Bleeding in Perimenopause & Menopause

Northern Colorado Women's Wellness

Located in Greeley Colorado, Noco Women's Wellness is a Gynecology practice whose mission is to help women of all lifestyles heal their way to better health and happiness. Our team of female providers is dedicated to helping each patient achieve maximum wellness and to be their best self.

Menopause is the absence of menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months. The average age of menopause is 51 years, but the normal range is 45 years to 55 years. The transition to menopause, known as perimenopause,  includes the years leading up to menopause, sometimes as many as 10.

During perimenopause, levels of estrogen and progesterone may not follow a regular pattern as they do during a normal menstrual cycle, when ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle. Some months you may experience irregular bleeding, spotting, or heavier, lighter, or longer periods. You may even miss periods.

But there are conditions not related to perimenopause that you should be alert to and talk about with your healthcare provider about, including:

• Very heavy bleeding
• Bleeding that lasts longer than normal
• Bleeding that occurs more often than every 3 weeks
• Bleeding that occurs after sex or between periods

It’s important to note that any bleeding after menopause is abnormal and should be reported to your GYN healthcare provider right away.

Definitions

Estrogen: A female hormone produced in the ovaries.
Hysterectomy: Removal of the uterus.
Ovulation: The release of an egg from one of the ovaries.
Progesterone: A female hormone that is produced in the ovaries and prepares the lining of the uterus for pregnancy.
Progestin: A synthetic form of progesterone that is similar to the hormone produced naturally by the body.