You can still get pregnant if you ovulate and have a period, regardless of whether your cycle is regular or irregular, as is common during perimenopause. Only after reaching menopause is natural pregnancy no longer possible.
You’re much more likely to become pregnant in your 20s and 30s, when you’re most fertile.
However, because you ovulate and get a period in perimenopause, you can still become pregnant, though it’s much less likely to occur.
Healthline aims to bolster the discourse around menopause, which is why we recently asked Stacy Henigsman, DO, MSCP, about the potential of pregnancy during perimenopause.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the transitional stage leading up to menopause, and it can begin several years before menopause actually occurs, often in your late-30s or 40s, though it can start earlier or later.
During perimenopause, your ovaries gradually produce less estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle.
As a result, your periods may occur closer together or farther apart, or you might skip cycles entirely.
Irregular cycles, however, do not mean you have stopped ovulating (releasing eggs). You can still ovulate occasionally, even if it’s less predictable than prior to perimenopause (premenopause).
The odds of pregnancy during perimenopause are certainly lower than in your 20s or 30s, but they are not zero.
As long as you still ovulate and have periods, no matter how irregular, there is a chance you could become pregnant if you have unprotected intercourse with a male partner.
Menopause is defined as having gone 12 full months without a menstrual period, without other medical causes (like surgery or medication).
This marks the point when your ovaries stop releasing eggs and hormone levels stabilize at a lower level.
Natural ovulation has ended, and natural conception is not possible after reaching this point. Your body no longer releases eggs, and pregnancy cannot occur through natural means.
No matter how you feel about this stage, it’s a natural part of life for people with female anatomy. Speaking with a mental health professional may help explore your feelings.
What if I’ve reached menopause but want to get pregnant?
The only way to conceive if you have already reached menopause is with in vitro fertilization and donor eggs (since you no longer have any of your own), frozen eggs, or frozen embryos. Sperm can either be from a donor or a partner, depending on the quality.
Pregnancy during perimenopause is less likely due to irregular menstrual cycles, but it is still possible.
Irregular cycles don’t guarantee the end of ovulation. Only going 12 consecutive months without a period (reaching menopause) does.
After menopause, natural pregnancy is no longer possible, as your ovaries have stopped releasing eggs.
Speak with your doctor about birth control options during perimenopause or fertility treatments if you’re trying to conceive.