The bleeding afterwards – what can be behind it?
In case of bleeding after the menopause, a doctor should be consulted for clarification in any case, as serious diseases could be hidden behind it. A malignant cancer must always be excluded. But also benign growths can cause postmenopausal bleeding (bleeding that occurs after the menopause).
These benign growths include myomas or polyps in the uterus. In most cases, postmenopausal bleeding is not caused by cancer. Therefore, bleeding can occur again under hormone therapy.
In addition, the lining of the uterus decreases, which can also cause bleeding. In rare cases, a thickening of the uterine lining may also be behind this. In addition, the cause of bleeding can also be in the vagina.
Your mucous membrane also decreases and becomes more susceptible to small tears, which can also cause slight bleeding. Depending on the cause, there are various treatment options. In some cases, it is possible that the last bleeding has not yet occurred. Only after one year after the last bleeding can it be assumed that menopause has occurred.
Which test can prove that I am entering menopause?
The menopause can be recognized by the different hormone levels in the blood. Blood is taken to measure hormone levels, which is then examined. During menopause, the two hormones FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) are elevated, while estrogen and progesterone, which are produced by the ovaries, are lowered.
The remaining sex hormones are in the normal range. By examining the hormone levels, it is not possible to predict whether or not ovulation will occur again – in other words, whether or not there is still a chance of pregnancy. However, the changed hormone levels mean that this probability is increasingly decreasing.The AMH test can be used much earlier to estimate when the menopause will begin.
This test measures the concentration of the anti-Müller hormone in the blood. It decreases on average from the age of 35. The concentration can be used to estimate how much of the ovaries are still active.
However, it cannot determine the exact beginning of the menopause either. However, the test cannot be used in young women, since at this age there are usually no changes in AMH concentration. In addition, the value also varies during the cycle, through hormonal contraception and during pregnancy.
