I have irregular periods. Can I still get pregnant if i don't get my period all the time?
- Kim*

Yes! Any time a girl has unprotected sex, she has the potential to become pregnant.

Getting pregnant is related to — the time that a girl is most fertile and has the highest chance of getting pregnant. A girl with irregular periods still ovulates.

All girls, especially those with irregular periods, can ovulate at different points from cycle to cycle, making it impossible for a girl to know when she is most fertile. Irregular periods also can make it hard for a girl to know if she is pregnant, since she doesn't know when to expect her period.

Pregnancy shouldn't be the only concern about being sexually active — any time you have sex, especially unprotected sex, you run the risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Condoms are the best way (other than abstinence, of course!) to protect against both pregnancy and STDs.

Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: July 2009

* Names have been changed to protect user privacy.

Note: Clicking these links will take you to a site outside of KidsHealth's control.