Stopping your birth control pill should be based on the menopause symptoms that you feel and based on the recommendation of gynecologist. The perimenopause periods are irregular, yet, this does not mean free sex because women can still be fertile during menopause. This is why we advise to follow recommendations of a gynecologist in the early stages of menopause.
You may still be fertile during menopause
As women’s fertility does not stop right away, the first recommendation is to consult a gynecologist and if there is no possibility to see a gynecologist right away, our recommendation would be to keep up with the birth control pill in the perimenopause.
The perimenopause or pre-menopause, the transitional period that precedes menopause, can last from a few months to several years.
It is defined by hormonal fluctuations that causes irregular periods.
Having a hormonal check or a hormonal treatment in pre-menopause is not advised because hormones levels vary so much from one moment to another, it’s making interpretation rather challenging and possibly incorrect. Hence, staying on an effective contraceptive method is the safest option because fertility may still be on point.
A diminution in ovarian follicles starts from age 35, which speeds up in pre-menopause, and causes a loss in fertility. Although this varies hugely from one woman to another, the probability of a woman becoming unexpectedly pregnant after 45 is around 15%.
For this reason, contraception is recommended to women in perimenopause with an active sex life 1
After 50, the risk of pregnancy is rare but local contraception remains recommended.
We suggest women to stop their birth control pill to see if their menstruation cycle returns or not. Once menopause has occurred, the ovaries no longer produce follicles or hormones, making pregnancy impossible.
Key elements to remember during pre-menopause:
- You don’t become unfertile as soon as you enter the premenopausal.
- after 45 is around 15%
Quick tip:
- follow regularly with gynecologist to know when to stop birth control pills
