Dear qwertyuiop0,

Yes. It's possible for a woman to get pregnant if she has unprotected sex on many days of her cycle — even during her period. There are days when a healthy woman is likely to get pregnant, days when she is unlikely to get pregnant, and days when she will not get pregnant from unprotected vaginal intercourse. It all depends on her menstrual cycle. And every woman's body is different.

In general, a woman has a good chance of becoming pregnant from unprotected vaginal intercourse — or any sex play where semen is spilled on the vulva or inside the vagina — during the six days that end in ovulation. This is because sperm can live up to seven days in her reproductive system. If they are there when she ovulates, she can become pregnant. Ovulation usually occurs about 14 days before a woman's period begins. So, if a woman has a regular 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation may occur around Day 14. But most young women have irregular cycles (each cycle may be a different number of days), and even women who have regular menstrual cycles may not always ovulate on exactly the same day each month.

So, if a woman's menstrual cycle is always 28 days long, she is likely to ovulate around Day 14. If she has unprotected sex on Day 10 — five days after her five-day period ends — pregnancy can happen.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.