Many women are under the misapprehension that as the lead up to the menopause their periods will actually get much lighter and they'll have less to worry about, but sadly the reverse is true. And in fact their periods generally get heavier closer together and much more troublesome.
Heavy periods during the perimenopause: what you need to know. The perimenopause is the time directly before the menopause, when you still have periods, but the fluctuating and low hormone levels – especially estrogen – can trigger a whole host of symptoms, including heavy periods.
Heavy bleeding is common among women transitioning into menopause, the point when your body's reproductive system stops releasing eggs. One study found that among women ages 42 to 52, more than 90% experienced periods that lasted 10 days or more — with 78% reporting their blood flow as heavy.
Heavier Periods
When your estrogen levels are higher than your progesterone levels, the uterine lining grows and leads to more bleeding. While heavy periods are a common symptom of perimenopause, they can be dangerous. Losing too much blood can lead to iron deficiency.
During perimenopause, a woman may experience heavier, longer periods of bleeding and more severe cramping during menstruation. The reasons for these changes are fluctuations in estrogen and lowering progesterone levels.
In this phase, menstrual blood ranges in color from dark brown to bright red. You might notice brown discharge or perimenopause brown spotting throughout the month. The texture of your discharge will also vary from thin and watery to thick and clumpy.
What are periods like during perimenopause? Your body is producing less of the hormones that help you ovulate, so your periods can become irregular. Your menstrual cycle could become longer or shorter than usual. Your bleeding could also be heavier or lighter than normal.
Conditions affecting the ovaries, womb, or hormone levels can cause sudden heavy periods. These include uterine polyps, endometriosis, and more. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , heavy periods are among the most common health issues that females report to doctors.
Perimenopause can begin in some women in their 30s, but most often it starts in women ages 40 to 44. It is marked by changes in menstrual flow and in the length of the cycle.
From your early 40s and into your 50s, during perimenopause, you may find that your periods change and become erratic as your ovaries slow down and oestrogen levels start to fluctuate. It can be very common for your cycle to become highly unpredictable and periods to be heavier and longer.
Hormone therapy can often help the bleeding problem while also alleviating the associated symptoms of perimenopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats. Oral contraceptives can be offered as treatment in the appropriate patient. Oral progestins can be given cyclically or only when the flow is heavy.
Some women experience high levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone. This can cause the uterine lining to thicken. When a thick uterine lining sheds during menstruation, women might experience heavier blood flows and larger blood clots.
You're not alone. Occasional heavy periods, called menorrhagia, are common in perimenopause. One study of more than 1,300 middle-aged women reported that 91 percent of them experienced at least one occurrence of heavy flow lasting three or more days during a three-year timeframe.
The only reliable sign that perimenopause is ending is infrequent periods. As a person approaches menopause, their periods will become further apart and eventually stop entirely. Doctors consider a person to be nearing the end of perimenopause when their periods are more than 60 days apart .
Menopause is divided into three basic stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. During this time, the ovaries begin to atrophy which causes a decline in the production of the hormones that stimulate the menstrual cycle; estrogen and progesterone.
Bright red blood: As your uterus starts to actively shed blood during your period, you may notice that the color is bright red. This just means that your blood is fresh and has not been in the uterus or vagina for some time. Dark red blood: Dark red blood is simply blood that has been in the vagina for longer.
If you notice on heavy days of your period that blood seems extra-thick, and can sometimes form a jelly-like glob, these are menstrual clots, a mix of blood and tissue released from your uterus during your period. They can vary in size and color, and usually, they are nothing to worry about.
Blood clots on your tampon or in the toilet are normal when you have your period.
Periods can get heavier and more painful for some women after the age of 40. Sometimes it is a nuisance and sometimes it is a cause for concern.
According to University of Michigan researchers, 91 percent of women aged 42–52 surveyed reported heavy menstruation for 10 or more days during their transition to menopause. This phenomenon occurred one to three times within a three-year period.
Specifically, the research found that it is not uncommon for women to have prolonged bleeding of 10 or more days, spotting for six or more days and/or heavy bleeding for three or more days during the transition.