If you're trying to get pregnant, it's important to have a good understanding of your cycle so you know the best times to get pregnant. You may be wondering can you get pregnant on your period or if it's more likely before or after menstruation.
Staying informed is your best bet to answering these questions and controlling what happens to your body, whether you want to get pregnant or you don't.
What are the four stages of your cycle?
Part of knowing when you can get pregnant, is knowing your cycle. The average woman has a 28 day cycle, which is split into four specific stages that you may notice yourself going through every month.
• Menstruation - Lasting 3-7 days on average, this is when you'll have your period AKA when the thickened lining of a uterus sheds after a mature egg hasn't been fertilised.
• Follicular Phase - Overlapping with menstruation, this is when your hormones produce follicles, which house immature eggs before just one matures.
• Ovulation - This is when you're the most fertile and most likely to get pregnant, with your mature egg is passing through the fallopian tube and toward the uterus.
• Luteal Phase - You have no ovulated and the follicle that contains the egg will now produce progesterone and oestrogen, causing the most hormonal change in your cycle.
When is the best day in your cycle to get pregnant?
The best day to get pregnant is your ovulation day, but you still have a high chance of getting pregnant in the days leading up to ovulation. To work out when you're ovulating, you can use our ovulation calculator or possibly a trusted app on your phone.
An egg is released from your ovaries, usually 12 to 14 days before your next period starts, and this is the time of the month when you're most likely to get pregnant. Again, tracking your cycle can be really helpful and answer other questions like 'can you get pregnant after ovulation?' or 'when is your period most likely to come?'
Can you get pregnant right after your period?
Although it's unlikely that you'll get pregnant in the days after your period has finished, it can happen. Remember that sperm can survive in the cervix for up to 7 days after you have had sex.
For example, if your period usually lasts for 5 days, you may only have 2-3 days after your period ends, before your fertile days begin. If you're trying to conceive (ttc), it might be best to wait a few days after your period ends to start baby making.
What are the signs of ovulation?
If you feel like your cycle is off, or you're looking out for the signs on ovulation, there are a few symptoms to pay attention to. You may have some cramps that aren't period-related, or you may feel bloated.
You may also have some breast tenderness or changes in cervical mucus and saliva, plus you may even feel slightly hotter that usual as your body temperature may have risen during ovulation. You can always check if you're ovulating by using an ovulation test kit.
What if you don't want to get pregnant?
Obviously, there are days that you're very unlikely to get pregnant, but if you don't want to become pregnant right now, it's important to always use contraception when you have sex just to be on the safe side.
Some women may prefer tracking their cycle (some may even use an ovulation app) as a more natural form of contraception, but you would have to discuss that with your GP and it's not the first recommendation. Whatever contraception you're leaning towards, it's always best to talk to your doctor just to make sure you're doing what's best and most effective for you.
Eve Miller is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby, working for Bauer Media for over two years. She is passionate about beauty, creative writing, and women’s healthcare.