Want to hold the little fingers as soon as possible? Take the very first step towards happy parenting. Your fertile window plays a key role in making you pregnant. Know more about when can a woman get pregnant after menstruation here. Start planning from today.
When Can a Woman Get Pregnant After Menstruation?- Track the Cycle
Knowing all the phases of your menstrual cycle can help you to avoid unwanted pregnancy easily. We can divide the menstrual cycle of a woman into three stages. The chances of getting pregnant vary depending upon the phases. The first phase is called the follicular phase or the pre-ovulation phase. And the next two stages are known as the ovulation phase and the luteal phase or post-ovulation phase.
Your menstrual cycle starts from the very first day of the menstrual bleeding while it ends on the first day of your next period. Usually, it takes 28 days to complete a full menstrual cycle. Each phase has its own significance.
The Follicular Phase
The follicular phase or proliferative phase is the start of a menstrual cycle. The follicles become mature inside the ovary in this phase. The pituitary gland secretes follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). Your ovary gets stimulated by this hormone and produces follicles in a range of 5 to 20. Later on this follicle bead on the surface.
Each follicle contains an immature egg, but all of them does not get matured. Eventually, only one of all the follicle turns mature in an egg. The whole follicle maturity process takes around 10 days. The preparation for a possible pregnancy starts with the lining of the uterus to thicken. The process gets stimulated with the growth of follicles.
Ovulation
The Ovulation phase starts with the release of the mature egg from the ovary surface. This happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle, around two weeks before the period begins. The developing follicle gives rise to the level of estrogen while our brain recognizes this higher level estrogen, your body secrets a chemical known as the gonadotropin-releasing hormone. The gonadotropin stimulates the pituitary gland to produce a higher amount of Luteinising hormone and FSH.
With the surge of LH, the ovulation triggers within two days. The fallopian tube contains the egg in a funnel-like shape towards the uterus while having projections similar to hair. The chances of getting pregnant become high at the time of ovulation.
The Luteal Phase
The luteal phase or the secretory phase is the last phase of your menstrual cycle. The luteal phase triggers with the creation of corpus luteum, which ultimately results in either degradation of the corpus luteum or pregnancy. This has a temporary endocrine-like structure. The endometrium or the uterus inner membrane require estrogen and progestogen to maintain the thickened lining. In the case of pregnancy, the corpus luteum consists of HCG produces the needed estrogen and progesterone.
If you don’t get pregnant, the corpus luteum becomes wide and eventually dies. With the degradation of the corpus, the progesterone level also drops, which ultimately results fall away from the uterus lining.
As we have said earlier, the chance of getting pregnant becomes highest in the ovulation period while the other time of your menstrual cycle is more than 90% safe to have sex and avoid pregnancy.
Now you have got a clear idea about- “after menstruation how many days are safe“. It’s time to know how to calculate exact safe days to avoid pregnancy.
How to Avoid Pregnancy?- 6 Things to follow
The ovulation has a particular impact on your body. A few signs are there which can help you to recognize your ovulation period. Once you successfully calculate the ovulation time, you can easily avoid sex at that time to prevent pregnancy.
Track Your Ovulation
As most of the Period Calculator method suggests the safest stage of your menstrual cycle starts from day 1 and lasts till day seven. So taking into account the fact that the sperm can stay alive for 3 to 5 days in the reproductive canal, the first seven days are the safest in an ideal menstrual cycle of 26 to 32 days.
Measure BBT
The Basal Body Temperature (BBT) is the temperature of our body when we are at rest. The BBT of a woman increases from 0.4 degree Celsius to 1 degree Celcius once the ovulation period ends. You can easily draw a line in between the follicular phase and luteal phase if you see a temperature shift which stays for a span of 3 days. This will aid you to find a path in the middle of the luteal phase BBT(lower) and the follicular phase BBT(higher).
What you need to do is create a chart of BBT at different point of the menstrual cycle. In this way, a particular pattern can be observed.
Make a Chart of Your BBT
You need to make a chart to understand your basal body temperature properly. There is a rule to make the chart. Here is it.
The rule for the first 5 days- You can say you are infertile for the early 5 days of your cycle. But for a shorter cycle, this theory is not going to be applicable.
Rule of Dry Day- You become most infertile in the evening as you can feel there is no vaginal fluid at that time.
Rule of Peak Plus 4- Once you overcome the 4th evening of your fertile cervical fluid, your infertile period starts. Only then your CF starts to become infertile again, and you may notice a huge change in your BBT.
Rule of Temp plus 3- After your BBT changes, you become infertile on the 3rd evening.
There is an 85% success rate of safety days in women with the typical menstrual cycle. But it solely depends on how much accurately you calculate and follow it.
Observe Your Cervical Mucus
When you ovulate, your cervical mucus starts to change its color and properties. It becomes lighter in the shade, silky and slippery.
How to understand your ovulation day from the nature of your vaginal mucus?
- The mucus flow during your period
- Your dry day starts just after you stop bleeding as your cervical mucus stops releasing
- As your ovulation day comes closer again, your cervical mucus starts producing
- On the ovulation day, your vaginal mucus becomes thick, slippery, and clear
- Once your ovulation day is over your safe days will start again
Wrapping Up
You got the complete details about when can a woman get pregnant after menstruation and the safe days as well. Now follow our guide religiously and bring the little joy home! If you have further query drop a comment in the below box. We will revert within absolutely no time.