Fertility gradually diminishes as you age.
Perimenopause describes the transition to menopause.
Perimenopause usually begins in your mid-40s.
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The average age of menopause is 51.Some don’t reach menopause until later, however.
This article will tell you what it’s crucial that you know about the possibility of pregnancy during perimenopause.
What Is Perimenopause?
Perimenopauserefers to the months or years leading up tomenopause.
Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstrual periods, which occurs at an average age of 51.
Periods tend to become irregular during perimenopause.
Are You Pregnant or Perimenopausal?
These tests measure the levels of certain hormones.
FSH levels fluctuate during perimenopause, however, so it is difficult to interpret a single number.
This is why an FSH blood or urine level alone cannot accurately diagnose perimenopause or menopause.
A woman’s symptoms and menstrual history are also needed to complete the diagnosis.
How Do You Know If You’re Still Fertile?
It is not possible to get pregnant after menopause.
You should assume you’re still capable of conceiving until your menstrual periods have ceased for 12 full months.
Do You Still Need Contraception?
What Are the Pregnancy Risks During Perimenopause?
Pregnancy can be higher risk in people who are in perimenopause.
Poor egg quality also increases the chances of birth defects such as Down syndrome.
Down syndrome is due to an error in cell division that produces an extra chromosome.
Consult your healthcare provider if you havent conceived after six months of unprotected intercourse.
The good news is that there are options available to help couples struggling with conceiving a child.
If you don’t want to get pregnant, keep using contraception.
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National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?
Martin JA, Hamilton BE, Osterman MJK, Driscoll AK, Drake P.Births: Final data for 2017.
National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 67 no 8.
Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine.Age and fertility.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine.Reproductive aging in women.
2015;24(1):3-10. doi:10.1089/jwh.2013.4544
