Menopause really means that your periods have stopped forever, but in practice we consider it menopause after a year with no periods in women in the typical age range for menopause (average age is 51). There is a very very small chance of releasing an egg and getting pregnant after ‘natural’ menopause with one year of no periods. This chance is much higher in women who go through ‘premature menopause’ at a young age, which is more correctly known as Primary Ovarian Insufficiency or POI, and can happen in the 30’s or even 20’s. Obviously surgical menopause, after both ovaries have been removed, has very little chance of pregnancy at any age, though sometimes part of an ovary is left behind after surgery.
So assuming you are around 50 and have had no periods for a year, the chances are very slim of getting pregnant naturally – close to zero but not impossible. Egg donation is very successful (75% to 80% success rates and higher) for women with POI or menopause of any age who want to get pregnant, but most clinics have a maximum age for treatment. If there is no disease of the uterus success rates are as high as for younger women, but there can be more pregnancy complications and a higher risk of C/section. Some women have medical problems like kidney disease which may make pregnancy inadvisable. Talk to your Ob/Gyn or see a Fertility MD if you do want to have a baby.
