4 Myths About Her Getting Pregnant

Avail NYC exists to be a safe haven for women and men facing an unexpected pregnancy or seeking support after an abortion. We are not a medical provider.

When it comes to avoiding pregnancy, there’s a lot of information out there that is incomplete, confusing, or simply wrong. If you think your partner may be unexpectedly pregnant, you need real answers and you need them right away.

Let’s talk about 4 common myths about getting pregnant as well as the truth you need to know. If you think you or your partner may be unexpectedly pregnant, schedule a confidential appointment with Avail NYC for a free, medical grade pregnancy test. 

FACT: You can get pregnant any time you have unprotected sex.

It’s a common myth that you can’t get pregnant your first time having sex. This is simply not true. Pregnancy occurs when a sperm fertilizes an egg. This can happen any time you have unprotected sex–even if it is her first time.

FACT: She can get pregnant even if she’s on her period.

Many people mistakenly think that if a woman is on her period, she can’t get pregnant. In fact, it is unlikely but not impossible that she’ll get pregnant if she has unprotected sex while on her period. Here’s why. 

Sperm can live up to 5 days inside a woman’s body after ejaculation. A woman’s fertility window is typically 2 days around the time of ovulation. If a woman has a short cycle, she could be ovulating soon after getting her period. That means the active sperm still has time to fertilize the egg–even several days after having sex.

FACT: It takes about 5-7 days for her body to produce the hormone detected by pregnancy tests.

After the egg has been fertilized by the sperm, it travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus. Here it implants into the uterine wall and begins to produce the pregnancy hormone hCG. It can take around 5-7 days to produce a high enough level of hCG to be detectable by pregnancy tests. 

For this reason, it is best to take a pregnancy test on the day she expects her period.

FACT: Some pre-ejactulation fluid contains sperm.

The “pulling out” or the withdrawal method is commonly mistaken as effective birth control but that’s simply not true. Withdrawing is not effective in preventing pregnancy as sperm may enter if pre-ejaculation fluid contains sperm. It is also important to note that the withdrawal method does not offer protection from sexually transmitted infections. 

These are just a few of the myths about getting pregnant you may have come across. The truth is that any time you have unprotected sex, there is a chance that she can get pregnant.

If you think your partner may be pregnant, Avail NYC is here to support you. We offer free, medical grade pregnancy tests in our Midtown Manhattan and East Harlem locations. Make a confidential appointment today. 

Avail NYC exists to be a safe haven for women and men facing an unexpected pregnancy or seeking support after an abortion. We are not a medical provider.