There are many myths surrounding when a woman can or cannot get pregnant, but an especially prevalent one is that pregnancy cannot occur during menstruation. Despite the common misconception, pregnancy is possible during menstruation, so it is important to be aware of this reality in order to practice smart contraception or to optimize conception efforts.

Pregnancy Basics

Although most adults have at least a general working knowledge about how a woman gets pregnant, many are unaware of the biological processes that make this incredible event possible.

Generally, there is only a small window of time each month during which a woman is fertile.  A woman with a normal and healthy reproductive system releases one egg into her fallopian tubes each month, a process referred to as ovulation. If sperm encounters the egg at this time, fertilization takes place and the fertilized egg travels into the uterus where it implants into the wall. From there, development commences and if everything goes well, a healthy baby is born approximately nine months later.

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The Exceptions

While it is less likely for women to become pregnant while they are bleeding during menstruation, it is not impossible.

For example:

• If a woman bleeds for a longer time than average, she may ovulate while she is still bleeding and thus can become pregnant at that time
• Spotting or other vaginal bleeding can be confused with menstruation and occur simultaneously with ovulation
• Women who have extremely short menstrual cycles as opposed to the average 28-day cycle may have more overlap between ovulation and menstruation
• In ideal conditions, sperm can live for five days and sometimes even longer, allowing them to survive much longer and fertilize the egg once the woman has ovulated