PT health Life – Recently, a woman in America gave birth at the age of 60, considered a rare case. Many people wonder how a postmenopausal woman who is considered to be no longer fertile can still get pregnant and give birth? And what are the risks that older pregnant women are likely to encounter during pregnancy?
1. Can postmenopausal women get pregnant?
Menopause is the period that begins 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual period, most commonly between the ages of 45 and 55. At that time, the ovaries stop working permanently, female sex hormones (estrogen) decrease. severely reduced.
Normally, women will officially go through menopause after 12 months without menstruation and at this point, if they have intercourse, they will no longer be able to get pregnant. However, there are people who can still get pregnant even after menopause in some special cases:
Due to confusion between menopause and premenopause
Perimenopause is the period of 2-10 years before entering menopause. Premenopause lasts long and has many similar symptoms to menopause, so many women are often confused. At this time, there will be irregular menstruation , even months without menstruation. At this stage, the ovaries only decline in function but have not completely stopped ovulating. Many women often think that they are menopausal and do not use contraception, so they can still get pregnant, but the possibility is very low.
After menopause, do the ovaries work again?
In cases of recent menopause, the woman’s ovaries still have ovarian follicles. There are a few special cases where, some time after menopause, the ovaries suddenly become active again and a woman can become pregnant, although it is very rare.
Pregnancy through artificial insemination
For women who have gone through menopause but due to family circumstances and still desire to have children, artificial insemination can still be performed. Accordingly, doctors will take another woman’s egg, fertilize it with the husband’s sperm, and then implant it into the wife’s uterus. With the support of fertility specialists, pregnancy will proceed normally and postmenopausal women can still enjoy the happiness of motherhood when the ovaries have stopped working.
2. How dangerous is it to get pregnant after menopause ?
for women over 50 years old, the ability to have children naturally is very difficult and very few cases still have eggs. Therefore, the IVF process is also difficult. Women who are pregnant and give birth at an older age have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, preeclampsia , and diabetes than normal. Babies also face many risks.
High risk of miscarriage
Women who become pregnant and give birth during menopause may face high risks of molar pregnancy and miscarriage. According to a study from the American Pregnancy Association, the risk of miscarriage in women over 35 years old is up to 35% and in premenopausal and menopausal women is 50%.
Easily susceptible to osteoporosis
Pregnant women after menopause often have a high rate of osteoporosis. The reason is that the drop in estrogen during menopause also begins a period of faster bone loss, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.
Besides, calcium in the body also needs to be shared with the fetus in the womb. The larger the fetus, the more calcium it will consume. When the skeletal system is aging like osteoporosis, the pelvis no longer expands like a young person, so complications can easily occur during childbirth.
2.1 Risk of premature birth
Studies also prove that pregnancy during menopause can easily lead to premature birth. Because the mother’s health at this age is not guaranteed, accompanied by diseases of the kidneys, heart, bones and joints, blood pressure, diabetes… it can easily cause the fetus to be born earlier than normal.
2.2 Mothers get pregnant late and children are susceptible to birth defects
pregnant and giving birth women at an advanced age can face many dangers, making it difficult to have a safe pregnancy. For the fetus, the risk of birth defects is higher than when pregnant when the mother is young such as: Down syndrome, heart, lung, musculoskeletal defects, fetal growth retardation, premature birth, low birth weight. weight, even stillbirth…
Therefore, older women who want to have children need to prepare themselves with a good health foundation. It is important that when pregnant and giving birth during menopause, they always need medical support and following the doctor’s advice is absolutely necessary.
3. Some safe contraceptive solutions during menopause
women in premenopausal age are absolutely not subjective, they still need to take appropriate contraceptive measures. In case of amenorrhea, you should take a pregnancy test and see an obstetrician for advice on appropriate treatment measures.
Refer to some safe and suitable contraceptive methods for women in pre-menopause and menopause:
- Using hormonal contraceptives : This method is considered safe for women of all ages. You can use oral or injectable hormonal contraceptives and should consult your doctor so as not to harm your body.
- Sterilization method: Menopausal women who want to absolutely avoid unwanted pregnancy can undergo sterilization by tubal ligation. Couples can also use a male sterilization method called vasectomy . This method of contraception is permanently effective and does not affect sex.
- Using contraceptive support tools : Currently there are many contraceptive support tools such as IUDs, contraceptive patches, condoms, contraceptive implants… Menopausal women can choose suitable tools. suitable for you.
In addition, postmenopausal women should practice safe sex to ensure health, prevent sexually transmitted diseases and prevent the possibility of pregnancy, even if it is very low.
