When you are having sex, pregnancy is always a real possibility. Sex, like other fun activities, comes with certain risks if you are not using protection, with STI’s and unwanted pregnancies being the most obvious ones.
If you want to know what’s the chance of getting pregnant if you had unprotected sex you have come to the right place.
Like others, you will hear many rumors about where and when you could get pregnant. For some women, the thought of getting pregnant is met with great joy and anticipation, while for others it’s a cause of worry.
This is why most women in the reproductive age or the ones who are trying desperately to conceive will have many questions or doubts about their chances of conceiving.
We will look further at this below to help you understand more about unprotected sex and pregnancy.
What’s the Chance of Getting Pregnant If You Had Unprotected Sex
There is a good chance that you could get pregnant nearly any time that you engage in sexual intercourse without using an effective birth control. This scenario is familiar to most women.
Pregnancy usually occurs around the ovulation period, the time when your ovary releases egg in the fallopian tube. If you are having regular periods, ovulation will take place midway between your menstrual periods.
Ovulation usually happens midway between the first-day of 2 consecutive periods, but this can vary from the eight day to the twentieth day of a 28-day cycle.
Researchers calculate the average risk at varying times in a monthly cycle of a woman, but you should know that your risk can be lower or higher.
You cannot know the definite time of your ovulation, which is why the researchers use the monthly cycle of a woman when calculating the average risk for pregnancy.
Figuring Out the Chances of Getting Pregnant If You Had Unprotected Sex
You are more likely to conceive if you have unprotected sex during the middle 2 weeks of your cycle. The time varies, but many women ovulate about day 14.
You will have the highest risk of pregnancy by having unprotected sex one or two days before your ovulation starts; when the ovary releases the egg.
This is a 30% chance. The risk of having unprotected sex and getting pregnant three days prior to ovulation is 15%. You will have a 12% chance on the ovulation day. [1]
Photo: Bigstock.com
In the real world, large studies show that women who engage in unprotected sex during mid-cycle have a much lower chance of getting pregnant as the risk is around 5.8%.
This is because you will have a much lower risk of getting pregnant if you engage in any sexual relations on the ovulation day and any day besides the three days prior to.
Not Getting Pregnant After Having Unprotected Sex for Months
There are times when having unprotected sex is not enough for you to get pregnant. You could be doing this for months with no luck.
Thankfully, there are certain things that you could do to increase your chances if it’s taking longer than expected for you to conceive.
This includes doing thinks like monitoring your ovulation, using an ovulation predictor kit, charting your basal body temperature, as well as checking and observing your cervical mucus.
When you have an idea of your ovulating time, you can start to time your sexual activities around that period. If you are using this method, you must ensure that you are having sex 2 days before your ovulation day or every other day during the week of your expected ovulation. This will boost your chances of conceiving.
If it’s a case where you have been engaging in unprotected sexual activities for more than six months without success, you could visit your doctor or ob/gyn to know about the alternative treatments that you could use for fertility problems. There are several solutions available and they are very effective.
How to Know When You Get Pregnant
The most common sign of pregnancy after unprotected sex is missed period. However, this missed or late period is not a sure sign as there are many other things that can cause it besides pregnancy.
This includes using birth control that contains hormones, stress, sickness, improper eating habits, or too much exercise.
It is pretty common for teens to have periods which come later than normal or missed periods because it could take several years for them to have a regular cycle.
So, the best way for you to know if you are pregnant is to do a pregnancy test. These are easy to get nowadays because they are available at drugstores or health centers.
It is important to note that the home pregnancy tests are ninety-nine percent accurate if taken after you miss a period.
Hopefully, you will now know what’s the chance of getting pregnant if you had unprotected sex.
Do you have a question about your period, ovulation, pregnancy or other related topic? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Wondering if you’re pregnant? Try our Online Pregnancy Quiz and get a rough estimate of your chance of being pregnant.
Read this post to learn more about when is the right time to take a pregnancy test.
References
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1. http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/content/womens_health/art3356.html
On 28th may I had unprotected sex . I took contraceptive pill within 6hours after sex. But from the last week I am suffering from nausea, vomiting. Are these symptoms normal after taking pill? Or these are symptoms before pregnancy? What should I suppose to do? I don’t want to get pregnant.
