Everything changes throughout your lifetime, including your body. A man’s life cycle is divided simply by infancy, boyhood, adolescence, and so forth. But a women’s life cycle is largely based upon the reproductive cycle, which makes life changes more noticeable.
Although you and your male partners should share in the responsibilities of birth control, it largely falls on the woman’s shoulders. After all, you’re the one who will pay the far greater consequences of pregnancy. That means birth control is pretty much always on your to-do list.
You could find your preferred birth control method and stick with it until you don’t need it anymore. But since your body, health, attitudes, and frequency of sex will change throughout your lifetime, your birth control should keep pace. Here are some considerations for navigating it as you age.
The Roaring 20s
You are at your most fertile during your 20s. That’s great news if you’re ready to get pregnant, but not so much if you aren’t. Your 20s are often also when you’re finishing school, launching a career, and perhaps testing the waters for a life partner.
You’re producing peak levels of sex hormones estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone now. That makes your choice of birth control important.Your pace of life also plays an important role, since you may be testing your adult social wings as well. You need to choose one that agrees with your body and your lifestyle.
The pill, patch, or ring are popular methods of birth control during this decade. Most women in their 20s are at their healthiest. That makes the potential risks of estrogen-driven methods relatively low unless you’re a nicotine user or have diabetes or high blood pressure.
Although you may not have developed serious health issues at this stage, you do need to begin establishing some healthy habits. This includes getting adequate sleep, a nutritious diet, and plenty of exercise, as well as kicking nicotine. If you don’t, you will pay for it later in life in many ways, including by limiting your birth control options.
The Thirsty 30s
While your fertility may peak in your 20s, your libido tends to peak in your 30s. This probability that your sex drive may be voracious seems antithetical to the fact that your hormone production begins to decrease. There are other timing issues as well.
The sexual peak for men occurs in their 20s, so the two don’t exactly jive. But trending down in their 30s doesn’t mean they still aren’t ready, willing, and able to act. Making sure your birth control keeps up is still incredibly important unless you’re ready to get pregnant. Regardless of your pregnancy plans, your sexually transmitted infection protection needs to be top of mind.
Risks of health issues, such as high blood pressure and endometriosis rise. Your body mass index may also increase. Also during this decade, you may begin hearing the proverbial biological clock ticking. Birth control is an important consideration for all these reasons.
You should talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of estrogen birth control and discuss alternatives. If you are thinking about conceiving, you’ll need to plan for phasing out your birth control then restarting after you’ve delivered. What you used before might not be what you’ll choose to use after you’ve had a child.
The Transitional 40s
During your 40s, you may notice irregularities in your monthly cycle, like skipping a period here or there without meaning to. Your fertility is definitely waning during perimenopause, but it’s not gone. You should use some form of birth control until you haven’t had a period for longer than 12 months or up to two years.
The frequency of sex and your desire for it may wane as well. Sticking with the same protection you’ve used in your more active 20s and 30s might not make sense. Still, you need to use something until you’ve entered menopause.
You may want to cease using birth control containing estrogen since the risks for complications have risen. If you have an intrauterine device that’s not causing heavy periods, you might want to leave it in place until menopause. Or you might consider a permanent solution such as tubal ligation or vasectomy for your male partner.
If you still want to conceive during your early 40s, talk to your healthcare provider. The risks of complications for you and the baby increase dramatically. You may decide that preventing pregnancy is the best course.
The 50s Wrap Up
Although 51 is the average age for women to enter menopause, it can occur in your 40s or 60s. Once you hit it, birth control is no longer a necessary part of your life. But you may feel the aftermath of leaving it behind.
Hormonal birth control can mask the symptoms of menopause. For example, it can hold off hot flashes or night sweats, or keep your period regular. If you experience severe symptoms of menopause, there are other hormonal treatments rather than birth control.
You may also experience vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex. There are products that can help alleviate these symptoms. Lack of interest in sex is also common, although that can be related to age-related discomfort rather than low libido.
For most women, it’s recommended that combination estrogen and progesterone birth control be discontinued at age 50. That’s due to increased risk of complications, including breast cancer and stroke. But consult your healthcare provider before you do.
Steer Your Own Ship
Navigating the ups and downs of birth control throughout your lifetime isn’t always easy. Your health status, desire to conceive or avoid it, and libido are just a few factors that will be in flux. Just remember that you’re in charge of what birth control you use or whether you use it at all. Frank discussions with your healthcare provider will help you steer your own birth control ship.