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Last Updated:
Feb 6th, 2008 - 01:00:50
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Question
I am 45 years old and have been on birth control pills on and off, mostly on, since age 21. My husband is 48. I just got off my birth control pills about 2 months ago, after being on them for about 5 years this time. I had a really light period after that, but now I think I'm about 2 1/2 weeks late. I took a home pregnancy test last Saturday that is supposed to tell if you're pregnant before you are late, and it was negative. Should I be worried?
Melissa
Answer
Dear Melissa,
You stated that you have been off and on the pill for years and one of the side effects of the birth control pill is irregular cycles and light menses. Your natural reproductive age would be pre-menopause which includes both symptoms. However at the age of 45 you can still be fertile and ovulating. You didn't mention your use of any family planning which could be your concern about a pregnancy.
Considering all these factors, I would like to suggest the use of a natural family planning method. Learning about the signs of fertility or lack of them will be helpful as you navigate pre-menopause and greatly reduce the fear of an unplanned pregnancy. You can check our website for more information and the location of the closest NFP instructor.
Sincerely,
Winnie Neill
Winnie and her husband, Bob, have been using, teaching and promoting NFP for 29 years.
She serves on both the NFP Advisory Board in Sacramento and the CANFP board of directors.
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The information on this page and web site is for informational purposes only,
and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment by a physician.
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