My 49 year old wife has been on oral contraception since she was 25 (she also used it for 6 months when she was 23), and because she is approaching age 50 her gynecologist thinks she should go off it. But because she theoretically could still get pregnant, and pregnancy (especially a first pregnancy) at her age is risky, we need an alternative form of contraception. The gynecologist says that because she has never given birth an IUD is not appropriate (the gynecologist fears her cervix may not dilate sufficiently to insert an IUD without pain, and that when it had to be removed it would be equally painful--I don't know why he couldn't do it with a local anesthetic), and because she is allergic to latex neither is a diaphragm. That leaves 1) polyurethane or sheepskin condoms which neither of us cares for, 2) vasectomy which slightly increases the likelihood of prostate cancer, and since I am already at increased risk because of a family history of prostate cancer (my dad) I am reluctant to take any step that might increase that risk, plus vasectomies are not always reversible, and should this marriage end sooner than we would hope I don't want to rule out the possibility of fatherhood in a hypothetical future relationship, and 3) tubal ligation which involves seriously invasive surgery. I'm thinking she should find another gynecologist if only to get a second opinion. Do any members of this community know at what age a woman should cease using oral contraception, or is it in fact safe to continue using it well into her fifties?
Follow up a month later:
We met Shoshana's
new gynecologist yesterday (6/3/08), and she is wonderful (I was there as an interested party to the issue of choosing a form of contraception). She sees no reason Shoshana should not continue taking hormonal contraceptives for the next 3-4 years, but is switching her to a
lower dose pill. We are pleased.