Is it possible to get pregnant two days before your period?

Whether you're trying to conceive or aren't ready for a baby, here's what you need to know about your fertility window.Whether you're trying to conceive or aren't ready for a baby, here's what you need to know about your fertility window.



You probably have lots of questions about when it's possible to get pregnant. How often do you need to have unprotected sex to get pregnant? Can you get pregnant on your period? And, when should you have sex, exactly? (Or not have unprotected sex, if you're not interested in having a baby right now?)

Whether you're trying to conceive or are looking for ways to avoid pregnancy, you should know that the chances of getting pregnant right before your period are extremely low.

The truth is, your fertile window each month is actually pretty small—about five to seven days total. To conceive, a man's sperm must fertilise a woman's egg within 48 hours of ovulation (when a woman's ovary releases an egg). In a typical woman whose menstrual cycle is 28 days (with day 1 the first day of her period), ovulation typically occurs between days 11 and 21.

A man's sperm can live in the woman's reproductive tract for up to 5 days, and research shows the best time to conceive is actually two to three days before ovulation. Your chances of getting pregnant actually drop pretty sharply after ovulation.

That said, there's a tiny chance you could get pregnant two days before your period. If you have irregular menstrual cycles, then there's a small chance you could ovulate later during your a cycle one month. If you're not interested in having a baby, it's always best to use birth control to be safe.