How confident are you in the advice that you don't need contraception after 55?

[Gelatibon]

GP (and written NHS advice) says it's not required, even if you're still having some periods, after 55th birthday...

I know pregnancy is unlikely and a successful one even less so, but....

My mum's friend got pregnant at 57. She assumed she'd had the menopause so wasn't using precautions. Apparently the baby was fine at birth. Haven't heard anything since. Must be extremely rare though.

During these types of real life conversations I have a friend who ALWAYS mentions a colleague of ours who had her children at 53 and 55. She’s been bringing her up for 15 years now. Saying how she will not be coming off contraception until 60 because of this.
No amount of telling her that our colleague used donor eggs will change her views on this. The colleague is very open about her use of donor. I remind friend each time she brings it up. Her response is always “oh yes that’s right. I couldn’t imagine having a baby that age though so I’m just sticking to my contraception.”
But then at the next opportunity she’s in there with “well I know someone who got pregnant at 53 and 55 so it’s definitely possible to conceive at that age!!” And round we go again.

I had a gynae consultant tell me that I’d be ‘finished with all that by 55’ when talking about periods/bleeding. I told him that I wouldn’t bet on it.

But 50 isn't 55

When I was a child my DM cleaned for a lady who had retired in her early 50’s, and then had a surprise baby. She spent a lot of that pregnancy on bed rest, and then spent a lot of time leaving baby with various people while she played golf!

Oh and I technically stopped using contraception aged 39 (was actually TTC). I’m 45 now and never conceived (including with IVF an few times) other than one early miscarriage at 6 weeks aged 40. Nothing at all in the past 5 years since that. So I won’t be bothering with contraception anymore at all. I’ve had regular periods all my life. Still ovulate every month. But nothing.

Those are really interesting figures. Can I have the link to that article? Still having frighteningly regular periods when I started HRT in my mid fifties. Know that the chances were extremely slim but would be interested in that paper/article.

Exactly. Pregnancies can dangerous under the best of circumstances. I would not want to risk one with a high chance of complications.

Even if you no longer have any periods, you are still at risk of STI's. So I don't think I would ever be comfortable to have sex without condoms, unless I actually wanted to get pregnant.

Contraception is not just about the possibility of pregnancy. A man could give you an STI, so one night stands and new relationships can carry a risk too if condoms not used.

I would definitely, definitely use contraception in late 40s! Stopping using contraception at 47 is just reckless. Before contraception existed it would not have been that rare for women to get pregnant in their late 40s. Most women would probably know of someone that happened to.

By 55 I would not be concerned.

Yes, menopausal age women are the group HIV rates are rising in. They think they can’t get pregnant and they don’t think about the STD risk.

My Nan who hadn’t had a period for 2 years had a set of twins at 48 my grandad didn’t speak to her for a couple of years apparently he was furious. So I would be very cautious.

Poor woman. What a horrible situation.

Doesn't prove they were actually pregnant; before adoption became so strictly regulated, private arrangements were much more common. Find some pregnant teenager and voilà! Baby at 50.

@Corinthiana this was in the 50’s but honestly how ridiculous was my grandad acting like it was nothing to with him.

That's just such a ridiculous reaction, isn't it? I'm sure he was shocked, but your poor gran with baby twins and a huffy husband! I'm sure she coped, but that's tough.

My friend was having regular periods until 57, she then had a hysterectomy. Sadly she passed 8 months later for unrelated reasons but I personally would be wary of stopping contraception at 55 as I wouldn’t want to have the trauma of a termination, and I wouldn’t want a baby at 55 (my eldest would be 39!).

And she’s clearly lying about the natural conception 🙄

Yes, that happened with our neighbours when I was young. They were almost 50 and childless, and adopted a baby from a girl, pretending it was the woman's late surprise pregnancy.

I am 52 and still having periods. I am also a naturally cautious person so can imagine I will continue with contraception for a long long while.

FWIW my mother did not actually go through menopause until she was about 60. I recall her being extremely annoyed about it.

But that’s 48 not 55!

But OP is not someone who is hoping to have a baby at 55. She's someone who wants to know the risk of unwanted pregnancy is passed. So statistics on successful pregnancies in 50s are not as relevant as statistics on pregnancies full stop. What she wants to know is, can she rely on her age to mean she will not get pregnant. Nobody wants to go through miscarriage.

I have a mirena that needs changing when I’m 53, I said did I need another my gp says I should as she’s had to arrange two abortions for women in their 50’s who thought they couldn’t get pregnant. I don’t know if I’ll get periods as the mirina close to stopped them apart from a little spotting which I still get at nearly 52.

Yes, but I was referring to her situation, not her age. Read the grandad's reaction.

This thread is interesting. I'm 55 and STILL having periods. I do miss one here and there, and can have a very heavy one out of the blue. DH has had the snip, but if he hadn't, I don't think I'd be happy to not use contraception. Just in case! I'm honestly sick of it now, and just wish they would bugger off. Sometimes they are really heavy. I find myself opting for dark clothing if we are travelling, just in case a heavy one comes on unawares. Fed up of it!