The art of sex can be arguably said to be the most pleasurable activity on earth.

But like every other pleasure, responsibility is attached to it: The possibility of pregnancy.

For married couples, pregnancy is usually accepted as a gift from heaven. But for those who are not prepared for it, the reverse is the case.

As a matter of fact, the thought of it can be quite dreadful for teenagers, as the experience is one happening only a handful of them can bear.

However, while there is numerous birth control method ranging from pills to the use of condoms and herbs, it is harmless to consider the safe period calculator method as a means of bypassing pregnancy.

Unlike most contraceptive pills, the aim of the safe period calculator is to naturally prevent unwanted pregnancy without any side effects.

Based on medical studies, a woman’s menstrual cycle starts on the first day of the menstrual period (referred to as day one) and ends the day before the next period begins.

Under normal circumstances, the menstrual cycle for more than 90% of women is twenty-eight days; but it can vary among some women and from one circle to the next.

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The safe period to have sex is from day 1 to day 7 and from day 21 till when your cycle ends. This calculation is, however, valid for only those whose cycle is 28 days. For those with longer days, it is not reliable.

Who can use Safe Period Calculator?

If your average menstrual cycle length, in last six months, falls between 26 and 32 and the variation between the shortest cycle and longest cycle during this time is 7 days or less, you may use the safe period calculator method for birth control.

Understanding your menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle has plenty of infertile days at the beginning, followed by a few days of fertility period which again ends up into infertile period just before the next cycle.

1. The preovulatory phase

This phase begins with the day soon after your menses get over. This phase extends till when the ovulation happens. The ovulation usually happens on the 14th day of the menstrual cycle considering it to be of 28 days.

2. Safe period

The first seven days are safe as there is no egg waiting in the uterus to receive the sperm.

Although the actual ovulation happens on the 14th day yet, there are chances of pre-ovulation or post-ovulation due to various factors:

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Normally, the sperm takes about three to five days to travel to meet the egg.

To simply put it, the sperm survives in the woman’s body for about five days. It is even believed that it stays up to seven days.

Hence, we can arguably conclude that only the first seven days are considered safe.

3. Ovulatory phase

It is the fertile phase of the cycle with maximum chances of conception. Usually, the process of ovulation occurs between the 10th and 19th day of menstrual cycle.

During this phase, the pregnancy supporting hormones released are at their peak level by the female body. In this phase, the uterus lining thickens to receive the egg which sticks onto the inner wall of the uterus.

Although, the mechanism behind menstruation suggest that ovulation happens in this phase only, yet, the challenges like a longer menstrual cycle and hormonal imbalances may cause a variation in ovulation.

It is no way safe to have unprotected sex during this phase. One needs to depend upon solid preventive measures to prevent unwanted pregnancy during this phase.

4. Post-ovulatory phase:

It starts from the 22nd day and extends till when the menstrual cycle breaks into a period.

Here, in contrary to our argued conclusion, it is considered to be a safe phase for having unprotected sex.

Because the egg has degenerated and the body is getting ready to remove the excess inner lining of the uterus through bleeding.

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Insight:

There is ovulation detecting kit available at the medical stores. You can use it to detect your LT (Luteinizing Hormone) which will help you gauge your ovulation.

The hormonal level in woman’s body is its highest right before ovulation.

Note

In as much as the pleasure of unprotected sex ranks higher than that of using a condom in terms of comparison, which often lures one to yield to the temptation of going unprotected, it is advisable for a condom to be used to help prevent the unwanteds.

The pregnancy calculator works, but what happens when it is miscalculated? Or when your body system changes without you knowing?

SOURCE: pulse.ng