check in with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

Understanding Your Fertile Window and How Conception Works

Conception is a complicated process, and several things need to fall into line in order for you to get pregnant. Here’s what you need to keep in mind.

Your menstrual cycle

Your menstrual cycle is the monthly process of changes that need to happen to prepare the body for a possible pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

The first day of your period is considered day one of your menstrual cycle. Around day five, estrogen levels start to increase, causing the lining of the uterus to thicken, notes ACOG. Around day 14, an egg is released from the ovary and moves into one of the fallopian tubes. (Although, again, this timing can vary from person to person.) Your fertile window is considered the five to six days leading up to and including ovulation, which is when the egg is released, Greves explains.

If the egg isn’t fertilized, levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen decrease in your body and you get your period, usually around day 28 of your cycle.

Sperm survival

Sperm can live inside the female body for up to five days. This is an important detail that can help make it possible to get pregnant right after your period.

The egg’s lifespan

Once an egg is released, it only survives for about 12 to 24 hours. After that, it’ll usually disintegrate and be reabsorbed into the body.

How and Why You Can Get Pregnant Right After Your Period Ends

Getting pregnant right after your period ends isn’t common, but it can happen. There are a few things that can lead to this, according to doctors.

Short menstrual cycles

While the average menstrual cycle is considered 28 days, Greves points out that it’s not the same for everyone. Your cycle can be between 21 and 35 days, according to ACOG. If your cycle’s on the shorter end of that, you may ovulate soon after your period, which makes it possible to get pregnant at that time.

Irregular cycles

If you have irregular cycles, your ovulation time varies, Jamshidi says. So, at times, you may end up ovulating closer to your period.

Long periods

Periods usually last between two and seven days, according to ACOG, although for some women they’re longer. With a long period, “bleeding persists closer to the time of ovulation,” Jamshidi says.

How to Track Ovulation and Your Fertile Window

If your period isn’t like clockwork or you’re just not sure about your ovulation schedule, doctors suggest doing some detective work to figure out when you’re ovulating.

Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs)

These kits, which often involve peeing on a stick, can be helpful for determining when your fertile window is, says Jennifer Leighdon Wu, MD, an ob-gyn at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. But she warns against using these as a form of birth control. “I have many patients who say that they were pregnant because of a math error,” she says.

Basal body temperature (BBT)

Your basal body temperature is your body’s temperature when you’re fully at rest, according to ACOG. For many women, their temperature increases slightly during ovulation (usually between .5 to 1 degrees Fahrenheit) and stays elevated until the end of their cycle. When you’re tracking BBT, your most fertile days are the two to three days before this rise in body temperature happens.

Cervical mucus monitoring

Before you ovulate, your cervix—the low, narrow end of the uterus—will start to produce more cervical mucus, according to ACOG. That mucus also becomes thin and slippery. After ovulation, the amount of mucus decreases, becoming thicker and less noticeable. When you’re trying to get pregnant, you should have sex every day or every other day when your cervical mucus is thin and slippery, per ACOG.

Other ovulation symptoms

There are a few other signs of ovulation to have on your radar:

• A heightened sense of smell
• Breast soreness or tenderness
• Mild pelvic or lower abdominal pain
• Light spotting or discharge
• An increased sex drive
• Nausea and headaches

When to Take a Pregnancy Test

The best time to take a pregnancy test is usually when you miss your period, Greves says. It’s possible to get a positive result before then—but waiting until your next period is due is typically the best time to get the most accurate result. If you have irregular periods, this gets trickier—always ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.