If you are a woman between the ages of 45 and 50 and have recently stopped menstruating, do not think that the prospect of motherhood no longer applies to you. There is a misconception that the first signs of menopause are synonymous with the end of fertility. Nothing more wrong! Such stereotypical thinking often leads to an unplanned pregnancy. So what do you need to know and what to do to avoid accidental motherhood at a later age?
Menopauza ≠ Climacterium
First of all, it is necessary to refer to the very meaning of the word menopause, which in colloquial understanding is used as a synonym for the following terms: menopause or menopause and refers to the whole, long-term process. In medicine, however menopause it means only the last menstruation in a woman’s life, i.e. the moment of complete, physiological cessation of fertility.
Typical menopause symptoms
First of all, you need to be aware that menopause does not start overnight, but is a process stretched over time. The first and most common symptoms are: • irregular menstruation or lack thereof, • hot flashes, • shortness of breath, • excessive sweating, • chronic fatigue, • difficulty falling asleep, insomnia, • mood swings, irritability, • nagging headaches and muscle pains • vaginal dryness • frequent urination or incontinence • trouble concentrating.
Premenopausal period
The occurrence of the above symptoms is not tantamount to loss of fertility. Our body needs time to adapt to the new situation. This time is usually called the premenopausal period. It usually affects women between the ages of 45 and 50. And then there is the risk of unplanned motherhood. We think that since we stop menstruating, we can stop thinking about contraception. This is a wrong assumption. Ovulation may still occur at the beginning of menopause. During this period, the work of the ovaries gradually stops and the production of estrogens, i.e. female sex hormones responsible for reproduction, decreases. Menstruation is irregular or absent at all.
Menopause
It used to be assumed that women can get pregnant up to a year after the last menstrual period. It is only after another twelve months without menstruation that you are sure that you are past the menopause. It is worth making an appointment with a gynecologist at this time, who will order tests to be 100% sure in this matter. For this purpose, specialized hormonal tests are carried out. Sufficiently low value of hormone concentration:
• FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) < 30 units/liter • Estradiol (E2) < 30 pictograms/milliliter,
then you are already infertile.
It is therefore not possible to get pregnant after menopause. However, you need to be especially careful in the period immediately preceding it. It is then worth considering the selection of appropriate contraceptives to protect against unplanned motherhood.