02/02/2026
Understanding Your Fertile Period
What is the fertile period?
The fertile period is the time in a woman’s menstrual cycle when pregnancy can happen if she has unprotected sexual in*******se.
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🥚 When does pregnancy occur?
• Pregnancy happens when a s***m meets an egg (o**m).
• The egg is released from the o***y during ovulation.
• The egg lives for about 24 hours.
• S***m can live inside the female body for up to 5 days. Average 2-3 days
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📅 What is the fertile window?
Because s***m can survive for several days, the fertile period includes:
👉 5 days before ovulation + the day of ovulation
So, the fertile window lasts about 6 days in each menstrual cycle.
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🔢 Example (for a regular 28-day cycle)
• Day 1 = first day of your period
• Ovulation ≈ Day 14
• Fertile period ≈ Day 9 to Day 14
💡 If cycles are longer or shorter, ovulation may occur earlier or later.
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🌼 Signs you may be in your fertile period
You may notice:
• Clear, slippery, stretchy va**nal discharge (like egg white)
• Mild lower abdominal pain (mid-cycle pain)
• Breast tenderness (in some women)
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❤️ Advice for couples trying to conceive
• Have in*******se every 1–2 days during the fertile period
• Best results are often with in*******se 2–3 days before ovulation and on the ovulation day
• A healthy lifestyle improves fertility (balanced diet, exercise, avoiding smoking and alcohol)
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🚫 If you do NOT want pregnancy
• Use reliable contraception during the fertile period
• The “safe period” method is not very reliable, especially with irregular cycles
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⚠️ Important to remember
• Fertile days can change from month to month
• Stress, illness, travel, and hormonal issues can affect ovulation
• If pregnancy does not occur after 12 months (or 6 months if age >35 years), seek medical advice
A C M Musthaq
MBBS MD MRCOG
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
DGH Nawalapitiya