The Truth About Whether You Can Get Pregnant On Your Period
While some girls take Plan B after every drunk sexual encounter (which doesn’t make you infertile btw), others are lax about using condoms — especially during that time of month.
It seems to be common knowledge that if you’re on your period, it’s impossible to get pregnant and you can go wild for a week as long as you keep some towels handy for the blood.
But contrary to what you may have thought you heard in seventh grade health class, it is possible to get pregnant while on your period.
While the probability of you getting pregnant after having sex on your period is unlikely, it’s certainly possible. It all depends on your cycle.
If you have a “normal” cycle that lasts from 28-30 days or longer, it is very unlikely that you can get pregnant after sex on your period. But, if you have a slightly shorter cycle, say 21-24 days, there is a slight chance that you could get pregnant during or directly after your period.
“[A shorter cycle] means you are ovulating earlier in the cycle,” according to the American Pregnancy Association. “Sperm can live inside you for 2, 3 and up to 5 days. You could have sex towards the end of your bleeding and then actually conceive 4 or 5 days later with your early ovulation.”
In fact, rather than designating your period as the time where your boyfriend can try cumming inside you, your least fertile time is actually directly before your period. Again, this applies more for women who have a 28 day or longer cycle. So sorry, if you have a short cycle, you always need to be extra careful (unless you’re trying to get pregnant, then consider yourself lucky).
With more and more states instilling ridiculous regulations on abortions, it’s important to stay safe. Even if you’re going to go sans condom with your boyfriend or long term partner, convince him to go for the pull out method rather than ejaculating inside of you. Contrary to what your conservative sex ed teacher may have told you, the pull out method is actually super effective. Just remember that condoms are the only thing that can protect you from STDs.
