Emergency: Contraception | Menopause | الطوارئ: منع الحمل | سن اليأس

The menopausal transition is a significant and natural phase in a woman's life. It marks the end of her reproductive years and brings various physical and hormonal changes. While the primary focus during menopause is on managing symptoms and health, it's crucial to discuss the role of emergency contraception during this period. Many women believe that once they enter menopause, the risk of unintended pregnancy diminishes. However, the reality is more complex.

This comprehensive guide explores emergency contraception, its role during the menopause, and the critical information women need to make informed decisions regarding their reproductive health.

Understanding Menopause

Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycles and fertility. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 but can vary for each woman. During this phase, the ovaries produce fewer hormones like estrogen and progesterone, leading to various physical and emotional changes.

Menopausal symptoms can vary widely from one woman to another. Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and changes in the menstrual cycle. In the context of emergency contraception, understanding these changes is essential.

The Menopause Myth: Is Emergency Contraception Still Needed?

A common misconception is that once a woman enters menopause, she is no longer at risk of pregnancy. While fertility significantly decreases during menopause, it's not entirely eliminated. Several factors contribute to this:

Irregular Menstrual Cycles: Menopausal women may still experience irregular periods before they cease entirely. Ovulation can still occur during this time.

Perimenopause: Perimenopause is the phase leading up to menopause, characterized by erratic hormone levels and menstrual irregularities. Women can still become pregnant during perimenopause.

Birth Control Use: Women who have relied on hormonal birth control might continue its use well into their 50s. The sudden cessation of birth control can lead to unintended pregnancies.

Rare Ovulation: Some women might continue to ovulate irregularly even during the early stages of menopause.

For all these reasons, it's important for women in their 40s and 50s to understand that pregnancy is still possible, albeit less likely.

Types of Emergency Contraception

Emergency contraception (EC) includes several methods that can help prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. These methods are generally categorized into two types:

Hormonal Emergency Contraception: This type includes pills containing hormones like levonorgestrel (Plan B One-Step) or ulipristal acetate (ella). These pills work by preventing or delaying ovulation.

Copper Intrauterine Device (IUD): The copper IUD is a highly effective form of EC when inserted within a few days of unprotected intercourse. It can also serve as long-term contraception.

Emergency Contraception and Menopause

During menopause, the efficacy of emergency contraception may vary for several reasons:

Hormonal Changes: In the earlier stages of menopause, women's hormone levels can fluctuate, making it difficult to predict when or if they will ovulate. EC pills that work by delaying ovulation may have a less predictable effect.

Limited Data: There is a lack of extensive research specifically on emergency contraception use during menopause. Most studies focus on women of reproductive age.

Health Considerations: Menopausal women often have unique health concerns. They may need to consider any potential interactions between emergency contraception and medications they take for menopausal symptoms or other conditions.

It's important to consult with a healthcare provider before using emergency contraception, especially during menopause. They can provide guidance on the most suitable method and address any specific health concerns.

Making Informed Decisions

Menopausal women who engage in sexual activity should be informed about the possibilities and risks related to pregnancy. To make informed decisions:

Consult a Healthcare Provider: Speak with a healthcare provider who understands your menopausal health and can guide you in choosing the most appropriate emergency contraception method.

Maintain Regular Check-Ups: Keep up with regular gynecological check-ups to monitor your reproductive health and discuss any changes in your menstrual cycle.

Consider Long-Term Birth Control: If you're sexually active and not yet post-menopausal, consider a more reliable, long-term birth control method, such as a non-hormonal IUD or permanent sterilization.

The menopausal transition is a complex phase in a woman's life, and it's important to address all aspects of reproductive health. Emergency contraception remains a valuable option for women during menopause, as unintended pregnancies are still possible. By understanding the options, consulting with healthcare providers, and making informed decisions, menopausal women can confidently navigate their reproductive health during this life stage.

Vaginal: Dryness | Tips | Strategies | جفاف المهبل: نصائح واستراتيجيات

 

Vaginal dryness can be brought about by an absence of sexual excitement, menopause, and an agitated in your pH balance. Contingent upon the reason, estrogen creams, participating in foreplay, and drinking sufficient water can help. In the event that your dryness is causing inconvenience or torment, see your OB-GYN for help. Vaginal dryness is a typical condition that can cause impressive uneasiness. It is particularly normal after menopause. Truth be told, as per Harvard Medical School, generally half of postmenopausal individuals experience it. 

Vaginal dryness can be brought about by an absence of sexual excitement during intercourse (i.e., You're not turned on enough). 

Different times of hormonal change, such as breastfeeding, perimenopause, and menopause may likewise be joined by vaginal dryness.

