According to the definition, the climacterium is the period of the organism's existence, characterized by the extinction of the function of the reproductive system. With the termination of the functioning of the ovaries, the eggs also cease to ripen, and hence the conception of the child becomes impossible.
It would seem that the answer to the question: "Can I get pregnant after menopause?" - should be unambiguous. But in fact, menopause, like any other process in a living organism, takes time. As a result, according to medical statistics, the incidence of unplanned pregnancies is between 40-55 years higher than between 25-35.
So is pregnancy possible after menopause? And how will the late birth affect the condition of the mother and her child?
Menopause from the point of view of the possibility of conception
The average age of onset of menopause is 52.5 years. However, the process of reducing reproductive functions begins much earlier. Since the age of 35, ovarian function has faded. By the age of 45, the production of hormones is significantly reduced, and then the eggs are ripened.
To more accurately determine whether a woman can become pregnant after menopause, physicians offer a classification of the stages of menopause.
- Premenopause - the function of the ovaries is reduced, but not stopped. The ability to become pregnant during this period is very high. The absence of menstruation for several months quite often serves as an excuse for refusing protection, and the desire to prove that the onset of menopause has not turned a woman into an asexual being often pushes the lady to more sexual activity. As a result, it turns out that after the climax it is possible to get pregnant.
- Perimenopause - complete cessation of ovarian function. The stage lasts about a year, often accompanied by a bad state of health. It is assumed that if there is no menstruation within 12 months, pregnancy after menopause is no longer possible.
- Postmenopause is the last stage of menopause. There is a hormonal reconstruction of the body, the function of the ovaries is stopped. This stage can last up to 10 years, but the possibility of conception of the child is absent.
Artificial stimulation: you can get pregnant after menopause
An increasing number of women, for one reason or another, decide on late delivery . In this case, artificial stimulation of the ovaries can give a positive result and lead to the desired pregnancy. Contraindications are the health of a middle-aged patient, and the danger of the birth of a child with hereditary pathologies. Unfortunately, with age, the risk of chromosome changes is great,
An alternative is fertilization with the donor's egg, as it is possible to bear the child even if there are no reproductive functions.
Artificial menopause
This "kind" of menopause is an artificial stopping of the functioning of the ovaries. It is connected, most often, with the treatment. Artificial menopause is medically induced, and after cessation of treatment, the function of the ovaries is fully restored. Pregnancy after an artificial menopause is certainly possible.