There are plenty of headlines surrounding teenage pregnancy rates but you might be surprised to discover that women over the age of forty have the highest rate of unintended pregnancies and abortions, after teenagers.
By the time you have gone beyond your 40th birthday you may already have had to cope with various life issues and maybe even considered treatment options for problems like alcohol or drugs, but the prospect of motherhood in your forties, might not have been on your radar.
Life can be a party for the 40-somethings
There are many examples around of 40-something women who would give many ladies half their age, a good run for their money in terms of looks and looking and feeling good.
Without wanting to spoil the party for those of you who are over 40 and having a ball, appearing beautiful and healthy doesn’t provide you with immunity from certain age-related issues, and it certainly doesn’t mean that you can take your eye off the ball when it comes to your sex life and contraception.
Many women who feel comfortable with their body and life in general, even when they know that they are heading towards the menopause at some point in the near future, might be tempted to take themselves off the contraceptive pill or whatever other method they have been using for years.
Enjoying an active sex life as a forty-something is to be celebrated and enjoyed for sure, but it seems that a fair number of women in this age group also do not realize just how fertile they still are, hence the number of unintended pregnancies reported.
The need to talk about contraception
Many women over the age of forty still need to talk about methods of contraception if they want to enjoy a stress-free sex life that doesn’t have any unintentional consequences.
Your body changes and this means that by the time you are into your forties, there may be risks attached to certain forms of contraception and others might also be less effective that you would want.
The medical risks that are attached to pregnancy tend to increase for women aged 40 and above, so if you are planning on starting a family a bit later than usual you will have to be aware of these risks, and it is equally important to address the subject of contraception if you are not intending to get pregnant.
Approximately a quarter of women over forty opt out of birth control altogether, which means that unless you have stopped having sex altogether, it makes sense to revisit your birth control options and find something that you are best suited to.
The problem with oral contraception
Your body goes through changes as you reach your forties and beyond, which is why it is very relevant to have a discussion with your doctor about contraception.
Medical risks are attached to pregnancies for women over forty and the same warnings apply to contraception, where there are similarly risks and benefits to weigh up. Your doctor will be able to make a clinical judgment about what form is most suitable, after evaluating the impact that any current medical conditions might have on the suitability and effectiveness of each form of contraception.
One example of why you need to reassess your contraception arrangements in your forties, would be if you have any known cardiovascular complications. If that was the case, using a contraceptive that contained estrogen could be more risky.
Oral contraception is a hugely popular choice and many women have been using the pill for years without any problems, but as you get older, there are cardiovascular complications and other issues that need to be addressed and discussed to decide if it is the right form of contraception to use in your forties.
What complicates matters further is the fact that there are benefits attached to continued use of oral contraception.
The majority of women who use oral contraceptives tend to enjoy more regular periods and hot flashes and night sweats are often more regulated too.
Other options for birth control
When you consider the fact that women over forty make a significant contribution towards the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions, it should serve as a warning that you may need to look for other birth control options, even if you no longer want to take the pill, or have been advised against it.
If you are looking for guidance on the most effective forms of contraception for women over forty, the World Health Organization has suggested that progestin implants, copper intrauterine devices (IUDs) and sterilization could offer the birth-control protection you are looking for.
The general line of thinking is that a reversible contraception which is a longer-lasting, like an IUD, might prove idea for a woman in her forties, but that is not to say that short-term methods such as oral contraceptives, are no longer suitable, as it largely depends on your individual personal and medical circumstances.
Whatever you decide to do, if you are over forty and don’t want to contribute to the pregnancy figures for this age group, birth control should be a topic of conversation with your doctor.
Jay Hewitt is at medical school with plans on becoming a General Practitioner in the future. He writes on health topics for a selection of websites and blogs.
