If you don’t use contraception you can get pregnant at any time during your menstrual cycle, even during or just after your period.
You have the highest chance of getting pregnant (called being ‘fertile’) on the day your ovary releases an egg (called ovulation) and the days around it. If a live egg meets live sperm a pregnancy will happen. Your egg lives for about one day after ovulation, and sperm can live in your womb and fallopian tubes for up to seven days after sex.
Some people have very regular cycles, but other people don’t. When you first start your periods they are likely to be irregular. This can make it hard to predict when your period will arrive and when you are likely to be most fertile.
If you don’t want to get pregnant you need to use contraception (birth control). And remember – only condoms protect against pregnancy and STIs, including HIV. This makes them a great option, as they can give you the freedom to enjoy sex knowing that you and your partner are protected.
