• Published on: Aug 28, 2021
  • 4 minute read
  • By: Dr Rachana Choudhary

Can You Get Pregnant During Your Period? How Likely Is It?

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Can you get pregnant during your period? How likely is it?

In theory, you can get pregnant on your period. The chances of getting pregnant range between 1% to 5%, depending on when you ovulated and when your menstrual cycle starts.

Note: First talk with gynaecologist before trying anything here. They'll help figure out the best time for you to start an experiment (and take pills that will prevent pregnancy) - so any attempts are low-risk due to those precautions!

Lesson One: Doctor What's a Good Time?  If you're not ready for a child right now (or want one now), have follow-ups with the gynaecology doctor about what would be the best time for experimenting without risking it more than necessary (which is what makes following guidelines important).

If a woman is ovulating, it is possible to get pregnant. Ovulation can happen at any point during the menstrual cycle and women have an average of 14-24 eggs maturing in their ovaries at any given time. Sperm are known to remain alive inside the body for 5 days, so there's plenty of opportunity for pregnancy while on your period.

Sperm can survive outside the uterus for about 5 days after sex if deposited into fertile cervical mucus. The female reproductive tract becomes receptive to fertilization only about two days before ovulation takes place (release of an egg from one of the ovaries). But sperm may stay viable inside you or your partner's body anywhere from 3 up to five full days It is possible to become pregnant on your period. Though, it is not that common.

The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, from the day after your last one begins until the first day of the following cycle. That means you can get pregnant about two weeks out of every four—so 12 months out of every year and around 25% of a year. But for many women (10% or more), periods are irregular which makes contraceptive choices tricky when trying to track ovulation cycles and so more difficult to stay safe from pregnancy without risking an unplanned baby or STI exposure to have sex with their partner if they haven’t been using condoms during intercourse was broken hormonal contraceptive pill use so far during this new cycle Answer: This is more likely. The male orgasm happens when semen is sent into the vagina through penile ejaculation. Men usually produce millions of sperm every day and females ovulate only one egg per month, so what do you think?

I am sorry to say that some people conceive this way. But if you want to reduce your risk, it would be better for your partner to use a contraceptive like condoms or not have sex at all during your period. Other ways of getting pregnant on your period are by using in vitro fertilization or even with another man's sperm (heterosexual women can get pregnant from anal sex). The menstrual cycle is not a straight line, though it usually does start and end at the same time each month, so technically you can always get pregnant during your period. As doctors, we often discuss the risk of getting pregnant in terms of days past ovulation- with all other things being equal for two people who have sex on the day they ovulate (i.e., 12 days apart), one's chance of becoming pregnant is 12%. If it has been less than a day since ovulation, however, even if the female partner is bleeding (like right after her period), there is still sperm in her vagina that could potentially make its way up into her uterus and fallopian tubes enough to fertilize an egg from that cycle.

There are four indicators to know if you can get pregnant on your period. One, is the possible pregnancy? The possibility of getting pregnant in a cycle is high unless there was an illness or termination of pregnancy during that time. Two, Can women get their menstrual period while they’re pregnant? A woman's body does not produce enough natural hormones for her to have a monthly menstruation during her pregnancy because it is at its peak around the end of gestation (towards the 36 week mark). Three, Can you be fertile when on your periods?

When we ovulate our estrogen hormone levels rise and keep sperm alive up until halfway through our cycles when egg starts producing less estrogens.

It's possible because of ovulation that can happen mid-cycle. The odds change depending on certain factors like your cycles and whether you have any STDs. For instance, if an egg is just released from the ovary before menstruation starts then it has about 12 hours to fertilize with sperm so as long as there was recent intercourse at least 12 hours prior to a woman's first day of the period then it is definitely possible to get pregnant while on her period!

The best time for getting pregnant without birth control use is 4 days before your next period (the very next day before your yearly birthday). Birth control pills make it difficult for pregnancy so the chances are fairly low that you would become pregnant this

The chance of getting pregnant during your period is highly unlikely.  The probability that you’ll get pregnant during one menstrual cycle has been estimated to be approximately 1%. In order to conceive while menstruating, a sperm would need to make it past the fluids and reach the egg outside the uterus—that's a lot easier said than done. (e.g., about an inch away from impregnating a woman) Sperm does not actually live very long- typically less than 3 days at body temperature (we can't measure this precisely as sperm production is often unknown and fluid can make them last longer). It is possible to conceive a baby if it happens during ovulation, which typically occurs in the middle of your menstrual cycle.

In other words, there's reason to believe you can get pregnant while on your period as long as your periods are regular and you're ovulating at the time of conception. If we assume that an average woman has 280 days in her menstrual cycle, then any day from Day 91 through Day 365 would be the day when she could fall pregnant - assuming she had intercourse after the fertile window opened at around 4-6 pm on Day 11. As a rule of thumb, dating apps and sexual health websites recommend waiting until seven or more days after menstruation begins before having sex again.

There are a number of factors that play a role in this, chief among them timing. In general, most women ovulate about two weeks from the last menstrual period (LMP), or cycle day 13. A woman's menstrual cycle can be as short as 21 days or as long as 35 days, though long cycles are more uncommon than shorter ones. This means a woman could be pregnant if they have sex on around day 14-17 of their cycle after LMP if ovulation happens to fall on either those days or one day previous to any one of those days. If it is not even going to happen in the next 4-5 months but you would like to get pregnant and need some STD testing done.

Read Blog
Liver Cirrhosis vs Fatty Liver

Liver Cirrhosis vs Fatty Liver: What’s the Difference?

