To just stop taking the pill and assume I am now infertile ?

[Goodskin46]

I am 46 for the last 4 years have been back on the pill as the coil started causing problems in my 40's. I haven't taken it now for 3 weeks, no bleeding, negative pregnacy test. Last period was probrably April. Googling chance of conception is very low (less than 1%). WIBU to just not start it again, assuming I am now infertile. Then if no period for a year see GP for HRT ?. I have no menopause symptoms.

I agree. I mean, they've even managed to Google that the chance of conception is low but yet still don't seem to understand that low doesn't equate to zero. Where's the basic common sense?

Up to you if you want to stop the Pill but you absolutely cannot 'assume you are now infertile'. That's really not how fertility and menopause work.

Your last period was April and we're barely halfway into June. It can take ages for periods to regulate after you stop the Pill, so the fact that you missed a period in May is absolutely not an indication that you're infertile. Plenty of women get pregnant in their late 40s. Just because the chances of conception are lower, it doesn't mean it's impossible.

Then if no period for a year see GP for HRT ?. I have no menopause symptoms.

I think you see the GP for HRT if you need it. I can't imagine simply turning up based on not having a period for a year will be enough.

I used to take the mini pill, the first time I came off it it took 3 months to have a period so I wouldn't assume based on 3 weeks

No period so soon after coming off the pill isn't surprising. Use condoms if you don't like others now. I'm not going back on the pill, either condoms, pull out or no sex here. (Pull out is because it wouldn't be the end of the world if another turned up tbh) or DH can get the snip. I've done my share.

The time between periods got longer for me as things started to wind down at the same age.
No way would I have assumed I was infertile

Unless you are hoping you may get pregnant I wouldn’t, unprotected sex is no smarter at 46 (unless you’ve already been through the menopause), than it is at 16. But obviously I’d you’d be happy with a pregnancy then go for it.

I got pregnant at 46 and needed an abortion. It was awful. I was menopausal and on HRT.
I no longer assume infertility!

Unless you are in a position/ want to have a child never assume infertility! Be that your own or if a man tells you he is infertile.

I wouldn't assume anything just yet. My period took over 6 months to come back after the pill, although doctors swear it doesn't affect your cycle long term. I also know several women in their mid forties who had surprise pregnancies assuming they wouldn't get pregnant because they were too old.

Just to reiterate what other's have said.. don't risk it! I was slightly younger than you (40), had been trying for a baby with then partner for well over a year with no luck. Was very underweight at the time and periods had stopped. Had a couple of medical examinations to determine my chance of falling pregnant and was basically told that there was no chance (off the record) by one of the drs I saw. So that was that or so i thought. Fast forward a few months and split with partner, got back in touch with an ex and after sleeping together just the once, discovered i was pregnant with his baby. Hadn't used contraception as stupidly thought i was now infertile. Went through weeks off hell not knowing whether to abort or not (the ex didn't want to know) so was on my own completely with the decision. Please don't put yourself in my position op.

I’m 25 and stopped the pill after years of use in mid march. I still haven’t had my period and definitely not pregnant. The gynaecologist said it isn’t unusual. I absolutely wouldn’t risk it after 3 weeks.

A friend had a child at 48 after thinking along the same lines as you. But she hadn’t had a period for a year. Be careful unless you actually want a baby.

My granny had her last baby at 46. Just saying.

Are you unlikely to carry a baby to term?
Yes.
Are you unlikely to have an RTA when you drive to the supermarket?
Also yes, but you wear a seatbelt because if it DOES happen, it could be enormously nasty.

Doctors make the recommendations PP have detailed because they see those cases.

"I can't get pregnant" followed by "I am pregnant" followed by "I decided to keep the baby but the tests show the poor thing has abnormalities incompatible with life and now I need a TFMR at 20 weeks".

Why, why would you put yourself in the firing line for something like that? Life is too short. Don't risk heartbreak for no reason. There's enough sadness in the world already.

Was it the combined pill? Did you have withdrawal bleeds when you took it? There should have been some sort of bleed after stopping it even if you had (highly unlikely) gone through the menopause while taking it. I would suspect either pregnancy or some sort of hormone imbalence. If you had your usual withrawal bleed then stopped taking it then it could still take time for your cycles to return to normal.

Well OP you know what they say about what happens when you ASSUME...
It makes an ASS of U and ME!

Seriously I'm 49, I stopped taking depo provera injection early 2019. I didn't have a period for about a year, and since then I've only had about 3, but they're still happening so as far as I'm aware, I'm still ovulating occasionally. So I'm using condoms each and every time.

I was actually diagnosed with unknown-cause infertility in my late 20s and never managed to conceive despite many many years trying. Despite that I'd never take the chance now as a pregnancy would completely fuck up my current life (hence being on depo once my life and career choices went in another direction.)

Sorry for radio silence, been at work then running teenagers around. Yes the combined pill, no withdrawal bleed of any kind. Condoms are not an option (long story) so it's hormonal contraception or nothing really (not fair to ask DH to undergo the snip for last few years of fertilty IMO). I just thinks it's a bit weird to keep taking it even if I am not having periods anymore. How long would you all keep going for ? Till 48 ? 49? 50 ? would it then be reasonable to assume no longer fertile ?

A pregnacy wouldn't be a disaster, I am well aware that chances of miscarriage and abnormalities would be sky high.

I just thinks it's a bit weird to keep taking it even if I am not having periods anymore.

But your last period was April, so you are still having periods?

If you're on the combined pill you don't have periods anyway - the bleed you get on your week "off" is not a period - so you actually have no idea whether you would still be menstruating or not.

Why not get a coil?

I quoted the guidelines in my previous post which gave the recommendations. Essentially if you can’t prove menopause, they say stay on the pill until 55.

Also, they tend to recommend either the coil or the implant once you are over 45.

Ihave a half sister (perfectly healthy) born to a lady touching 50 so I wouldn’t make assumptions

not fair to ask DH to undergo the snip for last few years of fertilty IMO

Why not? I never understand why contraception is seen as the woman's responsibility in a marriage.

I had the coil before and ended up bleeding continously. I have to say another 10 years of putting artificial hormones in my body doesn't really apeal. I have stopped it this time as a sort of experiement to see if I am still having periods. The side effects of vasectomy are pretty significant I know it's right for some couples but wouldn't be for us. Many websites suggest conception after 45 is pretty unlikely (I know that's not the same as impossible) but a 2 or 3% chance which is the absolute best odds of sucessful pregnamcy might be acceptable. PP s make good points about mosscarriage and congenital anomalies.