A survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2001 -- the most recent data available -- found that about 40% of pregnancies among women ages 40 and older are unintended, and 56% of those pregnancies end in abortion. The survey also found that 7% of women between the ages of 40 and 44 had recently had sex without birth control but did not want to become pregnant.
Johns Hopkins Medicine found that women at age 45 have a 1% chance of conceiving using their own eggs, Bennett writes, adding, "Given such odds, it's no wonder many sexually active women over age 40 don't practice birth control." In addition, women with health problems have fewer choices in terms of contraception, according to Bennett. She notes that becoming pregnant and having an infant "later in life also comes with some increased health risks" for both the woman and infant. Bennett adds that compared to younger women, older women are more likely to have a miscarriage, experience problems during delivery, develop gestational diabetes and give birth to infants with genetic birth defects.
Vanessa Cullins, vice president of medical affairs for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said, "It's very common that women don't realize they still need to worry about birth control even after they hit their 40's and move into their 50's." She added, "Until they complete menopause, which means going 12 months without menstruating, women should consider themselves to still be fertile" (Bennett, Wall Street Journal, 5/3).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org . You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106486.php
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