“…women do still get pregnant in their late 40s and
even into their 50s (without using assisted reproduction
techniques). So contraception should be continued until…”.1
Umbrella
What may the Menopause and Pregnancy Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Birth Control
- Conception
- Contraception
- Pregnancy
- Unplanned Pregnancy
Perimenopause Pregnancy
Is it possible to get pregnant during perimenopause?
In Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) elaborate on:
“Your fertility will decline as you age, but while you still ovulate it is possible to get pregnant. In the lead-up to menopause, you can ovulate twice during one cycle. And you can still ovulate up to three months before your final period”.2
On page one in Contraception for the Older Woman the (British) Women’s Health Concern (WHC) note:
“Many women are aware that their fertility declines from their mid 30s and think they can stop using contraception once they are in their 40s. They wrongly assume – because their fertility is lower, they have less sex and their periods may have become irregular – that contraception can be abandoned. However, women do still get pregnant in their late 40s and even into their 50s (without using assisted reproduction techniques). So contraception should be continued until menopause, which is defined as two years after the last natural menstrual period in women under age 50 and until one year after the last natural menstrual period in women over age 50. If menopause cannot be confirmed, contraception should be continued until age 55”.3
Pregnancy 45-49 Years
What is the possibility of pregnancy in women aged 45-49 years?
In Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause the JH explain:
“The possibility of pregnancy in women aged 45–49 years is estimated to be 2–3% per year”.4
Pregnancy After 50
What is the possibility of pregnancy in women after the age of 50?
In Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause the JH note:
“After the age of 50, it’s less than 1%”.5
Contraception Younger Than 50
If younger than 50, can contraception be stopped?
In Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause: When Is It Safe To Stop Contraception? the JH elaborate on:
“If you’re younger than 50 and you don’t want to fall pregnant, you should use contraception for at least two years after your final period”.6
Contraception 50 or Older
If 50 or older, can contraception be stopped?
In Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause: When Is It Safe To Stop Contraception? the JH elaborate on:
“If you’re 50 or older and you don’t want to fall pregnant, you should use contraception for at least one year after your final period. Keep in mind, MHT is not a contraceptive”.7
Contraception After 55
After aged 55, can contraception be stopped?
In Contraception and the Menopause the European Menopause and Andropause Society note:
“Cessation of contraception should be considered after age 55 as spontaneous conception is extremely rare for these women”.8
Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill
What is recommended for the perimenopausal woman needing contraception?
In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause, published online 30 October 2023, the authors explain:
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Is hormone replacement therapy (HRT) a method of contraception?
No. On page four in Contraception for the Older Woman: Hormone Replacement Therapy the WHC note:
“It is important to realise that HRT is not a method of contraception”.10
HRT + Contraception
Can HRT + contraception be necessary?
On page four in Contraception for the Older Woman: Hormone Replacement Therapy the WHC explain:
Once HRT has been started, it can be difficult to know when contraception can be stopped since HRT will often produce regular monthly bleeds. It is best to continue contraception alongside HRT until the age of 55 when contraception is no longer needed”.11
Emergency Contraception
Is emergency contraception available?
Depending on the Country, emergency contraception may be available. Your Country may have a Link similar to the American College of Gynecologist’s Emergency Contraception: Frequently Asked Questions.
Health Care Provider
What if I would like to find out what is the best contraception for me?
The JH advises:
“Talk to your doctor about the best contraception for you”.12
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Menopause and Pregnancy?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Menopause and Pregnancy?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.New or Updated
- ACOG Explains: Birth Control [+ Video] [October 2024]
- Can You Get Pregnant After Menopause? [05 August 2024]
- Contraception [05 March 2024]
- Webinars: Previous – Perimenopausal Contraception [21 May 2024]
- When Does Perimenopause Start and How Do You Define the Beginning [27 November 2024]
- Women Don’t Have A ‘Surge’ In Fertility Before Menopause – but Surprise Pregnancies Can Happen, Even After 45 [30 January 2025]
- A Guide To Birth Control In Your 40s and 50s
- ACOG Explains: Birth Control [+ Video] [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
- Aging Changes In the Female Reproductive System
- Birth Control
- Birth Control
- Birth Control Methods
- Birth Control Options: Things To Consider
- Can You Get Pregnant After Menopause?
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
Contraception
- Contraception
- Contraception
- Contraception Choices: Know All Your Options
- Contraception and the Menopause
- Contraception for the Older Women
- Contraception: Methods of Contraception – Choosing A Method of Contraception
- Contraception: Methods of Contraception – Combined Pill
- Contraception: Methods of Contraception – Condoms
- Contraception: Methods of Contraception – Diaphragm or Cap
- Contraception: Methods of Contraception – IUD (Intrauterine Device) or Copper Coil
- Contraception: Methods of Contraception – Internal (Female) Condoms
- Contraception Choices: Know All Your Options
- EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: EMAS/ESE Webinar Part 1: Fertility In Late Reproductive Age [May 2024]
- Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
- FAQs: Barrier Methods of Birth Control: Spermicide, Condom, Sponge, Diaphragm, and Cervical Cap
- FAQs: Combined Hormonal Birth Control: Pill, Patch, and Ring
- FAQs: Emergency Contraception
- Female Condoms
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society: Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- First Symptoms of Menopause
- Here’s What You Need To Know About Menopause [Video]
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Sexual Wellbeing, Intimacy and Menopause [+ Video: Menopause Is the End of Your Sex Life] [Other Languages and Formats]
- Let’s Talk About Perimenopause
- Looking After Yourself During Menopause
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Perimenopause and Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause Checklist
- Menopause Basics: Should I Continue Using Birth Control During the Transition To Menopause?
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Understanding Menstrual Health and Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide – Reproductive Aging and Midlife
- Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
- Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause: Can I Get Pregnant If I Am In Perimenopause?
- Progestin-Only Hormonal Birth Control: Pill and Injection
- Stages of Menopause
- The Female Condom [+ Image]
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Impending Menopause: How Can Fertility Be Preserved?
- Webinars: Previous – Perimenopausal Contraception
- When Does Perimenopause Start and How Do You Define the Beginning
- Which Method of Contraception Is Right for Me?
- Women Don’t Have A ‘Surge’ In Fertility Before Menopause – but Surprise Pregnancies Can Happen, Even After 45
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Contraception for the Older Woman. Updated: November 2022:1. British Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/contraception-older-woman/ Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Contraception for the Older Woman. Updated: November 2022:1. British Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/contraception-older-woman/ Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause. Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause: When Is It Safe To Stop Contraception? Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause: When Is It Safe To Stop Contraception? Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Contraception and the Menopause. 2022. European Menopause and Andropause Society https://emas-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Contraception-and-the-menopause.pdf Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Definitions. Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Contraception for the Older Woman: Hormone Replacement Therapy. Updated: November 2022:4. British Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/contraception-older-woman/ Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Contraception for the Older Woman: Hormone Replacement Therapy. Updated: November 2022:4. British Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/contraception-older-woman/ Accessed: 30 January 2025
- Looking After Yourself During Menopause: Sex and Relationships – Contraception During Menopause: When Is It Safe To Stop Contraception? Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself Accessed: 30 January 2025