First Let's Understand Perimenopause:
If you want to know if you can get pregnant during perimenopause then it helps to understand what this new stage of your life looks like.
Perimenopause is the time in a woman’s life where the female hormone estrogen starts to decline and fluctuate wildly.
This stage is the run up to menopause and can happen up to 10 years before your menopause starts.
A woman is considered to be in menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months.
This decline in estrogen leads to a number of perimenopausal symptoms including changing periods. Changing periods means that your fertility is changing.
What Is The Average Age of Perimenopause?
There are general rules of thumb when it comes to the stages of menopause and I have put them above in the diagram for you.
However, I started perimenopause when I was 37 and my Mum reached menopause by 41 so being perimenopausal in your forties is quite common.
Can You Get Pregnant During Perimenopause?
The very simple answer to this is yes.
You can absolutely still get pregnant during perimenopause. It is considered that if you are still having a menstrual cycle then you can still get pregnant.
There are a few things to consider here, your age being one.
Women over 40 have a lower chance of becoming pregnant but it is still entirely possible.
It is only when we are 55 and over that medical professionals tell us we can be confident that we won’t get pregnant.
Your body’s production of estrogen and progesterone is key when it comes to being fertile and getting pregnant.
We know as we age these hormones decline, so does our chances of getting pregnant.
Do You Still Ovulate During Perimenopause?
Even though our periods are irregular during perimenopause our ovaries are still producing eggs.
So yes, you are still ovulating during perimenopause.
Ovulation is different for every woman and during this stage of life your symptoms of ovulation might feel different to before.
Also you might start to ovulate at different times to when you would ovulate in your cycle before.
From the research I have done around ovulation, there are some women who might ovulate twice in a month and others who skip a month.
Just as our hormones are all over the place, so are our ovulation cycles.
Do You Still Need To Use Contraception During Perimenopause?
If you don’t want to get pregnant, then 100% you should be using contraception.
I am no medical professional and I do not have all the answers to this. But I do know that I, as a perimenopausal woman, do not want another baby so I use contraception.
If you are taking HRT then you need to talk to your doctor about what is best for you and what works best with your hormones.
The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) advises these general guidelines on using contraception.
- If you are under 50 you should be using contraception for two years after your last period.
- If you are over 50 you should be using contraception for 1 year after your last period.
- If you are over 55 you can ditch the contraception even if you have sporadic periods.
Closing Thoughts
If you have had your kids, or are perfectly happy without kids, then this stage of life is not that bad.
For women who have struggled to conceive, are now ready to have a child or any other reason that they want children, this is a scary time.
Can you get pregnant during perimenopause? The highltight is on YOU. Can you, is something you need to speak to a medical professional about.
But take comfort that this stage of your life does not mean all bets are off for children.
Speak to professionals and get the right advice.
Kathryn x