Pregnancy and childbirth are some of the very important phases of one’s life. A significant amount of knowledge that we have about pregnancy is based on myths and rumors, which frequently leads to fears and anxiety in expecting couples. We are here to address this issue. At Healthyell, every bit of information is well researched and backed by trusted sources.
Keep on reading whether you are looking for answers for can you get pregnant on birth control? Can you have a period and be pregnant? can you have sex while pregnant? & much more.
What is pregnancy and how long does it take to get pregnant?
According to the definition, pregnancy is the duration in which a fetus grows inside the womb or uterus. However, you should keep in mind that pregnancy does not start right after fertilization. It’s the Implantation of the fertilized egg onto the uterine wall that marks the start of pregnancy.
But there is one more twist here. When calculating the days of pregnancy on a normal 40 weeks calendar, doctors start from the first day of your last menstrual period. There’s nothing like tracking it from the size of your pregnant belly. However, it is important to keep your body with energy to stay healthy & keep your baby healthy too.
For a normal healthy couple, it may take one to two years to get pregnant.
How to get pregnant and how long does it take to get pregnant?
Getting pregnant is a natural part of a heterosexual relationship. During intercourse, sperms are deposited in the vagina from where they travel up along the female reproductive tract to reach the fallopian tubes where fertilization takes place.
The whole process occurs naturally. The things you need to take care of are that you have vaginal sex and do not use any contraceptive method. It may still take up to one to two years for a healthy couple to get pregnant.
How long does it take to get pregnant?
Sperms can travel from the cervix to the fallopian tubes (site of fertilization) as fast as 30 minutes or as slow as 6 days after you have had sex. Once the egg is fertilized, it starts developing into a baby. But to achieve that, it has to get implanted into the uterus which occurs 6-12 days after fertilization or conception.
In total, it will take you 6-18 days to get pregnant after you had sex.
When did I conceive?
Am I pregnant? Well, even if you are in doubt, stop the diet drinks especially if you are on keto diet.
Calculating the date of conception involves simple mathematics. Just note down the first day of your last menstrual period and add 14 days to it. This gives you the date of ovulation.
So, if the first day of your menstrual period is tomorrow, 15 days from today is the day you will be most fertile and likely to conceive. The most fertile period for a woman is 5 days before ovulation and one day after it. This gives possible dates of conception.
The exact date of conception cannot be calculated because every woman has a different cycle length and different time of ovulation.
Pregnancy symptoms:
At the very start of pregnancy, you will have no idea that you are pregnant. But if you supposedly conceived today, approximately 15 days from today, the baby growing inside you will start making its presence known to you. You can opt for pregnancy workouts after you conceive to combat the symptoms.
A woman starts to feel various symptoms 1-2 weeks into the pregnancy. These symptoms are referred to as early signs of pregnancy and are a helpful clue in diagnosing pregnancy. These include:
1. Amenorrhea: Amenorrhea or missing the period in an otherwise healthy woman having normal periods before is considered to be due to pregnancy until proven otherwise. It is also the first sign that a woman suspects that she is pregnant. However, pregnancy is not always accompanied by amenorrhea. The cyclic bleeding can continue for up to weeks. But this bleeding does not correspond with her normal menstrual cycle and is usually scanty in amount.
2. Morning sickness: Feeling nauseous and vomiting in the morning is another symptom of pregnancy. It starts soon after the missed period and can last up to 16 weeks.
3. Breast discomfort: Breast discomfort especially in primigravidae (first-time pregnant women) is evident in the form of pricking sensation and feeling of fullness of breasts.
4. Fatigue: Fatigue is a common symptom in early pregnancy.
5. Frequency of micturition: Increased frequency of urination can be very troublesome during pregnancy. It is because the bulky uterus rests upon the bladder constantly forcing it to empty. Also, there are changes in maternal osmoregulation causing increased thirst and frequent urination.
6. Back pain: Back pain is a common presentation during the early days of pregnancy. During pregnancy, the hormonal balance in the body is different. The hormones make the joints and ligaments soft and stretchy thus putting more strain on them. This causes back pain in pregnancy.
7. Eczema: Eczema is the most common dermatological manifestation during pregnancy. Some married women may have eczema before pregnancy while some develop it for the first time during pregnancy. Women with pre-existing eczema can experience deterioration; however, it does not affect the outcome of a pregnancy.
Pregnancy tests:
How to know if you’re pregnant? Many pregnancy tests are available commercially. The principle of these tests is the detection of hCG hormone in maternal urine or serum.
Quick result urine pregnancy tests are easily available in medical stores. They resemble a stick, meant to be peed on. If two lines appear that means the woman is expecting but if only one line appears that means the pregnancy is not there.
However, blood tests and ultrasound are more reliable ways to confirm pregnancy. So, if you suspect you are pregnant, you should make an appointment with an obstetrician at your earliest.
Some tests can verify if you are 8 weeks pregnant, 10 weeks pregnant, 12 weeks pregnant, or even 25 weeks pregnant.
Can a woman get pregnant during her period?
Can you get pregnant on your period? Well, the answer is a “yes”.
The onset of a period can be mistaken for vaginal bleeding. It’s possible that bleeding could happen during ovulation when your fertility is at its peak. In such a case, you might assume you are having your period. You are considerably more likely to contract a pregnancy at this time if you have unprotected sex.
Ovulation cycles typically last 28 to 30 days for the average woman. So, if you experience sexual activity during your period, you are likely not to ovulate until a few days afterward.
However, if a woman has a shorter cycle, she won’t have the same length of time between her periods and ovulation.
Another factor to consider is that sperm can remain in a woman’s body for up to 72 hours after ejaculation. You have a better chance of becoming pregnant near the end of your period.
You can track how many days pass between your periods if you want to track your ovulation patterns. This includes the beginning of your cycle and the beginning of your period again. You can figure out roughly when your ovulation cycle occurs by identifying a pattern over time. It is important to keep fluid balance too.
What is the chance of getting pregnant on period?
Can you have a period and be pregnant? It is possible for a woman to become pregnant at different times during her ovulation cycle. Some women may have a cycle that varies between 20 and 40 days, while others may have a cycle longer than that.
It is nearly impossible for a woman to become pregnant one to two days after starting to bleed. Despite still bleeding, however, the likelihood keeps increasing with each successive day.
Her chance of conceiving is approximately 9 percent on day 13 after beginning her period.
There is no way to guarantee a woman will not get pregnant on her period, no matter how low the numbers are.
