Tonic Doctor: Can I Still Get Pregnant During Menopause?
“Can you settle an argument I had with my friends? We’re all in our early 50s and going through menopause. I thought that once you stopped having periods you could no longer fall pregnant. My friends say that as long as you’re having menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, you may still need contraception. Who’s right?”
You’re both right! Having menopausal symptoms is not the same as being post-menopausal. Menopause means “last period”, and typically occurs around 51 years of age, although it can occur earlier or later. After menopause, your ovaries no longer produce eggs and you cannot fall pregnant. But menopause is only diagnosed after the event, and periods are typically erratic in the lead-up to menopause. You don’t know that you are having your last period until well after it occurs.
So when it comes to contraception, it is useful to think in terms of lower risk rather than zero risk of pregnancy. Guidelines suggest that if you are under 50, you should use contraception for two years after your last period. If you are over 50, then use contraception for one year after your last period. If you have a hormonal IUD fitted and don’t get periods, that will provide the contraception you need, but only a blood test will tell you when menopause has finally happened.
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This information is general only. Always seek advice from a medical practitioner about your personal health conditions. We do not accept any liability for any injury, loss or damage caused by use of the information provided in our website.
Answer provided by_ Dr Emma Boulton, director of Clinic 66.
Photos_Nataliya Vaitevich + Anna Shvets/Pexels