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Bleeding in Post Menopausal Women

Post-menopausal bleeding is a common occurrence. Generally, it's nothing to worry about, but there are certain conditions that can cause post-menopausal bleeding, which are serious. It's important to visit your gynecologist if you have unexplained post menopausal bleeding to ensure that whatever is awry is not serious and can be treated, if need be.

  1. Hormonal Re-Balancing

    • According to Womentowomen.com, any time a woman has gone for 12 successive months and then resumes bleeding, this is considered post-menopausal bleeding and it happens to about 20- to 30 percent of all women. The bleeding resumes due to a hormonal re-balancing or hormonal change. Some women take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and when they stop taking it, this can cause the bleeding to resume. If a woman starts HRT this, too, can cause bleeding.

    Progesterone Cream

    • If a woman has a build-up of tissue in her uterus, this can result in spotting when she initiates progesterone or progestin therapy. Progesterone or progestin can be introduced via a cream. The cream does not cause the bleeding; rather, it allows the uterus to eliminate the build-up that was pre-existing.

    Insulin Resistant Women

    • If you are post-menopausal and insulin resistant, you may be extremely estrogenic. In such a case, an insulin resistant woman's body will convert progesterone into estrogen. When the balance between these two hormones is out of kilter, it can lead to post-menopausal bleeding as well as weight gain.

    Poor Diet

    • If your diet is poor and has been for some time this will show up during menopause and can prompt post-menopausal bleeding, according to Marcy Holmes, a certified menopause clinician. For example, if you don't have enough nutrients and vitamins in your system, this will reveal itself via post-menopausal bleeding. Eat better and take a multi-vitamin to prevent this from happening. Your hormonal system can't be healthy and operating optimally if your diet is shoddy.

    Stress

    • If a post-menopausal woman experiences great stress or undergoes a life-altering experience, she may resume bleeding. These are considered spontaneous bleeding events and are brought on by extreme cases of stress.

    Weight Loss

    • If a post-menopausal woman drops a great deal of weight, quickly, either through gastric bypass surgery or on her own, she may resume bleeding. According to Holmes, this happens because the estrogen that has been stored in the fat tissue is now free to enter into the bloodstream. Estrone, which is one of three main types of estrogen, relies on fat to nourish it. If the fat is gone, a shift in the hormonal balance between progesterone and estrogen occurs and bleeding may resume.

    Polyps

    • According to Spirehealthcare.com, post-menopausal bleeding may be caused by a polyp, which can be removed. Generally, post-menopausal bleeding doesn't require treatment; however, if there is a lot of bleeding this may be an indication of uterine or cervical cancer. Dr. Brian Walsh, assistant professor of obstetrics/gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and director of the Menopause Unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston notes that diminishing estrogen levels cause the vaginal walls to thin, which may result in bleeding. Dr. Walsh also explains that post-menopausal bleeding can actually be coming from the rectum or bladder.

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