Patient's question:
HelloMy period started on December 7th. It usually lasts for 5-6 days. Could you please tell me which days are safe and which days are ovulation days? Please explain it to me in detail.
Doctor's answer:
Hello:A woman of reproductive age typically menstruates once a month. The period from the start of one menstrual cycle to the first day of the next is called one menstrual cycle. From a contraception perspective, a woman's menstrual cycle can be divided into the menstrual period, ovulation period, and safe period.
A woman's ovulation date is usually about 14 days before her next menstrual period. After the egg is released from the ovary, it can survive in the fallopian tube for 1-2 days, waiting to be fertilized. Male sperm can maintain fertilizing ability in a woman's reproductive tract for 2-3 days. Therefore, sexual intercourse during the days before and after ovulation increases the likelihood of conception. For safety, we consider the 5 days before ovulation, the 4 days after ovulation, and ovulation day itself as a total of 10 days, known as the ovulation period. Because sexual intercourse during the ovulation period is more likely to result in pregnancy, this period is also called the fertile period or risky period.
The safe period is divided into the pre-ovulation safe period and the post-ovulation safe period. The period from the day after menstruation ends to the day before ovulation begins is the pre-ovulation safe period. The period from the day after ovulation ends to the day before the next menstrual period is the post-ovulation safe period. The post-ovulation safe period is safer than the pre-ovulation safe period. This is because some women may experience early ovulation due to environmental changes or emotional fluctuations, which shortens the pre-ovulation safe period. If they are not aware of this, the pre-ovulation safe period becomes less reliable. It is rare for a woman to ovulate twice in one menstrual cycle, meaning that once ovulation occurs, there is usually no second ovulation until the next menstrual period. Therefore, the post-ovulation safe period is considered safer.