During the first stage of menopause--perimenopause, bleeding is expected and is often abnormal. However, women who have entered the stage of menopause should no longer experience bleeding. Menstrual bleeding does not occur after menopause, so any instances of bleeding in this time are abnormal.
Menopause
Menopause begins after a woman's periods have stopped. Menopause naturally marks the end of a woman's reproductive years and begins between the ages of 45 and 55, according to MedlinePlus. There are three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. Perimenopause begins two to eight years before menopause starts; this is known as the transitional stage. It is also the only stage of menopause in which a woman still has a menstrual cycle. Menopause begins on day one of a woman's first missed a menstrual period. Post-menopause occurs after a woman has missed 12 consecutive cycles.
Hormonal Changes
During a woman's reproductive years the pituitary gland releases a hormone known as luteinizing and another called follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH. These hormones together control estrogen and progesterone production. Estrogen and progesterone together control menstruation and ovulation. During the menstrual cycle, estrogen is seeped out at a steady level, then surges before ovulation, this level remains high for a few days then declines enough to begin the cycle all over again.
As a woman gets closer to menopause, estrogen levels decline more and more during these cycles. As a woman approaches menopause, the level of estrogen begins to decline and rise rapidly. When this begins she is said to have entered perimenopause. Her menstrual cycles will become highly irregular and symptoms such as hot flashes swings, mood swings and fatigue will begin. Once the level of estrogen has declined and no longer rises menopause begins and a woman will no longer have a menstrual cycle.
Uterine Causes
Once a woman reaches menopause, she will no longer have a menstrual bleed. However, reproductive conditions and diseases that caused bleeding before menopause began, may continue to be a problem in menopause. This is the same for abnormal growths such as uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are benign uterine growths that appear on the uterine lining, uterine tissue or in the uterine muscle.
These growths are estrogen sensitive and may first appear during a woman's reproductive years, and although they typically shrink during menopause; women who take estrogen supplements may continue to be bothered by these growths. Symptoms of uterine fibroids are abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, bloating and pain during intercourse. Another growth that may cause bleeding after menopause is uterine polyps. These are also benign growths that begin growing on the uterine wall. These growths are common in women in their 60s and 70s although women as young as 40 may have them, according to MayoClinic.com.
Vaginal Causes
Women who have entered menopause may suffer from vaginal dryness due to the decline of estrogen. A low level of estrogen can also cause thinning of the vaginal walls. This can cause friction and bleeding during and after sexual intercourse. In order to combat this issue, some women may find it beneficial to use lubricating gel found in drug stores.
Warnings
Have any instances of bleeding checked out by a gynecologist and never self diagnose. If bleeding is heavy, accompanied by pain or large blood clots seek medical attention immediately.