This is what you need to think about this condition also as certain means you can take to improve it. 

 

Manifestations of vaginal dryness 

The essential side effects of vaginal dryness are irritation, touchiness, or distress around the vagina; nonetheless, constant dryness can likewise prompt differently issues.

 

What causes vaginal dryness? 

Ordinarily, the vagina has a slim covering of dampness that greases up it to decrease contact during sex and help sperm travel toward an egg. Vaginal dryness happens when the cervical organs and microorganisms that regularly produce that covering, no longer capacities appropriately. 

 

These are a few factors that can add to vaginal dryness: 

Lower estrogen levels: 

Estrogen is a chemical that helps the vagina stay greased up. Your body delivers less estrogen as you age, which is the reason dryness is basic during and after menopause. Without estrogen to hydrate the vagina, the tissue can get dry, irritated, and pale. Estrogen levels additionally change during breastfeeding and just before your period, which may likewise prompt dryness. 

Drugs: 

Medications that regularly cause your skin, eyes, or mouth to feel dry can likewise cause vaginal dryness. Basic prescriptions that add to vaginal dryness include Allergy and cold meds, contraception pills, certain antidepressants, and Accutane. 

Ailments: 

Certain medical issue, similar to diabetes or Sjögren's disorder, can likewise bring about vaginal dryness. The high glucose levels related with diabetes can harm the veins in the vagina, bringing about an absence of grease. Sjögren's disorder then again is a condition that influences liquid creation in different pieces of the body, including the eyes, mouth, and vagina. 

An agitated in the vagina's pH balance: 

The vagina has an acidic pH that is somewhere in the range of 3.8 and 4.5; this assists it with battling disease and stay sound, whatever disturbs this fragile equilibrium could prompt vaginal issues, like yeast diseases, dryness, tingling, or consuming. Perfumed toiletries, clothing items, feminine items, spermicide, and condoms are some basic reasons for disturbance. 

Absence of sexual excitement: 

If sex is difficult in light of the fact that you are excessively dry, it could be on the grounds that you are not adequately stirred. At the point when you're excited, the vagina secretes liquids in anticipation of entrance, which makes penetrative sex simpler and more pleasant. 

 

What assists with vaginal dryness? 

In case you're encountering vaginal dryness, there might be approaches to cure it. Here are a few moves you could make that may help: 

Saturating:

Vaginal creams can assist with vaginal dryness. you can likewise utilize aroma free greases extraordinarily intended for the vagina to treat this condition. 

Applying estrogen:

Severe dryness can be treated with estrogen. There are estrogen creams, tablets, and rings, that can help treat the fundamental reason for the dryness. You'll require a specialist's solution to buy prescription containing estrogen. 

Remaining hydrated:  

Drinking water as an absence of vaginal oil can originate from parchedness. Drinking sufficient measures of water day by day assists with hydrating the skin of the vulva and vagina. Ladies need around 11.5 cups of water each day, in spite of the fact that your necessities may change contingent upon factors like the climate, geographic area, and how dynamic you are.

Keeping the vulva clean: 

Within your vagina doesn't need any cleaning; it deals with itself and any endeavors to clean it can prompt vaginal medical conditions, including dryness. In any case, cleaning the outside of the vagina, known as the vulva, with delicate cleanser and water. Keeping the skin hydrated, clean, and really focused on will help forestall dryness. 

Adding more soy to your eating regimen: 

Soybeans contain a plant-based substance called isoflavone that has a comparable impact on your body as the chemical estrogen in keeping up vaginal wellbeing and grease. 

Taking part in foreplay:

Taking your experience with foreplay can help guarantee that your vagina is greased up before penetrative sex. Water-based greases can likewise help battle dryness and diminish the distress of sex. 

 

Insider's takeaway 

Vaginal dryness is a condition that can cause uneasiness and can prompt other medical problems like UTIs and vaginal contaminations. It is normal during times of hormonal variance, similar to menopause, feminine cycle, breastfeeding, or just previously/after your period. 

You may see vaginal dryness during sex, which can be excruciating and bring about dying. If so, have a go at adding more foreplay to build excitement to have sex more agreeable. 

You can likewise take a stab at drinking a lot of water, washing your vulva with cleanser, absorbing a shower with coconut oil, and adding soy items to your eating routine to diminish dryness. 

As a last resort, counsel your medical services supplier about estrogen therapies, probiotics, and vaginal oils. 

How your vagina changes in your 20s, 30s, and past 7 kinds of vaginas and why yours is absolutely typical 3 different ways to treat a yeast disease at home When vaginal smell is a reason for concern and 5 hints to lessen it, as per OB-GYNs