Not a few couples who think that having sex during menstruation can prevent pregnancy. In fact, however, this is not the case. Besides the chance of getting pregnant, having sex during menstruation is also at risk of causing a number of diseases.
Chances of getting pregnant if intercourse is done during menstruation is lower. In the vast majority of women with menstrual cycles of 28–30 days or longer, intercourse during menstruation hardly leads to pregnancy. On the other hand, women who have shorter menstrual cycles are more likely to get pregnant when they have sex during their period.
Connecting During Menstruation and Its Relation to Pregnancy
Pregnancy can occur when a sperm fertilizes an egg in the uterus. This fertilization process is only possible when a woman ovulates or is in her fertile period.
Eggs released during the fertile period can survive for 24 hours, while sperm can survive in the female reproductive organs for at least 5-7 days after sexual intercourse.
Every woman ovulates at a different time, depending on her menstrual cycle. Most women have menstrual cycles between 28-35 days, but there are also some women who have shorter menstrual cycles, for example only 21 days or less.
In women with a menstrual cycle of 28–35 days, ovulation usually occurs on the 14th day after the first day of menstruation. However, ovulation can also occur on day 12 or 13. Meanwhile, ovulation in women with short menstrual cycles can occur on day 7.
now, the possibility of pregnancy after having sex during menstruation is closely related to the period of ovulation and a woman's menstrual cycle. Here is the explanation:
Women with a menstrual cycle of 28–35 days
It has been explained previously that ovulation can occur on day 14 if the menstrual cycle is 28-35 days. If sex is done during menstruation, this is certainly still far from the time of ovulation. The incoming sperm cannot survive and fertilize the egg, so pregnancy will most likely not occur.
However, ovulation can sometimes occur on day 13 or even day 11 after the first day of your period. If you have sex without contraception on the 7th day or the end of your period, while ovulation begins on the 11th day, then there is a possibility of getting pregnant.
This is because the sperm in the reproductive tract can still survive and fertilize the egg during ovulation.
Women with short menstrual cycles
If your menstrual cycle is short, such as less than 24 or 21 days, ovulation may occur around day 7. This means that the egg can be removed from the ovary immediately after menstruation is complete, especially if the period lasts for 7 days.
In such cases, the chances of getting pregnant are higher, especially if you have sex without contraception at the end of your period. This is because sperm can live in the reproductive tract for 5-7 days and can fertilize an egg when ovulation occurs immediately after menstruation is over.
Various Risks Associated During Menstruation
From the explanation above, it can be concluded that having sex during menstruation without contraception is still quite possible to cause pregnancy. Therefore, you should not have sex during menstruation if you are delaying or want to prevent pregnancy.
Not only can it cause pregnancy, having sex during menstruation is also not recommended because it is not hygienic and can increase the risk of certain diseases, such as:
- Urinary tract infection
- Vaginal infection
- Sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis B
This is because viruses and germs that cause the disease can be spread through contact with infected menstrual blood.
In order to avoid the risks and dangers of having sex during menstruation, you and your partner can find a safer time outside of menstruation. For example, try to have sex 2 or 3 days after your fertile window ends or near the day of your next period.
This period is considered the safest time to prevent pregnancy because it is past the time of ovulation, so fertilization will most likely not occur. If you are still in doubt or have questions about having sex during menstruation, you can consult a doctor to find out the answer.