Safest time to have sex if you don’t want to get pregnant revealed

If you have an active sex life and don't want to get pregnant, of course, contraception is the number one way forward.

Whether that's a daily pill, the implant, or simply using condoms, we all know there are several ways you can protect yourself from unwanted pregnancy.

However, most women will also, unfortunately, be fully aware that these methods aren't always the easiest - we won't even mention the ginormous piece of paper you get with the contraceptive pill listing every side effect you could ever think of.

It's no surprise that in January, the BBC reported a shift in contraception use from 'hormonal' products like the pill to 'natural' fertility tracking apps.

Hormonal methods, including the mini pill, fell from 19 per cent in 2018 to 11 per cent in 2023, and researchers say 'fertility awareness-based methods' are on the rise.

This method simply means you're tracking your menstrual cycle, usually using an app, such as Clue or Flo, to keep tabs on which stage of your cycle you're in and avoid having unprotected sex during your fertile window.

You're most fertile around ovulation so it's best to avoid unprotected sex during this window (Getty Stock Image)

So, is there really a best time to have sex if you don't want to get pregnant?

Experts at Flo explain the most fertile part of your cycle is five days before and one day after ovulation - the point in your cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg. As we say, people who use the fertility awareness method avoid having unprotected sex on these days.

While your cycle can fluctuate, you're least likely to conceive outside of the fertile window, with your period being the least likely time you'd get pregnant, but that doesn't in any way mean it won't happen.

Your follicular phase starts on the first day of a new period and lasts up to the point in your cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg. After you’ve ovulated, you enter your luteal phase right after.

It's so important to stress, though, that while there are points in your cycle when you’re most likely to conceive, there’s always a chance you might get pregnant no matter what stage of the cycle you're in, so it's important not to just rely wholeheartedly on this method - it's a good idea also to use a condom.

Experts have rightly pointed out that while fertility awareness methods can aid in family planning, they are more effective for achieving pregnancy rather than preventing it.

It's important to note that experts have warned against solely relying on cycle tracking to prevent pregnancy (Getty Stock Image)

It's common for the day that your body releases an egg to fluctuate slightly each cycle, which makes it a difficult task to identify when it’s 'safe' to have unprotected sex to avoid pregnancy.

Dr Jenna Flanagan, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Utah, told Flo: "There is not a truly fail-safe time to have unprotected sex and completely avoid getting pregnant."

She explained that even when you're on your period, you shouldn't use this as a guarantee, as Dr Flanagan further explained: "There is always a chance pregnancy can occur when having unprotected sex during your cycle. Sperm live in the female genital tract for up to five days.”

So, if you ovulate within five days of that sex, you could get pregnant.

Essentially, while this method is good for those trying for a baby, it's best avoided if you don't want to get pregnant, unless you're also using birth control like condoms for an added layer of protection.