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Contraception and Pregnancy in Midlife: Complexities and Research Needs

New Content ItemAlthough fertility declines substantially by age 45, many women remain at risk of pregnancy into their fifties. Addressing the contraceptive needs, and in some cases infertility needs of women in the midlife is critical, given the health risks of unintended and desired late life pregnancies. As well, increases in chronic conditions may contraindicate some contraceptive choices. 

This thematic series aims to highlight key questions facing women and clinicians regarding pregnancy and contraceptive choices, risks and benefits during the midlife and the menopausal transition while also outlining research needs given gaps in scientific knowledge.

Manuscripts should be formatted according to the Women's Midlife Health submission guidelines and submitted via the online submission system. All articles will undergo the journals full standard peer-review process and will be published upon acceptance. In the submission system please select the correct series title and also indicate in the covering letter that the manuscript is to be considered for this special series. More information about the series and the journal, including full aims & scope and Editorial Board, can be found on the journal website.

This thematic series is ongoing and new manuscripts will be added upon acceptance.


  2. A modern contraceptive method is a product or medical procedure that interferes with reproduction following sexual intercourse; however, contraceptive services remain out of reach for many women of reproductiv...

    Authors: Alehegn Bishaw Geremew and Abebaw Addis Gelagay
    Citation: Women's Midlife Health 2018 4:13
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. In South Africa, hormonal contraception is widely used in women over the age of 40 years. One of these methods and the most commonly used is depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) which has been found to hav...

    Authors: Mags E. Beksinska, Immo Kleinschmidt and Jenni A. Smit
    Citation: Women's Midlife Health 2018 4:6
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. To create a system where evidence based medicine can be applied to accommodate every woman’s needs by designing a contraceptive pathway that can be utilized by any healthcare provider, regardless of the patien...

    Authors: Chi-Son Kim, Deanna Tikhonov, Lena Merjanian and Adrian C. Balica
    Citation: Women's Midlife Health 2017 3:10
    Content type: Review Published on:

  5. Recently unintended pregnancies have been described as "a new kind of mid-life crisis." Given the high prevalence of unwanted or mistimed pregnancy in the US, we examined the sexual and reproductive health pat...

    Authors: Versie Johnson-Mallard, Elizabeth A. Kostas-Polston, Nancy Fugate Woods, Katherine E. Simmonds, Ivy M. Alexander and Diana Taylor
    Citation: Women's Midlife Health 2017 3:8
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  7. This commentary discusses the limited availability of information on contraceptive preferences and unmet need for contraception among midlife women in both high and low income countries. Given that risk of pre...

    Authors: Siobán D. Harlow, Jennifer R. Dusendang, Michelle M. Hood and Nancy Fugate Woods
    Citation: Women's Midlife Health 2017 3:6
    Content type: Commentary Published on: