Dr Juliet Lyne, GP with an interest in the menopause
Don’t forget about contraception even if you think you are in or have been through the menopause.
Women need to continue using contraception for 12 months after their last menstrual period if they are aged over 50; or 24 months after their last period if they are aged under 50. If you do not have periods due to your current contraception or HRT then a blood test for FSH can assist you and your doctor to know when it is safe to stop your contraception.
HRT is not a contraceptive, however a Mirena coil can be used as both contraception and endometrial protection in HRT. You can use contraception such as the Progesterone Only Pill alongside HRT if you need to.
In general, contraception can be stopped in all women at the age of 55 as the chance of conceiving naturally after this age is extremely low.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the most effective way to treat symptoms of the perimenopause and menopause. This is a treatment that replaces the female hormones that are fluctuating or falling. You might not realise that you can still have symptoms (and can take HRT) even if you’re still having regular periods. In fact, HRT…
Dr Radhika Vohra
