Can a Girl Get Pregnant if She Has Sex During Her Period?

Can a girl get pregnant if she has sex during her period?
– Jamie*

Yes, a girl can get pregnant during her period. This might happen when:

• A girl has bleeding that she thinks is a period, but it's bleeding from ovulation . Ovulation is the monthly release of an egg from a girls ovaries. It is the time when she is most likely to get pregnant if she has sex.
• Ovulation happens before the bleeding from a girl's period has stopped.
• Ovulation happens within a few days after a girl's period is over. Sperm can fertilize an egg for 3 days. So if a girl has sex on the last day of her period and ovulates in the next few days, the sperm may still fertilize the egg.

Having unprotected sex at any time is risky. Along with the risk of getting pregnant, you could also get an STD, such as chlamydia, genital warts, or HIV. The only way to completely prevent pregnancy and STDs is abstinence (not having sex).

If you do have sex, use a condom every time to protect against unplanned pregnancy and STDs. For added protection, many couples use condoms along with another method of birth control, like birth control pills or an IUD. Talk to your doctor about the best type of birth control for you.

*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.