Menopause is defined as occurring 12 months after a woman's last menstrual period, marking the end of menstruation. So once a woman reaches menopause, generally her periods will not restart. However, in rare cases, some women may experience what is called postmenopausal bleeding or return of menstrual cycles even after hitting menopause.
Some potential causes for periods restarting after menopause include:
- Hormone therapy - Women taking supplemental estrogen or progesterone to help manage menopausal symptoms may experience uterine bleeding as a side effect. Discuss with your doctor.
- Uterine polyps or fibroids - Noncancerous growths in the uterus can sometimes cause unexpected bleeding. An ultrasound can check for them.
- Endometrial atrophy - The uterine lining thins with menopause. But if estrogen levels fluctuate, it may temporarily grow back and shed, causing bleeding.
- Endometrial cancer - Postmenopausal bleeding is the most common symptom of uterine cancer. It's important to get checked out by your gynecologist right away.
- Cervical cancer - Cervical cancer is rare after menopause but any abnormal bleeding warrants medical attention.
- Ovarian remnant syndrome - In rare cases, a small piece of ovarian tissue may remain after surgery like hysterectomy and release hormones that cause bleeding.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Evaluation will likely include a pelvic exam, ultrasound, and possibly biopsy. Hormone therapy, surgery, or other options may be considered as appropriate.
It's important to
see your doctor whenever bleeding occurs after hitting menopause, as it is not considered normal. Tracking details like frequency, length, heaviness can help determine potential causes. Most of the time it is due to a benign reason, but ruling out cancers like endometrial and cervical cancer is crucial.
Need help managing bothersome menopause symptoms? The caring providers at
Renewal Hormone Clinic offer customized
hormone replacement therapy plans to help women find relief during this transition. Our
board-certified medical staff will evaluate your labs and symptoms to determine the right combination and dosage of
estrogen, progesterone, testosterone or other
bioidentical hormones to help you feel balanced and healthy during
perimenopause and beyond. We also provide nutritional counseling, fitness plans, stress management techniques and community support groups. Call today to schedule a consultation - we look forward to helping guide you through the change.
