Menopause when is it safe to stop contraception

Sexual Problems at Midlife. Causes of Sexual Problems. Effective Treatments for Sexual Problems. Frequently Asked Questions. Give Us YourFeedback. Although fertility falls during perimenopause, women are not fully protected from an unplanned pregnancy until they have reached menopause, which means 12 straight months without a period.

Even if you have a few months without a period, you can still get pregnant. Some IUDs contain the hormone levonorgestrel, a kind of progestin, which helps decrease or even eliminate heavy menstrual bleeding, a common problem for women in their 40s. These types of IUDs last 3 to 5 years. Another kind of IUD is made of copper, does not contain hormones and can last up to 10 years.

Both types of IUD and the contraceptive implant, a small flexible rod which is inserted under the skin of your arm for 3 years of birth control, are collectively called long-acting reversible contraception LARC. There are pills called Plan B One-Step which you can get at your local pharmacy without a prescription.

They contain the hormone levonorgestrel and delay ovulation or release of an egg. They do not interfere with an established pregnancy or cause a miscarriage. Plan B should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sex but must be taken within 72 hours. Another option which is more effective, especially if you are heavier, is Ella. Ella is effective in decreasing the risk of pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex but requires a prescription.

No reliable laboratory tests are available to confirm definitive loss of fertility in a woman. The assessment of follicle-stimulating hormone levels to determine when a woman is no longer fertile might not be accurate Health-care providers should consider the risks for becoming pregnant in a woman of advanced reproductive age, as well as any risks of continuing contraception until menopause.

Pregnancies among women of advanced reproductive age are at higher risk for maternal complications, such as hemorrhage, venous thromboembolism, and death, and fetal complications, such as spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, and congenital anomalies — Risks associated with continuing contraception, in particular risks for acute cardiovascular events venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, or stroke or breast cancer, also are important to consider. MEC 1 5. MEC 2 5. However, women in this age group might have chronic conditions or other risk factors that might render use of hormonal contraceptive methods unsafe; U.