Had unprotected sex on May 8th my period before this finished on the 5th April but my period didn’t come until the 20th May, so it’s fair to say my periods weren’t very consistant at the time! However, due to the fact it was unprotected and it happened several times during the night and I cannot remember whether he ejaculated inside of me, and I am aware of precum to make you pregnant, I am slightly concerned. I took a pregnancy test 2 weeks after May 8th and it was negative, does this mean that I’m definitely not pregnant as I also had a period 2 weeks after?
I’m kind of just waiting for my period to come this month just to be sure but I have been experiencing almost period pains this week like the same pain and my boobs feel as if they’re growing! I’m 17 and quite concerned, however it’s probably just a paranoid thing! Just wanted to know the chance? Thanks
Hey Em,
I’m glad to tell you that this is just a paranoid thing:) The fact that you already had your periods once after you had unprotected sex means that you could in no way be pregnant. Your periods will come this month. I however feel that you should visit gynecologist for more safer contraception methods. The paranoia and anxiety associated with waiting for your periods aint fun.
Hi my name is kacey and me and my boyfriend had unprotected sex like 3 times I really am not trying to get pregnant or nothing but when we had sex he would always tell me when he was about to cum and he would pull it out quick I need answers plz .
Hey Kacey,
Some people use withdrawal as a means of contraception however it is not proven to be 100 percent effective. The fact that there may be traces of semen in pre-cum is a possibility, though not proven and thus exposes you to the chances of pregnancy. Withdrawal also exposes you to risks such as sexually transmitted diseases. I wouldn’t tell if you are pregnant since I do not know about your cycle length and dates. I however feel that you should try out more effective contraception methods such as the condom or the pill as it gives you more assurance as compared to withdrawal. Visit your gynecologist for advice on which method would suit you best.
I’ve never been pregnant before but we started trying this month. I have a cycle of 30 to 31 days. I never miss a period but I heard ovulation is mid week, because my husband is going on a business trip all of next week we had sex all of last week into this week. Is my chances of pregnancy good?
Hey Lala,
Ovulation for a cycle of 30 to 31 days has a probability of happening mid-month not mid week. I would love to tell you if you could be pregnant but you didn’t give me the dates of your last period. I would suggest that you use the e-period calculator to track your ovulation date. Best of luck in getting pregnant:)
I had intercourse with my boyfriend for the first time on June 4 we then did it about 3-4 days in a row and then we skipped a day or two and then had intercourse again, we had unprotected sex every single time we did it, my last period was on May 8 or 9 and my period is usually irregular but not by much, I haven’t gotten my period and I’ve been worried that i might be pregnant or is it possible just due to the fact that it was my first time having intercourse that my period can be delayed???
Hey Janet,
Having intercourse for the first time is not proven to cause delayed periods. However by June 4th you were already past your ovulation dates thus the possibility that you could be pregnant is quite low. The fact that you have been quite worried could be the reason that your periods are delayed as such. Wait out a bit and take a pregnancy test if your menses do not show up.
My last period was on May 19th my cycle is 28 days every month. I had sex on the 29th,30th, and 31st. Can I be pregnant?
Hi i had my menstruation last may 11 and lasted may 16 and my husband and i had sex last may 23 but he did withdrawal but he don’t know if the pre cum have sperm and i ovulate may 30..so today is my 4th day of missed period and i take again a negative result..could i be pregnant? Pls i need to know
Hey Chel,
Your ovulation window was between May 21st to May 25th. The fact that you had unprotected sex during that period means that there is a possibility you could be pregnant. Wait out a while and take another pregnancy test just to be sure. If you are not pregnant then your periods should come anytime soon.
Hello my last period was on may 6 I had unprotected sex on may 31 is there a possible chance I might get pregnant ..I miss my period already for June 6 its already June 10 or is it stress
Hello, my husband & I are trying to conceive at the moment & the 1st day of my last period was May 13th & we had unprotected sex May 28 & a couple times on May 30 & I was wondering if that gave me a better chance at getting pregnant?! Thank u.
