More and more couples who have been practicing birth control with the help of the rhythm method feel totally flummoxed when they suddenly find themselves heading towards unexpected parenthood! Were they not led to believe that getting pregnant after ovulation was not feasible? Then how did this happen?

The answer is very simple. Each woman's menstrual cycle is different from the other. So the released egg is very viable and has chances of getting fertilized within 12 to 48 hours if it comes in contact with a sperm. Of course, this does not happen with everybody since each woman is again different in this regard. So then, is getting pregnant after ovulation possible? Yes, it definitely is!

To explain this is in greater detail, let us take an example. The couple has indulged in sexual intercourse on a Sunday. The woman begins ovulating on Tuesday. Since sperms are able to survive in a woman's body for up to five days, there is every possibility that if one of them were to come in contact with the egg (provided it is still viable), conception is going to occur. So the sperm is the deciding factor where getting pregnant after ovulation is concerned! If the egg is not viable, this does not occur.

Earlier, women were advised to indulge in coupling just a few days prior to ovulation and continuing till the actual day of ovulation. Today, quite a few doctors express the opinion that sexual intercourse before, during and after ovulation will give positive results. They even go as far as suggesting that three days of sexual intercourse during the week would ensure getting pregnant after ovulation! Going in for sex every alternate day is advised because the male body must have time to build up the supply of sperms.

Even medical experts have come forward with changed views. They believe that the period after ovulation is the best time to conceive. It is difficult to predict the exact date of ovulation and how long the egg is going to remain viable as each woman's body is different. So getting pregnant after ovulation is a more believable theory today.

Another factor to be considered is that the time of ovulation can vary in the same woman's body, month after month. She is not able to foretell the exact date of her menstrual cycle. Even women who have had systematic and regular periods all their lives might find their bodies misbehaving some time or the other! This is because various factors come into play to delay the normal ovulation period-ill-health, excessive stress, indulgence in too much of physical activity and so on. Thus, there is hope for disappointed couples yet-getting pregnant after ovulation is a reality!