If you’ve already started menopause, this would mean that you’ve stopped having menstruation for more than a year and should not be having any menstrual bleeding. As spotting, even a little is not normal after menopause.
What does it mean to have abnormal vaginal bleeding?
When you experience abnormal vaginal bleeding is a symptoms of menopause, this means that an abnormal amount of blood that flows from the vagina that appears during the wrong time of the month, after menopause, or in abnormal amounts.
If you are experiencing postmenopausal vaginal bleeding, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible as this could be caused by numerous health-related problems, as some of which are quite serious.
Here are some causes of Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding
Endometrial Atrophy – Thinning of the endometrium
The endometrium is the tissue that lines the uterus which often becomes thin after menopause due to low estrogen levels.
Endometrial Hyperplasia
With hyperplasia, the lining of the uterus becomes thick as bleeding may result. Some with endometrial hyperplasia may have abnormal cells that have a risk of leading to endometrial cancer, which is cancer of the uterine lining.
Endometrial cancer – also known as uterine cancer
This is the abnormal bleeding even after menopause, which is a sign of endometrial cancer.
Polyps
Polyps are usually noncancerous growths that develop in the uterus, inside the cervical canal, or on the cervix – which may be the cause of abnormal bleeding.
Other causes
Women in the menopausal transition are risk of body systemic illnesses, infection, and even cancer. Many causes such as uterus or cervix infections, hormone therapy, certain medications including blood thinners and various types of cancer can also be the cause of postmenopausal bleeding.
How to find out the Causes of Abnormal Vagina Bleeding?
To determine the cause of abnormal bleeding, your doctor will examine your medical history, physical exam, and a few other tests. These tests may include:
Endometrial biopsy
This is when a thin tube is inserted directly into your uterus to remove a sample of the uterine lining. Then it is sent to the lab for observation.
Saline-infused sonogram
A small tube of saline is placed in the uterine through the cervix where the doctor observes by ultrasound to see if there are any masses within the lining of the uterus. This is often done with an endometrial biopsy.
Transvaginal ultrasound
An imaging devise is used to place inside the vagina for the doctor to view the pelvic organs and see for anything unusual.
Hysteroscopy
For this test, the doctor will place a small camera to examine the inside of the uterus for observation.
Dilation and curettage (D&C)
The D7C will allow your doctor to remove tissue from the uterus lining to be sent for analysis.
As the Hysteroscopy and D&C are done in an outpatient surgical center or hospital, the biopsy and ultrasound can be performed in the doctor’s office.
How is it treated?
Depending on the cause of the bleeding, treatment will vary. For endometrial atrophy, medication can be done alone, while endometrial hyperplasia can also be treated with progestin or progesterone therapy as well as surgery to remove thick areas of the endometrium. For polyps, surgery will be requirement to remove them.
Birth control pills
Aside from working as an oral contraception, birth control pills are also used to help treat uterine bleeding that is often due to hormonal changes or irregularities. This is also used by women who have an irregular ovulation and want to prevent excessive growth of the endometrium.
Progesterone
This is an effective hormone that is made by the ovary to prevent or treat excessive bleeding in those who do not ovulate regularly. The synthetic form of progesterone is progestin often recommended to treat abnormal bleeding. Usually given as pills, these are taken only once a day during a period of 10-12 days every month or two.
Intrauterine device
The IUD is a device that creates progestin, which is recommended for women who are experiences abnormal vaginal bleeding. The T-shaped devices are inserted by a physical or healthcare provider through the cervix and vagina directly into the uterus. IUDs often include an attached plastic string that projects through the cervix and enables women to check the device.
Surgery
Most often, surgery may be required to remove any abnormal uterine structures such as polyps or fibroids. This procedure is often performed in the doctor’s or gynecologist’s office as well as in an operating room as a same-day treatment. The procedure uses either cold, heat, electrical energy or a laser to destroy the lining of the uterus.
Women with fibroids remove them via myomectomy or by reducing the blood supply of the fibroids through uterine artery embolization. A hysterectomy is the most definitive surgical treatment to for abnormal vaginal bleeding as it removes the entire uterus. The ovaries are either removed or left in place as it may be performed by a robotic or conventional laparoscopy.
Contact your local healthcare provider for any questions or concerts in regards to your medical problem. Make sure never to wait simply on the turn out if you experience abnormal vaginal bleeding especially during menopause or menopause treatments.