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Is Bleeding After Menopause Normal?

From , former About.com Guide

Updated August 30, 2004

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Question: Is Bleeding After Menopause Normal?
Answer: Changes in bleeding are normal as you near menopause. There are also other common causes of bleeding in the years after menopause. The decline in your body's estrogen levels can cause tissues lining the vagina to become thin, dry, and less elastic. Sometimes this lining can become broken or easily inflamed and bleed. It can also become injured during sex or even during a pelvic exam.

Once you've reached menopause, though, you should report any bleeding that you have to your HCP. Uterine bleeding after menopause could be a sign of other health problems. Other things that can cause abnormal bleeding include:

  • fibroids
  • the use of birth control pills
  • a hormonal imbalance
  • non-cancerous growths in the lining of the uterus

Reprinted from the NWHIC

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