Question

I am 53 and have not had a period in 205 days (the one I had was very light bleeding). My temperature has not exceeded 97.5 and has been quite erratic with no thermal shifts. No moist sensation, but a few days of clear mucus on tissue that disappeared when rubbing fingers together. Have been experiencing hot flashes, but they seem to be diminishing. Can I consider myself to be infertile?

Mary

Answer

Dear Mary,

Thank you for your question to Ask the Expert. You haven't reached menopause until a whole year has gone by without a menstruation. Your erratic temperatures will not give you the information you need to know if you have ovulated or not or are in your post-ovulatory phase.

You will have to rely on the presence or absence of the mucus sign. Since you are not able to lift the clear mucus off your tissue and finger test it and you had no moist sensation I would generally support your thoughts that you are not fertile on those days however, but to be absolutely sure and if you wish not to conceive consider those days fertile when they occur plus the next three days until a whole year has passed. The light bleeding days are always considered fertile. Infertility would be dry days only.

A follow-up appointment with your NFP teacher would help you gain confidence in your method at this time in your life.

Judy Wilmurt

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