Many women in their 40s and 50s still need protection from unwanted pregnancy. Read on for expert advice about your best birth control options Kaunitz, MD, professor and associate chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville. Kaunitz says. As you get older, however, the best birth control method for you may change.

Risks of oral contraceptive use in women over 35.



Best Birth Control Options for Older Women
Before your periods stop altogether, it is likely that your periods will become irregular and unpredictable. The time of menopause varies tremendously between women. Although you are less likely to produce an egg ovulate every month, your ovaries will still be producing some eggs and, for this reason, it is important that you consider using contraception. So, although there is a natural decline in your fertility after the age of about 37 years, effective contraception is still required to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. Most women will no longer be fertile by the age of 55 years.


Contraception for the Mature Woman
Oral contraceptives are a reliable and convenient method of birth control. Nevertheless, physicians are reluctant to use them in women over 35 because of concerns about increased risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke and cancer despite evidence to the contrary. Well-designed studies have shown that the incidence of thromboembolic disease is related to the estrogen dose and that the risk of thromboembolism is highest in women who smoke. With current oral contraceptive formulations, there is no increased risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke in women without other risk factors.




Back to Your contraception guide. If you're taking the combined pill, you'll have monthly period-type bleeds for as long as you keep taking the pill. If you're taking the progestogen-only pill, your bleeds may be irregular or stop altogether for as long as you keep taking the pill. The combined pill may also mask or control menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes and night sweats. There is no test that can tell for certain whether you're in the menopause and can stop contraception.