Taking Birth Control Pills After 40
For most women, it's fine to take birth control pills throughout their 40s and early 50s—and there may even be some advantages other than contraception.
Feb 21, 2018
Mar 22, 2022
Menopause & Aging Well
Barbara Dehn, RN, MS, NP, FAANP, NCMP
Practicing Nurse Practitioner
Author
San Francisco, CA
Barbara Dehn, RN, MS, NP, is a practicing nurse practitioner and a television health expert, who's known as Nurse Barb. She's passionate about health education, whether it's 1 on 1 with a patient, in a lecture hall at Stanford or with millions of people watching on television. Her warm and engaging personality puts everyone at ease as they learn more about health.
Nurse Barb is the award winning author of the Personal Guides to Health used by over 5 million women in the US, with titles ranging from fertility and pregnancy to menopause and breastfeeding. Active in Social Media, she contributes content to HealthyWomen, Huffington Post, NurseBarb, KevinMD and The Patch and amplifies her reach with an active and engaged Facebook following and 34,000 Twitter followers.
She is the author of The Hot Guide to a Cool Sexy Menopause, Nurse Barb's Guide to Breastfeeding and Nurse Barb's Guide to Pregnancy.
Barb earned a masters degree from UCSF and a BS from Boston College. She's certified by the North American Menopause Society and is a Fellow in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Over the last 2 years, she's been an active participant in Global Health Initiatives at FAME Hospital in Karatu, Tanzania. Barb lives in the San Francisco Bay area.
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Many women I speak to are surprised to learn that they can take birth control pills in their 40s and early 50s, as long as their health care provider says there's no reason not to.
Many women who are in perimenopause—that time when there are a lot of menstrual irregularities and possibly the start of hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness—will benefit from taking a low-dose birth control pill to help with their symptoms, as well as to provide contraception.
Fertility after 40
While fertility rates do decline after 40, if a woman is still having her period—even if it's irregular—she can become pregnant. Contraception is advised if a woman does not want to become pregnant.
Benefits of taking the pill after age 40
- More predictable menstrual cycles
- Less bleeding
- Reduced risk of anemia from heavy periods that are common after 40
- Reduced risk of ovarian and uterine cancer
- Reduction in hot flashes and night sweats
- Helps maintain bone health
- May improve libido
- May improve adult acne
Read more about the transition to menopause.
Who shouldn't take the pill
- Women who are over 35 and smoke
- Women who have migraines with visual disturbances
- Women with a history of blood clots
- Women with any history of estrogen-dependent cancers
- Women with uncontrolled high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes
When should women stop taking the pill?
Every woman is different, and it's recommended that you speak to your own health care provider about what's best for you. As long as there are no symptoms or conditions that make it inadvisable, women can continue the pill until age 55.
This blog originally appeared on Nurse Barb's Daily Dose. Barb Dehn is a women's health nurse practitioner, award-winning author and nationally recognized health expert. She practices with Women Physicians in the Silicon Valley of California.
From Your Site Articles
- Contraception Options for Women Over 40 - HealthyWomen ›
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- Menopause and Contraception - HealthyWomen ›
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