Pregnancy During Menstruation – Myth Or Reality?

It is worth starting with a reminder of the processes that take place in the female body.

It will be about the menstrual cycle – a special reproductive process in the female body.

The first day of menstruation is considered the beginning of the menstrual cycle.

The main culprits of “favorite” periods are the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

At the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the body produces a large amount of estrogen, which, in the company of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones (FSH and LH), stimulates the growth of follicles with an egg, and the endometrial layer also begins to grow.

Ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle. The corpus luteum, a special gland, is formed in the ovary, which begins to actively produce progesterone, the main hormone during pregnancy.

The task of progesterone is to prepare the body for possible fertilization.

The formed endometrium is preparing to accept a fertilized egg.

If during this period the egg meets the sperm, then fertilization occurs.

In the future, progesterone is produced by the formed placenta.

If conception did not occur, then the unnecessary layer of the endometrium, the ovum and the corpus luteum come out in the form of blood discharge.

A woman’s cycle can vary in length, but should be regular. Each woman has her own individual cycle regularity.

It is customary to divide cycles into short, long and standard. The duration of a short cycle is 21 days or less, and a long cycle starts from 35 days or more.

Accordingly, the normal temporal value of the menstrual cycle is an interval from 21 to 35 days. The average value is determined by the duration of 26-29 days.

The ovum goes on its personal journey in the period from 7 to 21 days, with the average duration of the menstrual cycle.

With non-standard cycle values, this period increases or decreases.

Suppose a woman knows exactly when ovulation will occur and menstruation will begin. Logically, you cannot get pregnant during menstruation. 

However, there are many cases of such pregnancy, which is also logical, given the unpredictability of menstruation, the unusual behavior of the egg or the viability of sperm.

Reasons for pregnancy during menstruation can be as follows:

• Different length of menstrual cycle. With a short cycle of 20 days, the best days for conception almost coincide with the beginning of menstruation.
• Sperm survival. They are very active, and especially strong, able to survive for several days and even a week. If even one sperm survives to ovulation, there is still a high risk of conception.
• Violations in the rhythm of ovulation. This is possible after abortion, childbirth, during premenopause and in other cases. The chance of a problem increases with age. Never rely on ovulation timing as a contraceptive.
• Spontaneous ovulation. In such a case, two eggs mature, which, accordingly, increases the chances of conception. An unusual phenomenon is possible due to an irregular sex life, heredity, a strong hormonal surge or a particularly strong orgasm.
• Violations in taking oral contraceptives. If you stop using pills before menstruation, the chance of getting pregnant during menstruation increases. Such pills should be taken strictly following the instructions – menstruation does not give indulgences.

The period with the greatest chance of conception is the beginning of the menstrual cycle.

For most people, sexual intercourse at this time is unpleasant, but some use this state as a natural contraceptive.

During the first few days of menstruation, an aggressive environment is created, the strong blood flow simply sweeps away all the sperm in its path, and if someone manages to get a foothold, the chances of survival are very small.

But, even if you decide to have sex in the middle of menstruation, you should remember about real contraceptives, because the chance of conception, albeit small, remains.

Moreover, at this time, the risk of infection is very high, because blood is an excellent medium for the reproduction of bacteria, and the uterus is not protected by a cervical plug.

It is necessary to monitor hygiene very carefully, both for a woman and for a man.

The last days of menstruation, especially long ones, pose a special risk.

There are almost no discharges, menstruation is formally still taking place, but the spermatozoa are already ready to wait for their egg.

If pregnancy is unwanted, it is better to always use contraception in the form of condoms or other contraceptives.

Most people simply do not understand where a person’s desire to have sex comes from during menstruation.

But in practice, this happens quite often, for example, with young people, for whom the process itself is important, and the rest is simply not important.

As a rule, these are loving couples who trust each other so much that monthly periods are considered completely differently from their point of view.

Quite often, men insist, because they do not want to lose the opportunity to have sex.

No less often, women themselves insist on sex during menstruation, in which sexual desire reaches its peak on these days.

That is why questions about pregnancy during menstruation constantly arise.

In general, there are no special restrictions on sex during menstruation.

Of course, it is desirable to have a permanent partner, to observe hygiene and protect yourself to avoid infections, even if pregnancy is desired.

The best contraceptives are still considered to be condoms, hormonal agents, and the intrauterine spiral.

When used correctly, these tools almost completely eliminate the possibility of pregnancy, in addition, condoms significantly reduce the risk of infections.

Considering the fact that during menstruation, by coincidence, it is possible to get pregnant, it is advisable to use contraceptives.

Contraceptives do not provide 100% protection against pregnancy, but reduce the risk to a minimum.