When a woman has not had a period for over a year, then begins to experience bleeding that looks like a period, she shouldn't ignore it. Although postmenopausal bleeding can be a symptom of cancer, most causes are not life-threatening. She should visit her doctor so he can investigate and find the specific cause of her bleeding.
Hormone Imbalances
Postmenopausal bleeding is defined as any bleeding that takes place after 12 full months with no period. Though most causes are not serious, this should be checked by the woman's gynecologist when it happens. One of the more common causes of postmenopausal bleeding is a shift in hormones or an imbalance. According to Marcy Holmes, women's health nurse-practitioner, this can happen when she stops taking hormone replacement therapy, changes to a new HRT or adds a new HRT. If she has a buildup of tissue in her uterus, she may experience some spotting once she begins a new therapy (progesterone or progestin). These HRT preparations allowed the uterus to shed the tissue; they did not cause the bleeding.
Polyps
If the woman has polyps inside her uterus or on the lining of the uterus, she may experience postmenopausal bleeding. Generally, these growths are non-cancerous; however, 1 in 8 women who experience postmenopausal bleeding receive a diagnosis of cancer. If caught early, this cancer can be treated successfully.
Endometrial Atrophy
The lack of estrogen in the woman's system can cause a thinning (atrophy) of the uterine lining. When this happens, the small blood vessels in the lining of the uterus break down and she experiences postmenopausal bleeding, according to women's health advocate Dawn Olsen.
Nutrition/Weight
Long-term nutritional deficiency in nutrients that support hormone balance can cause a woman to experience this deficiency in postmenopausal bleeding. According to Marcy Holmes, if she improves her diet and begins to take a daily multivitamin, she could improve her hormonal balance. Likewise, if the woman has experienced a drastic weight loss, the estrogen in her fat tissues is freed into her bloodstream as she continues to lose weight. As this happens, she may experience postmenopausal bleeding. Estrone relies on body fat to exist; as the woman loses weight, the balance between estrogen and progesterone changes. This is one reason doctors recommend that women try to lose excess weight slowly.
Emotional Stress
When a postmenopausal woman is going through a high degree of emotional stress, she can begin to bleed again. According to Marcy Holmes, she saw a higher number of postmenopausal bleeding in the 6 months following the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon than she has seen since. This kind of emotion-related bleeding is possible because of an unanticipated spurt of hormones.
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