Sperm swimming towards and egg with a red and pink background
Home/Cycle Matters / Period & Bleeding

Can you get pregnant on your period?

Jen on the roof terrace at Natural Cycles headquarters.

Written by Jennifer Gray

Jennifer Gray

Jennifer Gray is an award-winning writer with more than five years’ experience covering reproductive topics ranging from birth control to planning pregnancy. She is passionate about providing women with accurate information grounded in science they can use to take charge of their own health - while also dispelling myths that exist within the field of women’s health. She holds a Master of Science from the University of Edinburgh and currently lives in Ireland.

Medically reviewed by Jack Pearson, Medical Affairs Manager at Natural Cycles

Jack Pearson

Dr. Jack Pearson is a previously HCPC registered Embryologist with a PhD in reproductive medicine. Prior to joining Natural Cycles leading Medical Affairs, he worked for more than 10 years in a clinical setting working at some of the busiest fertility clinics in the UK. Today he spends most of his time working with experts at the world’s leading institutions to carry out important research with the vision to further the field of female health. He earned his PhD from the University of Sheffield specializing in Sperm Metabolism and currently lives in London.

Key takeaways:

  • It’s possible to get pregnant on your period, but only if you have a very short cycle
  • The fertile window is only six days long, and for most people, this won’t coincide with days of menstruation
  • Learning the pattern of your cycle can help you know exactly when you’re fertile

The chances of getting pregnant if you have sex on your period are extremely small. This can happen if you have a very short menstrual cycle and a longer menstrual bleed. Read on to learn more about the likelihood of getting pregnant on your period, and the chances of getting pregnant at different points in the menstrual cycle, too.

Did you enjoy reading this article?

Discover Natural Cycles° today

Featured Posts

Period & Bleeding

11 Signs your period is coming

11 min read

Period & Bleeding

What does the color of period blood mean?

9 min read

Sex & Pleasure

Different types of sex & sexual acts: Oral, anal defined

9 min read

Want to learn more about a hormone-free future?

Subscribe to our newsletter for access to our latest articles, exclusive promotions and more.

Keep reading...

Period & Bleeding

Masturbating during your period: Is it okay?

Masturbating on your period isn’t shameful or dangerous in any way. In fact there can be some perks to this type of self-pleasure. In this article, we’ll dig deeper into this topic, explore some of the benefits of masturbation during menstruation, and offer some tips on how to get started. Read on to learn more…

6 min read

Period & Bleeding

Period in your 20s, 30s and 40s: What's normal & what to expect

Lots of changes happen in our lives as we get older – and our menstrual cycles are just one of those things that can change. From your teenage years to your 20s, and into your 30s and 40s, the length of your menstrual cycle can change, as can the length of your period. So, how do you know if your menstrual cycle is normal for your age? Let’s dive right in.

11 min read

Period & Bleeding

Ovulation bleeding: Causes, colors, and what’s normal

Have you ever experienced bleeding in the middle of your menstrual cycle? Then you may have had ovulation bleeding! Most of us have some idea about when our period is about to start, so it might come as a surprise to notice bleeding at another time in the cycle. In this article, we’ll dig into what ovulation bleeding is, why it happens, what it looks like, and more!

10 min read