To determine an individual’s probability of becoming pregnant, we must first understand how the menstrual cycle works. The menstrual cycle usually lasts for about 28 days. However, this can vary from person to person as it depends on many other factors like genetics, hormones, and the overall health of the individual.
In this article, we will be discussing how many days after period is safe to avoid pregnancy. The menstrual cycle is divided into different phases, and the fertility of a woman keeps on increasing and decreasing depending on these phases.
Many women may feel that they are not yet ready to conceive a baby. In such cases, they have to keep track of their menstrual cycle. This will give them an idea regarding when they have a good possibility of conceiving and when they do not. In order to keep track of the menstrual cycle, individuals need to first have a good understanding of their reproductive health.
What is the menstrual cycle?
Before we learn about how many days after period is safe to avoid pregnancy, let’s take a look at what the menstrual cycle is and how it works.
- The menstrual cycle is a process in which your body undergoes a series of changes to prepare for pregnancy.
- In case you are not pregnant, then the hormones in your body will send signals to the uterus to shed its lining. This results in menstruation, or what we normally call a period.
- The menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period and lasts until your next period.
- The menstrual cycle is divided into four phases. These are the menstrual phase, the follicular phase, the ovulation phase, and the luteal phase.
- The menstrual phase is the first seven days of your cycle. This phase is marked by menstrual bleeding.
- The follicular phase begins on the first day of your period and lasts for around 13 to 15 days. During this phase, a hormone is released that stimulates the production of follicles on the surface of the ovary. One of these follicles will later mature into an egg.
- The ovulation phase is the phase in which the fertility rate reaches its peak. During this phase, the ovary releases the mature egg, which travels through the fallopian tube to reach the uterus.
- During the luteal phase, the remaining cells in the ovary release progesterone, which causes the uterus lining to thicken to support pregnancy. If there is no pregnancy, then menstruation will take place.
See how many days after period is safe to avoid pregnancy
- There is no ultimate safe period during which a woman will not get pregnant if she has intercourse without using any contraceptives. There will always be a risk of getting pregnant.
- However, there are times during the menstrual cycle when a woman’s fertility is at its peak. Knowing when these days occur can help you avoid pregnancy.
- During the ovulation phase, a woman has an increased chance of becoming pregnant. If your cycle is normal, this phase will occur between the 10th and 14th days of your menstrual cycle.
- The first week after the end of your menstruation is considered safe to avoid pregnancy. During this time, the ovaries have just begun the production of eggs. Since there is no mature egg available in the uterus, your chances of getting pregnant are very low.
- However, if you have a short menstrual cycle, then you can also get pregnant during the week after your period.
- Another safe time is the week just before your next period starts. Since the ovulation phase is over by this time, the chances of conceiving also decline.
- Though these two time periods are considered safe to avoid pregnancy, it is still recommended that you use contraceptive methods unless you are planning to get pregnant.
How to prevent pregnancy?
Since we have already discussed how many days after period is safe to avoid pregnancy, let us now take a look at some of the methods that can be used to avoid pregnancy.
- The first and most common method is the use of condoms during intercourse. Condoms can also protect individuals against sexually transmitted diseases since there is no skin to skin contact involved. Also, condoms have around an 80 percent chance of preventing pregnancy.
- Contraceptive pills are another widely used method to prevent pregnancy. These pills are made for women, and they have to be taken every day for effective results. Research has shown that these pills are around 95 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
- Diaphragm is a type of barrier method of contraception that is around 90 percent effective. It must be inserted into the female vagina hours before having intercourse. It can be removed 24 hours after the intercourse.
- The cervical cap is another contraceptive device. It is a soft silicon cup that is inserted into the vagina with the intention of covering the cervix. This obstructs the sperm from reaching the eggs. It is around 70 to 80 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
- There are also permanent contraceptive methods like tubal ligation for women. In this method, the fallopian tubes are cut and tied up. This prevents the mature egg from reaching the uterus.This is usually done by women who permanently wish not to conceive.
Conclusion
We have discussed how many days after period is safe to avoid pregnancy. There is no exact day or duration that can be considered safe to avoid pregnancy. Moreover, the two phases that are considered to be a safe time for unprotected intercourse can vary from person to person depending on the length of their menstrual cycle. Unprotected intercourse will always come with a risk of getting pregnant. If you are planning to have a baby, then you should go for it. However, if you are not yet ready for that, then you should always use a contraceptive while having intercourse. Unprotected intercourse can also lead to other major health issues like chlamydia, HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc.
