Family Planning in the Perimenopausal Phase

More and more women today begin to have children well into their late 30s and early 40s. Also a time many experience symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, night sweats or irregular periods.

Feelings of worry and anxiety about future infertility are common in perimenopausal women, especially those who want to have more children before they reach menopause. Keep reading below to learn about family planning during perimenopause.

Facts About Irregular Periods and Fertility

If you are near menopausal age and have experienced irregular periods, keep these things in mind:

You Can Get Pregnant During Perimenopause

Menopause only occurs after a woman has not had her period for 12 month; therefore, you can get pregnant even if you are experiencing irregular periods. If you skip your period for a couple months and it returns, you can still get pregnant.

However, in the perimenopausal phase it is common for women to experience anovulation,(ovaries do not release an egg during the menstrual cycle). If anovulation occurs, you may experience bleeding but not ovulation.

Research suggests that by the age of 40, a woman’s chance of getting pregnant during her menstrual cycle is just 5%. For more information about fertility and irregular periods, click here, or keep reading below to learn about ways to improve chances of fertility.

Way To Improve Chances of Pregnancy for Perimenopausal Women

Most experts suggest that if you are over 35 and trying to get pregnant, you should schedule an appointment with a family care physician after six months of unprotected sex. There, you can discuss treatments that will improve your chances of infertility in the perimenopausal phase.

• Herbal Remedies: Naturally-occurring herbs may increase the chances for fertility by treating hormonal balances in perimenopausal women. There are two types of herbs used to treat menopausal: phytoestrogenic and non-estrogenic herbs.

Phytoestrogenic herbs (e.g. Dong quai) treat infertility by releasing compounds into the body that mimic the effects of estrogen and restore hormonal imbalances.
Non-estrogenic herbs (e.g. Macafem) treat infertility by naturally bolstering the body’s production of essential hormones like estrogen. Click here for more information about treatments for irregular periods that may help with infertility.

• IVF: During an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure, fertility drugs are injected into the female body to stimulate the ovaries. Once the healthy eggs are developed and retrieved, they are placed with male sperm in a laboratory incubator to allow fertilization to occur.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, IVF is 15-20% effective for women ages 38 -40 and only 6 – 10% effective for women over 40.

If you are considering IVF, be sure to talk with your doctor about the risks of IVF, which include severe nausea or vomiting, severe abdominal pain and shortness of breath.

Learning more about irregular periods as a symptom of menopause is important to your well-being. Click here for an overview of the symptoms, causes and treatments for irregular periods.