Contraception Facts to Know

1. You can still get pregnant until you reach menopause.
2. Many midlife women and their doctors mistakenly assume women can't get pregnant once they're perimenopausal.
3. Nearly a third of pregnancies in women 35 to 39 are unplanned; nearly four out of 10 pregnancies in women 40 and older are unplanned.
4. More than half of all unplanned pregnancies in women 40 and older end in abortion.
5. Women's contraception choices change as they age.
6. Before age 35, most women use oral contraception as their primary form of birth control.
7. After age 35, most women use sterilization as their primary form of birth control.
8. Healthy women over 35 who don't smoke or have cardiovascular disease can still use birth control pills until age 50.
9. Combination oral contraceptives can help with perimenopausal symptoms such as irregular bleeding, hot flashes and night sweats and can reduce the risk of several types of cancer.
10. There are several hormonal contraceptives available beyond the birth control pill, including a vaginal ring, patch, shot and implantable device.
11. Women need to protect themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs) no matter their age or reproductive status.
12. Midlife women who are exposed to STIs have a higher risk of contracting an STI if the vagina thins due to reduced estrogen production.
13. There are two forms of female sterilization—known as permanent birth control: the Essure procedure, in which a miniature spring-like coil micro-insert is placed into the fallopian tubes, eventually blocking them, and tubal ligation, in which the fallopian tubes are blocked, burned or clipped shut.
14. Unlike a tubal ligation, the Essure procedure can be performed in a doctor's office under a local anesthetic and doesn't involve any incisions.
15. Female sterilization—known as permanent birth control—is the most common form of contraception overall; in women 40 and 44, the percentage of women opting for permanent birth control jumps to nearly 35 percent.

This content was produced with the support of an educational grant from Conceptus, Inc.

Create Date: 5/7/07
Date Last Updated: 5/7/07