Periods and contraception at 53

[maslinpan]

I got my last coil removed a few months ago. I hadn't had any bleeding for years, but now I have had two periods (21days apart) which I am not pleased about. As I have had some perimenopausal symptoms, my assumption is that there's very little risk of pregnancy and hence no need to use contraception. Is there any pregnancy risk at all, or am I being reckless? How can I test my fertility?

Nhs seems to say 55 is the cut off age for not needing contraception.

I think it's if you have not had a period for a year it's safe without contraception ,so you do need to use some .

Menopause (when your periods stop permanently and you're no longer fertile) is usually diagnosed:

• if you're over 50 and have not had a period for more than 12 months
• if you're under 50 and have not had a period for more than 2 years

These rules do not apply if you're taking hormonal contraception.

All women can stop using contraception at the age of 55 as getting pregnant naturally after this is very rare. For safety reasons, women are advised to stop the combined pill at 50 and change to a progestogen-only pill or other method of contraception.

If you are still having periods, you still need to use contraception.
And continue to do so for a year after it (if over 50) or two years (if under 50)

Google shows a lot of places offering fertility testing, but these are aimed at assessing those who have been unable to conceive and are beginning to think about intervention. AFAIK they do not offer guarantees that you are infertile.

Do think about the impact an unexpected pregnancy would have on you. Miscarriage rates are much higher, but going through that would has its own impact

Thanks all, I really thought I was done with all this but it's not worth the risk. Off to clinic I go. Although having teenagers in the adjacent bedrooms and thin walls does act as quite an effective deterrent...