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Women born with all the eggs she will ever have. By the time a woman has reached her late 30s, her fertility is greatly reduced, mostly due to the age of her eggs. Some points to keep in mind for perimenopausal women include:
- Babies born to women who are over 45 only account for 0.1 percent of births in the United States.
- By age 45 the chances of having a miscarriage increase to about 50 percent.
- There is a greater risk of a fetal genetic abnormality in one out of 40 pregnancies.
- Complications, such as gestational diabetes, ectopic pregnancies and stillbirth are increased.
- The need for medical intervention, including a cesarean section, also rises.
Is it possible to become pregnant during perimenopause?
Even though a woman's fertility has drastically declined by her late 30s and early 40s, she can still potentially conceive until she reaches menopause. If a woman does not want to become pregnant, she may opt to use birth control or practice family planning throughout perimenopause to avoid the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
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External Source
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The North American Menopause Society
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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