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Menopause chat
continued from page 2
Will I be able to conceive if I am just starting the menopause?
Q: I'm 42 and was told at the beginning of the year that my follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were too high and to consider IVF. We are now considering egg donation. I also think I may have started my menopause three weeks ago. I've had hot flushes, which have become intense and missed two periods last year. My last period was in April this year.
Can you advise me on the following?
1. What is the likelihood of my getting pregnant naturally now that I have started my menopause?
2. What is the likelihood egg donation will work? srhsssy
A: Natural pregnancy is still very possible, which is why doctors recommend that a woman who does not want a baby continues to use contraception for one year following her last period - as long as this takes her over the age of 50. If she is still under 50 after this time she should use contraception for a total of two years after her period. So, fingers crossed, egg donation is just as likely to be successful in someone of your age as in someone younger because hormone cycles are synchronised using drugs to ensure your hormone levels are optimal.
I wish you every success for the future as 42 is definitely not too old to have a baby. Also menopause can only really be diagnosed in retrospect after you have not had a period for six months, so it is quite possible that stress or some other cause has resulted in an irregular cycle. Have you considered seeing a herbalist, acupuncturist or reflexologist? Often, alternative treatments with an experienced practitioner can produce almost miraculous results.
Are these symptoms polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or the menopause?
Q: I'm 39 and was diagnosed with PCOS early last year, which was discovered when I had tests for the loss of my son at 20 weeks pregnant at the end of Sept 2002. I was put on Clomid in March of last year and conceived on my second month although I lost that baby at eight weeks. I have found that since my loss last year I have started to get cramps and bloating around ovulation, which can last right up to the time my period starts. My cycle has never been regular but the Clomid has helped a little.
I now find that after ovulation I suffer from hot flushes and night sweats. The hot flushes only happen if I do something physical (like housework) and wear off within half an hour. My cycle is getting longer at 40 to 60 days. I have asked my mum but she didn't have the menopause until she was 48 and my sister who is 45 has not started hers yet. Is it likely just the PCOS or does it sounds like the start of the menopause? Does this mean the end of my fertility or is there something I can do so that I can still conceive? asecondchance
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Will I be able to conceive if I am just starting the menopause?
Q: I'm 42 and was told at the beginning of the year that my follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were too high and to consider IVF. We are now considering egg donation. I also think I may have started my menopause three weeks ago. I've had hot flushes, which have become intense and missed two periods last year. My last period was in April this year.
Can you advise me on the following?
1. What is the likelihood of my getting pregnant naturally now that I have started my menopause?
2. What is the likelihood egg donation will work? srhsssy
A: Natural pregnancy is still very possible, which is why doctors recommend that a woman who does not want a baby continues to use contraception for one year following her last period - as long as this takes her over the age of 50. If she is still under 50 after this time she should use contraception for a total of two years after her period. So, fingers crossed, egg donation is just as likely to be successful in someone of your age as in someone younger because hormone cycles are synchronised using drugs to ensure your hormone levels are optimal.
I wish you every success for the future as 42 is definitely not too old to have a baby. Also menopause can only really be diagnosed in retrospect after you have not had a period for six months, so it is quite possible that stress or some other cause has resulted in an irregular cycle. Have you considered seeing a herbalist, acupuncturist or reflexologist? Often, alternative treatments with an experienced practitioner can produce almost miraculous results.
Are these symptoms polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or the menopause?
Q: I'm 39 and was diagnosed with PCOS early last year, which was discovered when I had tests for the loss of my son at 20 weeks pregnant at the end of Sept 2002. I was put on Clomid in March of last year and conceived on my second month although I lost that baby at eight weeks. I have found that since my loss last year I have started to get cramps and bloating around ovulation, which can last right up to the time my period starts. My cycle has never been regular but the Clomid has helped a little.
I now find that after ovulation I suffer from hot flushes and night sweats. The hot flushes only happen if I do something physical (like housework) and wear off within half an hour. My cycle is getting longer at 40 to 60 days. I have asked my mum but she didn't have the menopause until she was 48 and my sister who is 45 has not started hers yet. Is it likely just the PCOS or does it sounds like the start of the menopause? Does this mean the end of my fertility or is there something I can do so that I can still conceive? asecondchance
Back to main question page
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