Can a Girl Get Pregnant if Her Periods Are Irregular?

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 ovulation — the time that a girl is most fertile and has the highest chance of getting pregnant. A girl with irregular periods still ovulates, just not on a regular, predictable schedule.

All girls, especially girls with irregular periods, can ovulate at different points from cycle to cycle. That makes 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 having sex, though. Any time you have sex, especially unprotected sex, you risk getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Condoms are the best way (other than abstinence, of course!) to protect against both pregnancy and STDs.

*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.