Is it possible to get pregnant during menopause (if there is no period): after menopause at 50-55 years

If a man retains reproductive capacity for the rest of his life, then the number of female germ cells (oocytes) is depleted by an average of 50 years. Sometimes menopause occurs much earlier, in women under forty. Doctors say that against the background of already irregular, but not yet terminated menstruation, pregnancy with menopause is quite possible. The conception that has occurred during the transition period is easy to confuse with the first signs of premenopause, so a lady should pay attention to the signals of her body at this time.

The likelihood of pregnancy during menopause

Even before birth, a certain number of eggs are laid in the girl's appendages, which will mature and wait for fusion with the sperm throughout her life. From this volume of germ cells, 1-2 are lost during each arrival of menstruation.

Upon reaching 48-50, the functions of the reproductive system fade away - a gradual decrease in the volume of the hormone estrogen produced, which supports the activity of the appendages, begins. Along with a decrease in the level of this substance in the body, the chances of a possible conception are also lost. Age-related changes in the female body are complemented by the following:

1. The endometrium (the inner layer of the uterus) is gradually replaced by muscle tissue. It prevents embryo attachment and pregnancy.
2. In the tissues of the mammary glands, the process of atrophy is triggered, due to which many women aged 53–55 years are diagnosed with cysts and benign tumors.
3. Chronic diseases, problems with the heart and blood vessels, glands of the endocrine system are aggravated.

More and more menstruation cycles pass without ovulation, critical days come with a delay, and after a while they stop altogether. After menstruation has ceased to appear, and the doctor has ascertained the onset of menopause, it will no longer be possible to get pregnant.

Read about the reasons why there is no period, and the test is negative in the article at the link.

To figure out whether it will be possible to get pregnant during menopause, you need to understand that complete the extinction of the functions of the reproductive system does not occur at the same time, this process is stretched to years.

The chances of conceiving are increased for women who have not smoked, abused alcohol, played sports, and practiced prolonged breastfeeding after childbirth throughout their lives.

The level of hormones in the female body does not remain at a constant level. According to doctors, estradiol levels can fluctuate and sometimes dramatically reach the level of a 35-year-old woman, even if the lady is already over 40. Therefore, during each menstrual cycle, the chances of pregnancy are at least 10%, even after the first signs of menopause appear.

Possibility of conception depending on the climacteric stage

The answer to the question of whether a woman can get pregnant during menopause depends on how long ago signs of aging of the reproductive system, from heredity, the presence of chronic diseases and many factors.

One of them is the stage of menopause, there are three of them in total:

1. Premenopause is a time period during which a woman still has her period, but the process of ovarian depletion and a decrease in estrogen levels has already started.
2. Menopause is the last menstrual period and no further bleeding.
3. Postmenopause is a condition in which the thickness of the endometrium of the uterus remains constant, estrogen and progesterone are not produced, and pregnancy does not occur.

You can not take the word menopause as an unequivocal impossibility of the onset of conception. Even with severe symptoms (hot flashes, long delays in menstruation), the lady should protect herself until the doctor makes a record in her card that fertility is completely absent.

Premenopause

During premenopause, the concentration in the blood of progesterone and estrogen is already lowered, but the level follicle-stimulating hormone, under the influence of which follicles grow and develop in the appendages, still normal. During this period, a woman marks the first appearance symptoms of an approaching menopause:

• instability of menstruation;
• lengthening the intervals between menstruation;
• change in the volume of lost menstrual blood;
• hot flashes that can last from a few minutes to an hour;
• increased sweating;
• soreness in the joints;
• drops in blood pressure.

A common symptom of impending menopause (hot flashes) cannot signal 100% the termination of the fertile stage. For many women, it manifests itself 10-15 years before the onset of true menopause.

A woman has the highest chance of becoming a mother just during premenopause.

Menopause

Many representatives of the fair sex at the age of 48 and older ask doctors if it is possible to accidentally become pregnant with menopause if there are almost no menstruation, the probability of fertilization remains for the entire duration of menopause (2.5-3.5 years), although it is small.

Menopause takes place in several stages:

• violation of the regularity of the arrival of menstruation;
• critical days come every two to three months;
• menstruation does not appear for more than 24 months.

Even if the signs of menopause last more than 12 months, there are no menstruation, it is guaranteed to say that fertility has completely died out only by 90%. To assess the condition of the reproductive sphere, a woman can do an ultrasound. The doctor will find out the size of the appendages, how many follicles and eggs they have, and after that he will be able to conclude whether the patient is capable of becoming a mother even at 60 years old.

Postmenopause

During the first five years from the onset of postmenopause, small follicles are still preserved in the appendages, which means the theoretical possibility of pregnancy, the phase itself lasts 5-10 years. The ovaries gradually decrease in size due to their depletion, and by the end of postmenopause it is only 1.53 cm, which is three times lower than in women of reproductive age.

If a lady really wants to get pregnant during the last stage of menopause, she will have to agree to implantation of a donor egg. For the entire period of gestation, she will have to use hormone-based drugs, and after childbirth, a complete cessation of fertility will immediately occur.

