During childbearing years, many individuals take hormonal contraception pills. As you near the age where menopause can occur, you is likely to be asking: are you able to undergo menopause while on the pill?
The short answer is yes, you may undergo menopause, but being on the pill can mask among the symptoms.
This article will discuss contraception and menopause, including how it might probably affect symptoms, the right way to know while you’ve reached menopause, and when to stop taking the pill.
Getty Images / Anchiy
First, let’s cover some terminology about menopause:
Taking contraception pills can mask among the symptoms of perimenopause, resembling the irregular periods mentioned above and other symptoms. Because of this, it might probably be difficult to know when you are having unwanted side effects on account of the contraception pills or experiencing changes because of this of approaching menopause.
Birth control pills are generally grouped into two categories:
Both forms of contraception pills can lead to changes in bleeding, which could entail shorter or longer cycles, spotting, irregular periods, or lighter periods.
In rare cases, some people experience heavier periods, but many have lighter periods, while some haven’t any periods in any respect. Therefore, either kind of contraception pill can have unwanted side effects of irregular bleeding that may mask bleeding changes related to menopause.
When you’re in perimenopause (the time before menopause), the provision of eggs within the ovaries becomes less. At the identical time, ovulation becomes irregular. Additionally, the body decreases production of estrogen and progesterone hormones. The significant decrease in estrogen levels is chargeable for most menopause symptoms.
Side effects of contraception can overlap with menopause symptoms. They have some similar symptoms (resembling changes in bleeding, vaginal problems, and weight changes) in addition to unique symptoms.
The table below compares the common problems with each. If you take contraception but think you might be in perimenopause, it’s idea to seek the advice of your healthcare provider.
| Common Birth Control Pill Side Effects vs. Common Menopause Symptoms | |
|---|---|
| Birth Control Pill Side Effects | Menopause Symptoms |
| Changes in bleeding/irregular periods, including bleeding or spotting, heavier or lighter periods, missed periods | Changes in bleeding/irregular periods, including bleeding or spotting, heavier or lighter periods, missed periods |
| Nausea | Hot flashes, night sweats |
| Vomiting | Bladder control problems; bladder infections |
| Stomach cramps | Trouble sleeping |
| Bloating | Vaginal dryness, which could cause pain during intercourse |
| Diarrhea | Feeling kind of all in favour of sex |
| Constipation | Mood changes |
| Swollen gums | Weight changes |
| Appetite changes | |
| Weight changes | |
| Darkened skin patches | |
| Acne | |
| Unusual hair growth | |
| Tender or enlarged breasts | |
| Vaginal irritation and/or discharge | |
When you’re in perimenopause, you might or may not have symptoms, and symptoms can vary in intensity from very mild to severe. Some symptoms you might experience in your 40s or 50s include:
If you will have any questions on perimenopause or menopause, you may seek the advice of your healthcare provider for medical guidance.
You reach menopause when you will have not had any bleeding, including spotting, for 12 months in a row. This means your periods have permanently stopped, and you can not get pregnant.
Taking contraception pills could make things more complicated, especially for many who completely stop bleeding as a side effect of contraception pills. In this case, you may seek the advice of a healthcare provider for medical guidance.
Experts note that hormonal testing just isn’t a definite diagnosis of menopause; nevertheless, taking into consideration specific labs with age might help healthcare providers assess menopause status in people over 50 who take hormonal contraception.
Researchers suggest one option to test for menopause in individuals who take contraception pills is to stop taking it for 2 or three months at age 50, and see if menstruation occurs.
During this pill-free time, the healthcare provider can check lab tests at regular intervals and ask about symptoms. Note that you will want a backup approach to contraception, resembling condoms, when you stop taking contraception pills before you will have reached menopause and don’t want to grow to be pregnant.
Keep in mind that the labs often tested, called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, will not be accurate on their very own, which is why healthcare providers consider multiple variables.
If you will have not had any bleeding or spotting for 12 consecutive months, you will have reached menopause. However, when you take contraception pills, your period may stop, which makes it harder to know in case your periods have stopped on account of contraception unwanted side effects or on account of perimenopause/menopause.
Your healthcare provider can guide you in this example and help determine if you will have reached menopause.
If you take the contraception pill, it’s best to at all times check along with your healthcare provider before stopping the pill. Stopping the pill too soon could lead to an unintended pregnancy.
Fertility decreases during perimenopause, but you may still get pregnant until you will have reached menopause, which is 12 consecutive months with out a period. Even if you will have gone 10 months with out a period, you may still grow to be pregnant. Experts recommend using a secure, effective, and appropriate kind of contraception until menopause is confirmed.
Taking contraception pills can even provide additional advantages besides stopping pregnancy, resembling:
However, some risks may increase, resembling a better risk of blood clots, and potentially increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer.
If you’re perimenopausal, it’s best to not take contraception pills that contain estrogen (you may take a progestin-only pill if approved by your healthcare provider) when you:
If you want to stop taking the pill but still need contraception, there are a lot of options, resembling:
You can seek advice from your healthcare provider about the most effective type of contraception for you.
Menopause may cause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and vaginal dryness.
For those that take contraception pills, it might be difficult to distinguish the unwanted side effects of the pill from symptoms of menopause. This is very true since it is usually difficult to know if menstrual bleeding has stopped on account of the contraception pills or menopause.
Consult your healthcare provider for more information and medical advice about your reproductive health and menopause.
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