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Can You Get Pregnant After Menopause? The Surprising Answer

Here’s what you need to know about pregnancy after menopause. In this article, learn about fertility treatments, hormonal changes, and potential health risks.

Written by Menocil Staff

Updated on

Can You Get Pregnant After Menopause
Can You Get Pregnant After Menopause

Menopause brings about many life and physical changes for a woman. Many women wonder whether it’s possible to get pregnant after they’ve gone through menopause so in the following article, we will answer this question definitively. We will also address other pertinent factors for women approaching and going through menopause.

Understanding Menopause

So what exactly is menopause? From a purely physiological standpoint, menopause is the time of a woman’s life when her ovaries stop producing hormones. The National Institutes of Health defines menopause in the following way:

“Menopause describes the stage of a woman’s life when her menstrual periods stop permanently, and she can no longer get pregnant. Menopause is not a disease or disorder — it is a normal part of aging for women. The time leading up to menopause is called the menopausal transition or perimenopause.”

This is a sort of broad description of what happens to your body and the different stages that fall under the general term of menopause. To gain a more practical insight into what menopause really means for a woman, let’s look at some of the most important aspects:

  • Hormonal Changes - During perimenopause and menopause, the ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Among other things, the drop-off in the production of these hormones usually brings about menopause symptoms and reduces the likelihood of pregnancy drastically.
  • Menopause Symptoms - The change in hormonal balance can bring about many symptoms. Some of these symptoms include hot flashes, joint pain, loss of bone density, night sweats, poor sleep, mood changes, cognitive decline, trouble remembering things, muscle pain, and more. However, there are high-quality menopause supplements such as Menocil that can help curb these symptoms and make menopause more manageable in general.
  • Menopause Age - Typically, the menopause transition begins during mid-life. A woman can start the perimenopausal cycle as early as 45 years old or as late as 55 years old.
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Pregnancy After Menopause: Is it Possible?

Perimenopause Pregnancy Perimenopause Pregnancy

Now we get to the big question: can you get pregnant after menopause? The short answer is no. You cannot naturally get pregnant after menopause because your body does not produce the hormones needed for ovulation.

The long answer is that it is still possible to get pregnant after menopause with the help of hormone therapy and in vitro fertilization. Naturally, though, it is extremely rare and highly unlikely for a woman to get pregnant after menopause.

Unfortunately, there are also medical conditions that can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant even before they become menopausal. For instance, polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that throws off a woman’s hormonal balance. Polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) results in the production of androgen, a male hormone, and can cause infertility in women.

POS can also cause periods that last for too long and lower the frequency of menstrual cycles to abnormal levels.

Endometriosis is also a condition that can make it difficult to get pregnant. Endometriosis is a condition in which uterus-like cells grow outside of the uterus. This condition can cause painful periods and abnormal menstrual bleeding.

Certain medications can also negatively impact hormones and make it difficult to get pregnant whether you are menopausal or not. Selective serotonin receptors, opioids, steroids, certain thyroid medications, and antidepressants can all disturb hormonal balance and make pregnancy more difficult.

How Likely Is It to Get Pregnant After Menopause?

Menopause and pregnancy share a complex relationship because every woman’s body is different and no possibility can be discounted outright. While it is nearly impossible to get pregnant after menopause, there are very rare exceptions.

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How Can You Tell if You Are Pregnant During Menopause?

Again, pregnancy and menopause are sometimes confusingly intertwined. That’s because many of the same symptoms that occur during menopause are also common during pregnancy. These symptoms can include hot flashes, mood swings, and abnormal menstrual cycles.

If you are between the ages of 45 and 55 and are experiencing these kinds of symptoms, it is most likely menopause. To be sure though, you can try an in-home pregnancy test or speak to your doctor.

Causes of Pregnancy After Menopause

The question, “Can you get pregnant after menopause?” unfortunately has no universal answer because there are things that you can do to increase your chances of conception even while going through menopause. Conceiving a child in the menopausal phase is called perimenopausal pregnancy. Here are some of the factors that can affect perimenopausal pregnancy:

  • Ovulation After Menopause - Again, every woman is different and even though you may be going through the hormonal changes of menopause doesn’t mean that you can’t ovulate. Ovulation after menopause is very rare and unlikely for most women but it has been known to happen and can pave the way for conception.
  • Hormone Therapy - Hormone therapy is also an option for perimenopausal pregnancy or pregnancy after menopause. Your doctor may recommend estrogen injections or other types of hormone supplements to increase the chances of pregnancy. These types of hormone therapy can coax the ovaries into releasing more eggs and boost the likelihood of ovulation.
  • Fertility Treatments - Fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization can also implement pregnancy after menopause. In vitro fertilization is the process of fertilizing a healthy egg with male sperm outside of the female body. The fertilized egg is then implanted in the uterus where the embryo can grow naturally. However, it should be noted that IVF and even hormone therapy are not guaranteed to bring about a healthy pregnancy for women of menopause age.

Health Risks and Considerations

Menopause and Pregnancy Risks Menopause and Pregnancy Risks

It’s important to note that perimenopausal pregnancy is typically not natural. As such, getting pregnant (in any way) when you are approaching or in the throes of menopause does not come without risks. Let’s take a look at some things you should consider before trying for perimenopausal pregnancy:

  1. Health Risks - There are many health risks attributed to perimenopausal pregnancies such as premature birth, miscarriage, gestational diabetes, chromosome issues, stillbirth, and others. Obstetric complications are also possible in which uterine growth restrictions can harm the development of the embryo.
  2. Maternal Health - If you do become pregnant during menopause, it is extremely important to take care of yourself. Frequent doctor visits are necessary and special monitoring to ensure the health of the fetus is required. This is because as an older woman, you are more at risk for developing maternal complications that can endanger your life as well as the baby’s.
  3. Child Health - Getting pregnant after 35 carries certain health risks for the child. Chromosomal abnormalities are much more common in babies that are born to menopausal women. These abnormalities can include Down syndrome, birth defects, and even stillbirth.

Conclusion

So can you get pregnant after menopause? Naturally, it is highly unlikely. But with the help of hormone therapy and fertilization techniques, it is possible. It’s also important to remember that menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life. It is not a disease, illness, or anything that should be stigmatized. It produces hormonal changes that are natural for the female life cycle.

If you are not sure whether you’re pregnant or simply beginning menopause, it’s best to consult with a doctor or at least, try an at-home pregnancy test. And while hormone therapy and IVF can increase your likelihood of carrying a child after menopause, you should consider all the health risks of perimenopausal pregnancy before making a decision.

If you are menopausal and considering getting pregnant, you must consult at length with a physician and fertility expert to help guide you through the process. That’s the best way to get the personalized advice you will need to determine whether perimenopausal pregnancy is right for you and how you might successfully navigate it.