Blood Discharge During Menopause

A woman has technically reached menopause 12 months after her last menstrual cycle. The period leading up to menopause is called perimenopause, and during this time that many women will suffer from the symptoms of menopause and experience irregular menstruation. A bloody discharge after menstruation can be caused by a variety of issues and should be evaluated by your doctor.

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the period before a woman officially enters menopause. During this time, her menstrual cycles will become increasingly irregular, causing some women to believe that they have reached menopause. Skipped periods are common, are very light periods that may be mistaken for simply a blood discharge.

Perimenopause symptoms occur as estrogen levels continue to drop leading up to menopause. It is a common misconception that this stage is actually menopause. This stage could last between two and 10 years. During this time, it is not uncommon for bloody discharge or light periods to be experienced by women.

Bleeding After Menopause

Menopause has been reached 12 twelve months have passed without a menstrual cycle. When bleeding occurs after a woman has reached menopause, a doctor must evaluate it. There may be a harmless cause of the bleeding, but serious health issues can also cause it. Bleeding that occurs in the perimenopause stage is considered irregular periods and is not a serious concern. Keep in mind that during this time you are still able to become pregnant. As long as menstruation is occurring, pregnancy is still a possibility.

Doctor Evaluation

To determine the cause of bloody discharge during menopause, the doctor will order various tests. The tests are likely to include a pap smear and blood tests to determine hormone levels. The doctor will also conduct an examination to make sure that the ovaries and uterus are intact and normal.

Bleeding after menopause is not necessarily a serious issue, but it is important to discover the cause and treat any possible serious causes of vaginal bleeding after menopause.

Causes

Hormone replacement therapy can cause spotting or blood discharge after menopause. Some women experience menstruation years after they were thought to be in menopause. This usually indicates that the woman did not actually reach menopause.

A more serious cause of bleeding is abnormal cell development in the uterus. This can be a condition called hyperplasia of the uterus, which is a relatively minor condition, or it can also be a sign of uterine cancer. These conditions can both be treated effectively.

Treatment

Treatment will depend on the cause of the bleeding. Hormonal causes of bleeding can be corrected by bringing balance to hormone levels through replacement therapy.

For other causes of bleeding after menopause, an endometrial biopsy will determine the treatment options that are available based on the results of the test.