Question about ovulation and pregnancy....?

Question

I have not only heard but also learned in school that women usually ovulate about 14 days after the first day of their periods and an egg is viable for around 24 hours. So then how is it possible that women can still get pregnant after their supposed ovulation date and while on their period?

Answer 1

Because women are human beings and not computers.

The biological timing can fluctuate slightly from cycle to cycle. The luteal phase (the time from ovulation to menstruation) is usually consistent for an individual woman, but it can range from 10-16 days in the general female population. A woman who relies on the magic number of "14" doesn't take into account her personal biology. The 28 day cycle with a 14 day luteal phase is a statistical average, not a biological absolute.

A number of factors can impact when ovulation actually occurs; for example, stress can delay ovulation and hormonal imbalances can suppress ovulation for extended periods of time. So a woman might ovulate 14 days after menstruation starts one cycle, but not ovulate until 20 days after menstruation starts the following cycle.

It would be extremely unusual for a woman to become pregnant from intercourse during her menstrual period. More likely, a woman who thinks she got pregnant during menstruation acutally experienced ovulatory spotting, light bleeding that can sometimes occur around the time of ovulation. If a woman mistakes it for menstruation and has intercourse during ovulatory spotting, she is actually timing intercourse perfectly for conception.

Lastly, although the egg is only viable for 24 hrs, multiple ovulations do occur infrequently (thus the existence of fraternal twins). If 2 eggs are released 24 hrs apart, a woman would actually have a 48 hr window of conception. Additionally, sperm can survive several days in a fertile environment. Under the right conditions, a woman could actually conceive several days after intercourse (rather than the day of intercourse as would seem logical). She could only conceive from intercourse *after* ovulating in the event that multiple ovulation occurred. Again, if she conceived after ovulation, the most likely scenario is that the woman was assuming she had a 28 day cycle with ovulation occurring on day 14 and her personal biology resulted in ovulation on a later day rather than becoming pregnant from intercourse after true ovulation.

Answer 2

A women usually ovulates on the 14 day after her period but not always. Some women ovulate before 14 days and some women ovulate after 14 days. It just depends on the women.

Answer 3

because everyone woman is different and ovulation does not always follow a set time time table... the 14 days and 24 hours they tell you about in the book and in school is on average... eggs can actually live a little longer than this and remember you do have 2 ovaries, though it's not common a woman can produce ova from both ovaries at the same or at different times. Also sperm can live up to 5-6 days inside the vagina.

Answer 4

The scenario they gave you in school was if every female person in the world had the exact same cycle. Right down to the time of ovulation. However we know that is not true.

If every women was that predictable then the rythum method of birth control would be 100% effective. We would know when a women could not get pregnant then in other words.

Answer 5

I AM NOT SURE HOW THE WOMAN GETS PREGNANT ON HER PERIOD BUT, HAVING SEX 24-36 HOURS AFTER OVULATION IS THE ADVICE GIVIN TO WOMEN WHO ARE TRYING TO CONCIEVE. SOME WOMEN ALSO MISCALCULATE WHEN THEY OVULATED OR FLAT OUT JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN OR IF THEY DID.

Answer 6

Because the body does not run like clock work. Werid thing happen.

Answer 7

also sperm can stay "alive" inside a woman for at least 3 days