However, speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise, the experts said it was possible for a woman who indulges in unprotected sex to get pregnant while on her period.
According to them, it’s important for women to understand their menstrual circle and how to avoid unplanned pregnancies, pointing out that sperm can sometimes survive in the body for up to five days after sexual intercourse.
The physicians also said a woman might get pregnant soon after her period is over if she has a short menstrual cycle and ovulates early.
A Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Solomon Avidime, told our correspondent that while pregnancy might remotely occur during the monthly period, ovulation, however, does not occur during the period.
He said, “Keep in mind that whilst you can’t technically ovulate while on a period. Sperm can live in the body for three to five days after sex and pregnancy could occur from intercourse that takes place during a period.
“It is remotely possible for a woman to get pregnant during her monthly period if she engages in sexual intercourse.
“This is especially common among women that have shorter cycles like 21 days or less.”
Prof. Avidime also said women experiencing irregular ovulation could still get pregnant.
“Women with irregular ovulation can still get pregnant. However, women with irregular ovulation can have infertility challenges due to an alteration in the pathway for normal reproduction”, he added.
According to an online portal, American Pregnancy, menstruation or a period is the bleeding that occurs when the endometrium is shed 12 to 16 days after ovulation.
It noted that with this definition of a period, one cannot ovulate while on a period.
However, it noted that some women experience mid-cycle or ovulatory bleeding (bleeding that occurs around ovulation) and might mistake it for a period.
“This can happen to women with very irregular cycles coming once every three months or two to three times in one month.
“Mid-cycle bleeding can occur in women with regular cycles as well. They may experience what appears to be a period, but, in reality, this is most likely ovulatory bleeding. Ovulation can occur when you experience mid-cycle or ovulatory bleeding,” the site stated.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, most women experience a 28-day menstrual cycle.
“This cycle lasts from the first day of menstrual bleeding to the day before bleeding begins the following month.
“The length of the cycle varies between individuals, but is usually between 26 and 32 days long, with 28 days being the average.
“The most fertile time of the menstrual cycle is between days eight and 19,” ACOG said.
Speaking against this backdrop, a Consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility Expert, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, said while pregnancy was less likely in the earlier days of a woman’s period, the chances increase in the later days.
The Chief Executive Officer of Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, said, “While these numbers may be low, it doesn’t mean that you can ever be 100 per cent assured that you won’t get pregnant during your period.
“If you are trying to get pregnant, having sex on your period won’t likely help you to conceive unless your menstrual cycle is less than 28 days. But it’s always possible that you could become pregnant.
“Women normally are not able to conceive whilst on their period, but sperm survives within the female reproductive system for up to three days.
“This means some women do have a small chance of becoming pregnant from unprotected sex during their period. It all depends on the length of your menstrual cycle.”
Dr. Ajayi’s stance was corroborated by MedicineNet, an online portal, which also indicated that sperm can survive in a woman’s reproductive system for up to five days, whether the woman is menstruating or not.
Continuing, Dr. Ajayi said, “Assuming that you have a menstrual cycle shorter than 28 days and you have sex towards the end of your six-day-long period and ovulate shortly after, then there is a chance that some of the sperm survived and you could get pregnant.
“So, while getting pregnant is unlikely, it’s technically possible if you don’t know your fertile window. There are some things you need to know about fertility and having sex on your period. First, you need to know how conception occurs.
“The bottom line is that your ovulation cycles can vary, so it’s statistically possible you could become pregnant while on your period.”
The United Kingdom’s National Health Service says there’s no “safe” time of the month when a woman can have sex without contraception and not risk becoming pregnant.
Another online portal, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said, “It’s possible to get pregnant if you have unprotected sex during your period. But it’s not super common, especially during the very beginning of a period.
“You are most likely to get pregnant when you have sex right before and during ovulation (when an egg is released). Ovulation happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle, usually about 14 days before your period starts.
“The average menstrual cycle is about 25-30 days, but it can be shorter or longer — it varies from person to person. If you have a shorter menstrual cycle, you have a higher chance of getting pregnant from sex during your period.”
source: healthwise.punchng.com
