As menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats appear, it’s natural to wonder whether your fertile years are a thing of the past. Stories about perimenopause abound, including that it’s impossible to get pregnant during this three- to four-year period. Read on to learn which ones are true and which are myths.
1. Myth: Once You Reach Perimenopause You’re Too Old to Conceive
Can you get pregnant during perimenopause? The answer is yes. Although the words “perimenopause” and “menopause” are often used interchangeably these days, they’re not the same thing. While fertility during perimenopause does decline, the reproductive years aren’t over yet.
“When you are in perimenopause, it means that your hormone levels are starting to fluctuate because your ovaries are essentially getting old. But you’re still making the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone,” says Monica Christmas, MD, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Menopause Program at the University of Chicago, and associate medical director of the Menopause Society.
You still ovulate during perimenopause. Some women ovulate more than once in a short space of time, which is why those over 40 are more likely to give birth to twins or other multiples.
2. Myth: Your Odds of Getting Pregnant in Perimenopause Are So Low, You Don’t Need Birth Control
The chance of getting pregnant is lower during perimenopause, but it’s not zero. Fertility doesn’t end until menopause. “Somebody who is perimenopausal who does not want to be pregnant really should be using some form of either barrier protection or hormonal birth control to prevent pregnancy,” says Dr. Christmas.
Barrier methods include the condom, cervical cap, and diaphragm. The copper IUD doesn’t block sperm from reaching an egg, but it is toxic to sperm and prevents implantation. The birth control pill, injection, patch, hormonal IUD, and ring are examples of hormonal birth control. Some women choose to have their tubes tied to prevent pregnancy.
3. Fact: Perimenopause Symptoms Are Easy to Confuse With Pregnancy Symptoms
Some symptoms need further evaluation by a doctor. “Anybody experiencing persistent nausea or fatigue should seek care to make sure there’s not some other underlying medical condition that’s contributing,” Christmas says.
4. Myth: Fertility Treatments Will Increase Your Chance of Getting Pregnant
5. Fact: Pregnancy Is Riskier to Your Baby and You
It’s still possible to have a healthy pregnancy in perimenopause. Following a healthy diet, exercising, and avoiding drugs and alcohol can help, along with getting seen by an ob-gyn.
The Takeaway
- Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause, usually in a woman’s forties, when estrogen production slows and periods become more erratic.
- While it’s more difficult to get pregnant during perimenopause, it’s not impossible. Anyone who doesn’t want a pregnancy still needs to use some form of birth control during this time.
- The risk of chromosomal and genetic problems in the baby, and complications in the mother, are higher during perimenopause, but it’s still possible to have a healthy pregnancy.
Read the full article here
