Menstrual Problems & Menopause

Hormones are apt to fluctuate wildly when a woman is in peri-menopause, which is the phase that precedes menopause. When hormones are too high or too low it will have a bearing on the menstrual period, its length, its heaviness and its frequency.

Hormonal Imbalances

• You may find that you are experiencing PMS (premenstrual syndrome) for the first time, or that it has worsened. According to Bodyandfitness.com, PMS is a result of an imbalance between the hormones estrogen and progesterone. If progesterone levels drop in relation to estrogen, this can cause estrogen dominance, which can result in PMS. Progesterone is not manufactured if ovulation does not occur. At times, ovulation does not happen when a woman is peri-menopausal, even though she will still have a period. Progesterone is thought to have a tranquilizing effect. When there aren't adequate amounts of progesterone, a woman's anxiety, irritability and tension may increase.

Cramping

• You may experience cramping even though you never did when you were younger. Cramps are the result of the production of prostate gladdens hormone, which makes the uterine muscles contract. Rioting hormones may result in a menstrual period, including cramping, unlike those that you had prior to entering into peri-menopause.

Menorrhagia, Thyroid

• Some peri-menopausal women become anemic, which means iron deficient. If a woman is suffering from menorrhagia, which is an excessive loss of blood, an iron deficiency can occur. Women who lose more than 5 Tbsp. of blood per menstrual cycle are categorized as having menorrhagia and may become anemic as a result. During this pre-menopause period, periods can be too heavy and last too long, both of which can put a woman at risk for developing anemia. There is a definite connection between thyroid function and a woman's menstrual period. If the thyroid has become sluggish during peri-menopause, which commonly happens, this can cause menorrhagia, according to Thyroid-info.com. The time between periods may shorten by five or more days.

Amenorrhea and Dysmenorrhea

• There is a chance that you may experience amenorrhea, which is the absence of a menstrual period, or dysmenorrhea, which means that you have pain while menstruating. Dysmenorrhea is the result of prostaglandins peaking during the menstrual cycle, which causes uterine contractions and constrictions of the blood vessels in the uterine wall, according to Womens-health-pms-menopause.com. Amenorrhea is the cessation of menstrual periods. A peri-menopausal woman may miss several months in a row and then resume her period.

Break-through Bleeding

• Because of the decline in estrogen levels that a peri-menopausal woman is experiencing, she may have break-through mid-cycle bleeding, according to Womenshealthcareforum.com. This is referred to as intermenstrual bleeding. If this occurs, the blood will probably be brown rather than red and the bleeding shouldn't be too heavy. A malfunctioning thyroid can contribute to this.

Clots

• If a woman starts passing blot clots during her period, this may be a sign that she is entering into menopause, according to Dr. JoAnn Manson, a professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Blood clots can result in anemia just as menorrhagia can.