How soon after your period can you have a baby?

If there is sperm in your uterus or fallopian tubes after having sex, you can have a baby.

“The day 14 of your cycle is when you get your ovulating. Sex without a condom or another barrier method during your period or outside your fertile window isn’t a guarantee that you won’t get pregnant.”

If you have sex during your period, you could be pregnant. If you have sex at the end of your period and you ovulate early, you can have a baby. Birth control, condoms, and other barrier methods are the best way to prevent pregnancies.

Learn more about how to time sex and prevent pregnancies.

Ovulation occurs when an ovary releases a mature egg. About once a month, an egg matures and the ovary releases it into the fallopian tube. It then heads toward sperm in the fallopian tubes and uterus.

The sperm must travel from the vagina to the fallopian tube, the uterus to the uterus, and the uterine cavity to the uterus before it canfertilize the egg.

It can take anywhere from about 45 minutes to 12 hours for this to occur. Sperm has a lifespan of about 2 to 5 days after entering the vagina upon ejaculation.

An egg is viable between 12 and 24 hours after it leaves the ovary. Sperm can stay alive up to 5 days after having sex. Implantation of an egg, which happens after fertilization, usually takes place 6 to 12 days after ovulation.

You can get pregnant after your period. If you have sex at the end of your cycle, you can have a chance of getting pregnant. The chances of getting pregnant before your period is low.

The chance of you getting pregnant is low if you wait 36 to 48 hours after ovulating. The chances of a baby being born in the month you are from ovulation decrease further.

The uterus will start to shed if there is no pregnant woman.

Tracking your fertile window is a way to find out when you should get pregnant. It can help prevent pregnancies if you are not trying to have a baby. It can take several months to figure out your fertile window with reliable birth control.

How to track your fertile window

The following method will help you find out more about your fertility.

  1. You can record the day you start your period and count the days in that cycle. The first full flow day of your period is day 1.
  2. Write down the longest and shortest days you tracked.
  3. You can find out the first day of your fertile window by subtracting 18 days from the length of your cycle. If your shortest cycle was 27 days, subtract 18 from 27 and write down day 9.
  4. You can find out the last day of your fertile window by subtracting 11 from the length of the longest cycle. If the longest cycle length was 30 days, you would get 19 days.
  5. The fertile window is between the shortest and longest day. It would be between days 9 and 19 in the above example. It is important to avoid having sex without a condom or other barrier methods if you are trying to avoid pregnancies.

How to use your fertile window as birth control

One day during your fertile window, you will be pregnant. The egg is viable for a period of time. You can not get pregnant every day during this window. If you want to prevent pregnancies, it is a good idea to not have sex during the fertile window.

Tools for tracking your cycle

To track your cycle, mark the first day of your menstrual cycle on the calendar or in your day planner. Do this over several months. You can also use a fertility app to help you keep track.

If you have very consistent cycles, knowing your fertile window can help prevent pregnancy. But keep in mind that your cycle days can still change each month. Factors like stress, diet, or heavy exercise can affect the number of days in your cycle. The day of ovulation can also change every month.

Tracking your ovulation is a more effective way to get pregnant. If you want to avoid having a baby, talk to your doctor about the best contraceptive for you.

Tracking ovulation is a fertility awareness method. There are a number of ways to track ovulation.

Basal body temperature

Your body temperature is when you are at rest. It rises a bit after ovulation. You need a special temperature monitor to track your body temperature.

When you wake up in the morning, take a temperature using the thermometer. You can use an app or paper to chart it. During ovulation, your temperature will rise by about half a degree.

It is possible to prevent pregnancies by waiting to have sex without a condom or another barrier method until a few days after the temperature spikes.

Cervical mucus

People notice an increase in mucus around the time of menstruation. This is because your uterus produces more mucus when you have higher levels of estrogen.

The mucus will be stretchy. The consistency will be similar to egg whites. Your body may be most fertile on days when you notice an increase in mucus.

Ovulation predictor kits

An ovulation predictor kit is a must have for pregnant women. They test your urine for a surge in the hormone.

The hormones surge 24 to 48 hours before the event. If you want to prevent pregnancies, avoid having sex without a condom or another barrier method. Sex without a condom or another barrier method for 5 days before a surge can be difficult to predict, since sperm can survive for up to 5 days.

There are several contraceptive options. Popular choices include:

If you follow the instructions carefully, these options can be more than 99 percent effective against pregnant women.

Condoms are another effective form of birth control and also protect against sexually transmitted infections.

“Having sex without a condom or another barrier method during your period decreases your chances of getting pregnant. It isn’t a guarantee.”

Tracking ovulation and determining your fertile window can decrease your chance of getting pregnant each month. We need more research to understand the effectiveness of natural family planning. If you want to prevent pregnancy, the best option can be to talk with your doctor about a reliable form of birth control.