How do you actually get pregnant

How hard is it to get pregnant on birth control? If you're on birth control and following all instructions, then your chances of getting pregnant are generally less than 1 percent.

The effectiveness decreases with "typical use" not using the method correctly and consistently for every sexual encounter. While it's not totally impossible to get pregnant while Aunt Flo is in town , your chances are pretty darn slim. If you consider what's actually happening inside your body, you can understand it a bit better: The egg that was growing inside your ovaries wasn't fertilized and, as a result, your uterine lining sheds this is the "blood" that's released and prepares to grow new follicles eggs for your next cycle.

In other words, the egg that was viable for fertilization has now been flushed along with your period. The only way you can get pregnant on your period? Having particularly short cycles with ovulation that occurs soon after menstruation. How hard is it to get pregnant while on your period? It's possible to get pregnant by having sex on your period, but the chances are extremely low. The exact risk depends upon the length of your cycle.

This old-school method of preventing pregnancy is a far cry from a myth. It's not foolproof and it can certainly result in pregnancy, but it does significantly decrease your chances of getting pregnant. In case you need a refresher course on the pull-out method, also known as withdrawal, it involves the male partner pulling out of the vagina before he ejaculates.

The problem, however, is that pre-ejaculate or precum, the bodily fluid that's released from the penis before an actual ejaculation, very well may contain active and viable sperm. Additionally, Mark Trolice, M. How hard is it to get pregnant while using withdrawal? Implantation typically occurs between five and 10 days after fertilization. Some couples are not trying to get pregnant.

In fact, nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. The first option is emergency contraception. Emergency contraception works by preventing or delaying ovulation—the release of an egg from the ovary. Less commonly, it can work by preventing fertilization of an egg if ovulation has already occurred. It's important to note that emergency contraception is not the same as the "abortion pill" medical abortion with mifepristone and misoprostol.

If you take emergency contraception and you're already pregnant, the pill will not harm your pregnancy. For emergency contraception to be effective, it should be used as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. If a person is unable to take it immediately, it might still be effective if taken three to five days after having sexual intercourse. According to the Food and Drug Administration FDA , emergency contraception is for use after contraceptive failure and is not recommended for routine use.

Most forms of emergency contraception are available without a prescription. One example is Plan B One-Step levonorgestrel , as well as its generic versions, which are available at most pharmacies.

Next Choice levonorgestrel is available to anyone 17 years and older and is usually available if you ask the pharmacist. The pill version, ella ulipristal , is only available with a prescription. Whether fertilization occurs within minutes of sex or days later, some people wonder if they will feel pregnant when it happens. The answer to that question is usually no, but some people claim that they "knew" they had conceived within minutes of sex.

It's scientifically impossible to know either way. However, the symptoms of early pregnancy can start as early as a week after having sex or they may take several weeks to start. That said, some people don't experience any noticeable early pregnancy symptoms, which is also normal.

More commonly, it takes between two to four weeks after sex before early pregnancy symptoms are noticeable. Keep in mind, pregnancy symptoms won't appear until after embryo implantation.

It takes time for the fertilized egg to travel from the fallopian tubes and find a landing area in the uterus. When the embryo attaches to the uterine wall, some people experience a bit of light spotting or bleeding.

This spotting usually happens close to the time when you would have had your period. In fact, it's not uncommon for some people to confuse implantation spotting with their period and not realize that they are pregnant.

Not every person will experience spotting or bleeding when implantation occurs. If it does happen to you, don't worry. It's normal and doesn't mean something is wrong with your baby. Similarly, about one third to one half of women with endometriosis struggle to become pregnant.

You should speak to your doctorabout a plan of action to improve your chances of getting pregnant and delivering safely. Some methods, such as the pull out method or rhythm method , will leave you with a normal likelihood of pregnancy immediately after you stop using it. Hormonal options like the birth control pill may take time to leave your system. If this is the case for you, consult your doctor to discuss your options, which may include assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization IVF.

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