Post menopausal bleeding

sweetlips · Newbie Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

I am 51 and have not had a period since February 2005. However just recently i have noticed very light spotting o few times. The first time it happened was last September after having intercourse. It did not happen again until January of this year,again after intercourse. This last couple of weeks it happened again, but this time not after intercourse, just seemed to be random. I am worried as i have heard that Post menopausal bleeding can be a sign of cancer of the womb/uterus. Each time the spotting has been very light and didnt even last a half a day. Should i be worried? Can anyone help or advise me?

heidi · Moderator Joined: 16 Dec 2005 Posts: 532

Hello! Considering you haven’t had a period for a year, you are definitely menopausal and the bleeding/spotting you are experiencing certainly comes from something that is not ovulation and should be checked as soon as possible.

I know of many possible causes. While some of them may be harmless, there are growth and conditions once should worry about.

Have you been/are on hormone replacement therapy? It is known that estrogen we receive in HRT stimulates growth of uterine lining just like it did during the reproductive years when we used to expel it in a form of a period.

Another possible reason is lack of estrogen. This could be the cause because you said that the spotting occurred after sexual activity for the first couple of times. Estrogen causes dryness and of the vaginal walls and friction during intercourse could have caused bleeding. Lack of estrogen can also lead to breaking down of small blood vessels in the uterine lining and cause bleeding.

Different growth that tend to develop in the uterine lining also cause bleeding. Uterine polyps and fibroids are benign growths but often cause bleeding. Polyps are most likely to cause light spotting similar to the one you described while fibroids usually cause heavier bleeding. Cervical polyps can bleed during sex.

Some of the dangerous reasons are overgrowth of the uterine lining, which may represent pre-cancerous growths as well as cervical dysplasia although I think that the latter one is more common in younger women. However, cancerous growths can cause bleeding as well.

To stop the bleeding, which can be bothersome just because it bleeds, you need to see a doctor and of course to check if there are some potentially dangerous growths.

I would make an appointment as soon as possible.

Post menopausal bleeding

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