Wanting to be pregnant at 50
Question
I am 50 years old and I still have periods but they are 4-6 months apart. I am seeing a 36 year old man and we would like to have a child. Please tell me what my chances are of this happening.
Answer
Last Updated: July 24, 2013
The average age when periods stop completely is 51, so there are many women at 50 who still have some periods. However, fertility declines about 10% a year from age 35 to 45. Pregnancy after 45 is uncommon, and over 50 very rare. The periods of women over 45 usually have no ovulation or impaired ovulation. However, if a woman does not want to get pregnant it is recommended that she use a NFP (natural family planning) method until one year after the last period. But a woman should not really count on getting pregnant over 50 or even over 45; she is fortunate if it occurs over 40.
M. Davenport, MD
M. Davenport, MD
Answered By:
Mary Davenport, MD, MS
Mary Davenport, MD, FACOG, an obstetrician/gynecologist from the Oakland Region of California, offers telehealth services over MyCatholicDoctor.com She graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed her residency at UC San Diego. Dr. Davenport is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and serves on the Advisory Board of the California Association of Natural Family Planning.
