There is a possibility of getting pregnant during your menstrual cycle and less likely during your menstrual bleeding. Those few days of bleeding can be referred to as the menstrual bleeding and it is just a part of the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle in whole is 22 – 28 days and it starts counting from the first day of bleeding up to the first day of your next period. The menstrual cycle starts with the bleeding days which occurs from day 1 – day 8. Fertile window is another phase during the menstrual cycle, it begins few days before ovulation starts. It usually occurs between days 8 – day 11, after which ovulation proper starts and this usually occurs between days 11 –22.

Once the menstrual flow (bleeding) stops, the uterine lining (also called the endometrium) gets ready for a possible pregnancy. Usually by Day 8, menstrual bleeding stops, higher estrogen levels make the lining of the uterus grow and thicken, the uterine lining is rich in blood and nutrients which would help nourish the embryo if pregnancy happens. During this period, there is probability to feel good, feel more energized and more relaxed because estrogen helps boost endorphins. Endorphin is a chemical found in the brain, it is released during physical activity to give a good feeling.

A woman is most likely to get pregnant even if she does not have sex on day 13 or 15 but had sex three days before the day of ovulation, this is because a man’s sperm can live and survive for 3 to 5 days inside the female reproductive tract and once the sperm is already in place, fertilization is bound to occur whenever the female egg is released. Unlike the man’s sperm, a woman’s egg lives for just 12 to 24 hours after ovulation.

Getting a head start on daily multivitamin, such as 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day for at least one (1) month before pregnancy, helps prevent birth defects in a baby’s brain and spine. Since many women discover pregnancy weeks or months after their conception, the use of Folic acid is necessary for the development of the brain and spine which occurs 3 to 4 weeks after conception.

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