How Many Days in the Month Can You Get Pregnant?

If you’ve recently had unprotected sex, you may be comforted to know that you can’t just get pregnant at any time during the month. 

When does conception occur?

Pregnancy and conception occur during a woman’s ovulation period. For most women, ovulation is going to occur two weeks after her period starts, so about fourteen days after the first day of her last period. 

How long can sperm live?

Sperm can live in the uterus for about two to three days and can still fertilize an egg, even if it’s not the peak ovulation day. So there is a window around a woman’s peak ovulation day when she can still get pregnant. 

If it’s two days before or a couple of days after her peak ovulation day and there are sperm in the uterus, it is still possible for her to get pregnant. But outside that fertility window, when ovulation occurs, it is close to impossible for a woman to get pregnant. 

What if I don’t ovulate on day fourteen?

Some women will ovulate a week after their period starts or three weeks after their period starts. Every woman is different and in those cases, a lot of times women may experience an unexpected pregnancy because they are expecting that they’re ovulating at the two week mark.

How can I track my ovulation?

The best thing that you can do to track your ovulation and your period is to talk with your OB/GYN. See if he or she suggests ovulation testing, which you can do at home, and track your period closely on an app to make sure that you know your fertility window.

Learn more about tracking your ovulation naturally: Watch the podcast episode

Local to the Triad and think you might be pregnant? We offer free pregnancy testing and first ultrasounds at The Pregnancy Network in Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Get peace of mind while discussing your unplanned pregnancy with a registered nurse.