Experts answer the question of whether a woman can intentionally become pregnant after menopause at the age of 50-55, in the affirmative if she agrees to implantation of the donor egg, but is not advised to resort to procedure.

The drugs used can negatively affect health - provoke the growth of fibroids and cysts.

Signs of menopause

If a lady does not lead an active sex life, but is afraid of the onset of an unwanted conception, then even during the approach menopause, she must listen to the signals of the body and determine the time when the chances of fertilization begin decline. The beginning of the extinction of reproductive function is manifested by the following symptoms:

1. Hot flashes are bouts of fever and redness on the skin.
2. Increased sweating - a woman begins to sweat during low physical exertion and strongly during hot flashes.
3. Emotional instability - the lady becomes irritable, aggressive, or tearful and prone to depression.
4. Poor sleep - problems with falling asleep are noted, sleep is superficial, often interrupted.
5. Changes in skin condition - wrinkles become more visible on the face, especially around the lips.
6. Weakness - the feeling of tiredness does not go away even after 8-9 hours of sleep.
7. Fragility of bones - associated with the gradual leaching of calcium from the bones against the background of drastic hormonal changes.
8. Lack of libido - arises from a decrease in the production of sex hormones and the lack of the required amount natural vaginal lubrication (due to which intimate contact brings psychological and physical the discomfort).

There is no guarantee that pregnancy cannot occur in the presence of the listed symptoms. Therefore, if you do not want to become a mother after fifty, you should go to a gynecologist and choose a method of contraception that is suitable for menopause.

Symptoms and diagnosis of premenopausal pregnancy

Is it possible to suddenly become pregnant with menopause and how to determine that conception has occurred - there are chances of conception, but not everyone can find out about its occurrence in time. Since menstruation is not regular, many ladies do not pay attention to their absence, not knowing about their interesting situation and turn to the gynecologist for a period of 8-12 weeks.

It's important not to ignore the signs of pregnancy:

• swelling and enlargement of the breast in size;
• change in taste preferences;
• intolerance to some odors;
• morning sickness;
• dizziness;
• increased fatigue, drowsiness.

The listed signs are not specific, especially against the background of an already begun menopause - it is up to a specialist to determine whether conception has occurred.

Standard pregnancy tests respond to a urinary hCG level of 25-30 mU / ml, which is recorded at the third week of gestation. In a situation with menopause, home diagnostics becomes more complicated - against the background of hormonal changes, the test is more likely to give a false positive or false negative result. Therefore, if you suspect pregnancy, you should visit a doctor, donate blood for a study of hormone levels and undergo an ultrasound scan.

Signs of ectopic pregnancy

During menopause, many have exacerbated chronic diseases of the small pelvis, aggravated by a sharp hormonal change. A woman may not pay attention to the absence of menstruation, but should not ignore the following dangerous signs:

• pulling pains in the lower abdomen, more pronounced on one side;
• lowering blood pressure;
• weakness;
• blanching of the skin;
• light-headedness;
• pregnancy test with two strips, one of which may appear very weak.

If you have such symptoms, you must immediately call an ambulance and go to the hospital. An ectopic pregnancy is dangerous to the health of a young woman, and during menopause it threatens the patient's life.

Why pregnancy is dangerous after 40 years

It is quite widely believed that conception and subsequent childbirth, even at 50 years old, can rejuvenate a woman's body, relieve her from diseases, give her strength and energy, but doctors warn that menopause and pregnancy in combination potentially dangerous. Why experts do not advise giving birth to children upon reaching the climacteric age:

1. The existing somatic diseases of the spine, endocrine system, heart and blood vessels are aggravated, the kidneys and liver cannot function as fully as before.
2. The risk of developing diabetes is high.
3. Arterial hypertension, if a woman suffered from it even before pregnancy, can cause the development of eclampsia - a serious condition that threatens the life of the pregnant woman and the baby.
4. The likelihood of congenital fetal abnormalities.
5. The risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases due to aberrations (distortions) accumulated in the DNA materials.

Even if at 55 years old a woman manages to successfully bear and give birth to a baby, she will face great stress, associated with sleepless nights, increased physical activity, which is fraught with complications for health.

Protection methods

Patients who are interested in whether it is possible to suddenly become pregnant during menopause in the complete absence of menstruation, doctors strongly advise using a suitable method of contraception until the complete extinction of the reproductive functions.

Suitable contraceptives include:

1. Mirena is a spiral that can be installed even during the premenopausal period. Has a complex effect, while releasing hormonal substances.
2. Oral contraceptives are selected strictly in conjunction with a doctor, since after 45-50 years they have a lot of contraindications.
3. Patches containing hormones - are attached to the skin for several weeks, help relieve the symptoms of menopause (it is recommended to use only with a spiral).

If the last menstrual period in a woman under fifty years old was more than two years ago, she can no longer use protection, for women with the onset of menopause after 50, this period is reduced to a year.

The onset of pregnancy during menopause is a very possible outcome of unprotected intercourse. If a lady does not want to become pregnant after 45 years, she should use a reliable method of contraception. In the event of a late pregnancy, it is worth carefully weighing the pros and cons and deciding on the possibility of childbirth together with the attending doctor.