Our liver plays a vital role in keeping our body healthy. It filters toxins from the blood, helps digest food, stores energy, and supports immunity. But like any organ, it can get damaged. Two common liver conditions people often confuse are fatty liver and liver cirrhosis. While both affect the liver, they are very different in terms of causes, symptoms, and outcomes.

In this blog, we’ll help you understand the key differences between liver cirrhosis and fatty liver, how they develop, their symptoms, treatments, and how to prevent them.

 

What Is Fatty Liver?

Fatty liver, also called hepatic steatosis, is a condition where fat builds up in the liver. It’s normal for the liver to have some fat, but if more than 5-10% of the liver's weight is fat, it's considered a fatty liver.

There are two main types:

  • Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) – Most common, seen in people who don’t drink much alcohol.
     

  • Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (AFLD) – Caused by heavy alcohol use.
     

Fatty liver is often a silent condition. Many people don’t know they have it because it usually doesn’t cause symptoms in early stages.

 

Causes of Fatty Liver

  • Obesity
     

  • High cholesterol or triglycerides
     

  • Type 2 diabetes
     

  • High blood pressure
     

  • Rapid weight loss
     

  • Poor diet (high in sugar and fat)
     

  • Excessive alcohol intake (in AFLD)
     

 

What Is Liver Cirrhosis?

Liver cirrhosis is a late-stage liver disease where healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis). This scarring blocks blood flow and affects the liver’s ability to work properly.

Unlike fatty liver, cirrhosis is permanent and serious. It develops slowly over years, often due to long-term liver damage from alcohol, hepatitis, or untreated fatty liver.

 

Causes of Liver Cirrhosis

  • Chronic alcohol use
     

  • Hepatitis B and C infections
     

  • Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH – advanced form of fatty liver)
     

  • Autoimmune diseases
     

  • Genetic disorders (like Wilson’s disease)
     

  • Long-term use of certain medications
     

 

Key Differences Between Fatty Liver and Cirrhosis

Aspect

Fatty Liver

Liver Cirrhosis

Nature

Fat accumulation in liver cells

Scarring and permanent damage to liver tissue

Reversibility

Reversible with lifestyle changes

Irreversible, but progression can be slowed

Symptoms

Usually no symptoms early on

Fatigue, jaundice, swelling, confusion

Causes

Obesity, diabetes, alcohol, diet

Long-term liver damage, hepatitis, alcohol

Severity

Mild to moderate

Severe and life-threatening if not managed

Treatment

Lifestyle and diet changes

Medication, regular monitoring, sometimes transplant

 

Symptoms to Watch Out For

Fatty Liver Symptoms (if any):

  • Fatigue
     

  • Mild discomfort or pain in upper right abdomen
     

  • Elevated liver enzymes in blood tests
     

Liver Cirrhosis Symptoms:

  • Yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice)
     

  • Swelling in legs or abdomen (edema or ascites)
     

  • Easy bruising or bleeding
     

  • Confusion or memory loss (hepatic encephalopathy)
     

  • Itchy skin
     

  • Spider-like blood vessels on skin
     

 

Diagnosis: How Doctors Tell the Difference

Doctors use a combination of the following to diagnose liver issues:

  • Blood tests – Check liver enzymes, liver function.
     

  • Imaging (ultrasound, CT, MRI) – Shows fat or scarring in the liver.
     

  • Fibroscan or Liver Biopsy – Measures liver stiffness or checks for scarring directly.
     

Fatty liver shows fat deposits, while cirrhosis shows scar tissue and shrinkage of the liver.

 

Treatment Options

For Fatty Liver:

  • Weight loss – Losing 7-10% of body weight can reverse the condition.
     

  • Healthy diet – Focus on fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein.
     

  • Exercise – At least 30 minutes daily.
     

  • Avoid alcohol – Especially if it’s alcohol-related fatty liver.
     

  • Control diabetes/cholesterol – With diet or medication.
     

For Liver Cirrhosis:

  • Treat the underlying cause – Like hepatitis or alcohol use.
     

  • Avoid alcohol completely
     

  • Healthy diet with low salt – Prevent fluid buildup.
     

  • Medications – To manage symptoms and complications.
     

  • Regular screening – For liver cancer or internal bleeding.
     

  • Liver transplant – In advanced or end-stage cases.
     

 

Can Fatty Liver Turn into Cirrhosis?

Yes, if fatty liver is not treated, especially in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), it can cause inflammation, fibrosis, and eventually cirrhosis over time. But the good news is – fatty liver is reversible, especially if caught early and proper steps are taken.

 

How to Keep Your Liver Healthy

  • Maintain a healthy weight
     

  • Eat a balanced diet – Avoid sugary, fried, or processed food
     

  • Exercise regularly
     

  • Avoid alcohol or drink in moderation
     

  • Don’t share needles or personal items that may carry blood
     

  • Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B
     

  • Take medicines only as prescribed
     

 

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you feel constantly tired, have unexplained weight loss, jaundice, swelling in your abdomen or legs, or abnormal liver test results – don’t ignore it. Early diagnosis can make a big difference.

 

Conclusion

Fatty liver and liver cirrhosis are both serious liver conditions, but they are very different. Fatty liver is often the first stage of liver damage, and is reversible with lifestyle changes. Cirrhosis, on the other hand, is irreversible, and needs medical attention and sometimes life-long treatment.

Understanding the difference between the two helps you take better care of your liver and make informed health decisions. If you or someone you know is at risk, it’s never too early to make a change.

Want to know more about how to keep your liver healthy? Talk to your doctor today and understand the risks. Liver cirrhosis vs fatty liver: What’s the difference? Find out now and protect your health before it’s too late.

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