Hi Bridget. Yes there’s a chance you could conceive. If you’re on a regular 28 day cycle then your most fertile days were between May 25th and May 29th so there is a chance of conception. If it turns out that you aren’t pregnant, you’re next period should arrive tomorrow June 10th and you can try again between the days of June 22nd to June 26th.
hello i had an unprotected sex with boyfriend last may 25, 2015 but that day is my fifth day of my menstruation … so my question is…is there a chance to get pregnant?pls i need an answer
Hi Daisy. There is always a chance you could conceive with unprotected sex but it is very unlikely that you would. It is not impossible but not common for a woman to conceive during her period.
but why is it until now my menstruation not yet come..im so nervous now..i dont want to get pregnant
My first day of last period was 15 May. I had unprotected intercourse on 6 June can I get pregnant plz reply
If you’re on a regular 28 day cycle then your fertile period was between May 27th and May 31st so your chances of conceiving are lower. You should expect your period on or around the 12th of June so just wait and see if it comes. If it’s more than a week late, take a pregnancy test.
I took a ovulation test to see when are my most fertile days, it told me may 26-may 30. My husband and I had sex a few times around those days and since last week Ive been feeling symptoms like cramping , frequent bathroom trips , bigger appetite , headaches but when I took a test two days ago it came back negative. Can I still be pregnant? What should I do? Did I take the test to early ?
Well you didn’t provide dates so it’s hard to say if you took the test too early but that might be the case. You could be pregnant and the test was just inaccurate. You’re having symptoms so it’s best to just see a doctor for confirmation and provide him/her with the necessary dates.
Hi. My last period was on May 19. On May 27, 31, and June 2nd I had unprotected sex but he pulled out. On June 2-4 I had spotting which I never had before. June 4 and 5 I have extreme exhaustion. My cycle is 29 days and is mostly on time sometimes 28 or 30 days but never more than that. Am I pregnant or is this ovulation symptoms
Your period is due in a week on the 17th so that’s when you should be having your period. Spotting between cycles could be caused by various things. Even if he pulled out, you had unprotected sex so it’s still possible to get pregnant even by ‘pre-ejaculation’ however, based on your cycle and the fact that you were ovulating for the first 5 days of the month, it’s not likely that these are pregnancy symptoms already. Yes you could still very well conceive but you’d have to wait until the 17th to see if you’ll miss your period or not. Even then, it might be a few days off, it doesn’t always come on the exact day but you wont be able to tell until then. If the date comes an goes (a week over), take a pregnancy test.
hi there. I am 29, I got my period last 20th of may but last night 4th of June I bleed again (lightly). We had unprotected sex during the 3rd day of my period last May. i tried PT and it’s negative. can i still be pregnant.Pls help me.. thank you.
it’s my first time to experience this. 🙁
If you have a regular 28 day cycle, your period would be due around June 17th. You should’ve been ovulating around the 4th so if you haven’t had unprotected intercourse since your last period you should be ok as there’s a lower chance (but not impossible) to conceive while having your period. The light bleeding (spotting between periods) could’ve happened for various reasons so it would be best to check with your doctor to make sure it’s nothing serious. Take another test if you miss your period this month.
thank you.. that is really my plan.. i’ll wait for my period this month. . my husband is an OFW and he just left last may 24 and be back again maybe after 2 years. that’s why i am looking for good results. thanks again. God bless 🙂
Hi me and my partner had unprotected sex on the 11th of may. Ovulation was on the 12th I have regular periods but I am 11 days late and have taken 3 pregnancy tests they all came back negative. Is it likely that I am pregnant?
If you’re sure about the dates, 11 days is a bit too far beyond the day you were expecting your period. In that case, it is still quite possible that you could be pregnant. It could be that the tests you are using isn’t detecting the pregnancy hormone (hCG), you could’ve gotten an incorrect reading for whatever reason or maybe you really aren’t pregnant. The best way to know for sure – see your doctor. He/She will do a blood test and that is more effective in telling you if you are pregnant or not.
I got my first cycle after stopping birth control may 24th 2015 & I’ve been having sex EVERYDAY !! & I’m not pregnant yet !:( I’m trying too see when will I conceive