Violation of the monthly cycle after 45 years. Causes of long periods and increased menstrual cycles. What is the menstrual cycle

A woman after 45 years of age with the onset of menopause experiences various changes in the female organs, estrogen production changes, and menstrual flow gradually decreases. Normally, menstruation lasts 3 to 5 days. But there are also other conditions when menstruation lasts more than 7 days. These are women who, after 45–50 years, may experience heavy, long periods after 45 years, the reasons for which do not correspond to the normal state of a woman during menopause. During menopause, menstruation normally gradually stops, and not vice versa. It is in such situations that a woman needs a thorough examination and finding out the cause of this condition.

Menstruation - normal and pathological

Long periods after 40-50 years are considered normal in some cases, and pathology in others. There is no need to worry when menstruation is long and heavy before menopause. They decrease over time or increase at times.

You should sound the alarm when your periods last more than 7-10 days; they are so heavy that you have to change the pad often. In addition, intense pain in the lower abdomen, bleeding after sexual intercourse appears, the temperature rises, chills, sweating and weakness appear. You need to be wary when menstruation after menopause was scanty, even completely absent, and suddenly became profuse and protracted.

Causes

It is very difficult to determine the reason for long periods after 45 years, there are many reasons, but the most basic reason is uterine bleeding. Sometimes women cannot distinguish between bleeding and menstruation.

Bleeding appears in the following cases:

1. Endometrial diseases. In this case, the endometrium grows in the uterus, the cause of which is a violation of the formation of the egg. Frequent abortions, curettage and other interventions lead to this condition;
2. Myoma. These are benign tumors that appear in women due to disorders of the thyroid gland;
3. Blood clotting disorder;
4. With polycystic ovary syndrome, when menstruation does not appear for months, and suddenly comes abundantly and for a long time;
5. Polyps. These are also benign neoplasms that do not harm a woman’s body. But the only discomfort they cause is heavy, protracted periods;
6. Irregular use or discontinuation of oral contraceptives. In these situations, scanty bleeding may occur;
7. General diseases. With diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases, and cirrhosis of the liver, uterine bleeding may occur.

Examination of a woman

To accurately establish the diagnosis and exclude serious pathology of the female organs, the following examinations are carried out:

• General blood analysis.
• Ultrasound of the uterus and appendages.
• Thyroid examination.
• Colposcopy is when a colposcope is used to examine the cervix.
• Examination of blood clotting (coagulogram).
• Therapeutic curettage.
• Examination of hormone levels.
• Examination of fallopian tube patency.

Principles of treatment

For long periods, treatment is prescribed by a gynecologist after a thorough examination of the woman. Taking medications on your own, without a prescription from a female doctor, can lead to bad consequences and various gynecological diseases. First of all, when treating this pathology, the cause of this condition is eliminated, the disease that caused the bleeding is treated. The following medications are used:

1. Oral contraceptives (combined, with progesterone and estrogen).
2. Antibacterial drugs.
3. Hemostatic drugs.
4. Iron-containing preparations.

Treatment at home

At home, in rare cases when there is no other option, you can use contraceptives that the woman had previously used. They significantly reduce prolonged menstruation. If it is not possible to go to a doctor, you can take hemostatic medications on your own, these include:

• Vikasol, dicinone. These drugs will help reduce heavy periods, as vitamin K (vicasol) improves blood clotting;
• Duphaston. This drug prevents the risk of malignant tumors of the female organs and helps reduce long periods.

If you don’t have medications at hand, you can use home remedies at home:

1. Honey. If you consume a lot of honey, bleeding will decrease. But if someone is predisposed to diabetes, you should not abuse honey in large quantities.
2. Lemon. It can also reduce the flow of heavy periods, but is not recommended for women with diseases of the digestive system.
3. Parsley. It can be finely chopped, put in a bowl and brewed with hot boiling water, like tea. Leave to infuse for 3 hours, then drink, divided into 3 doses.

If a thorough examination does not reveal a serious pathology in a woman, women are treated with oral contraceptives, sedatives and antidepressants. Estrogen is also prescribed vaginally.

Women during and before menopause will feel great and will not have problems with their female organs if they follow the following recommendations and advice:

• Once every 6 months, be examined by a female doctor.
• Completely stop drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking.
• Urgently call an ambulance if there is heavy menstruation, when a woman changes the pad 2 or more times within an hour.
• Consult a doctor if you have fever, tachycardia and chills.
• Get rid of extra pounds and maintain normal weight.
• Regulate your diet.
• Lead a healthy lifestyle.
• Long periods can lead to blood loss, anemia (anemia) occurs, it is recommended to regularly take a general blood test, especially blood hemoglobin.

A woman over 45 years of age should carefully monitor her health, not neglect the advice of a gynecologist, and in case of alarming symptoms, consult a doctor in a timely manner. After all, there may be reasons for long periods after 45 years that require regular examination and examination by a doctor. Therefore, if you have the symptoms described above and you suspect a disease, you should definitely get a diagnosis from a qualified gynecologist.

After forty, a woman may experience changes in her menstrual cycle. Most often, they are provoked by physiological changes, which are considered normal and represent a decline in the function of the reproductive system due to age and hormonal changes.

Treatment of menstrual irregularities at 40 years of age is mainly aimed at reducing the activity of the manifested symptoms of perimenopause.

For most women, the childbearing period ends at 40–45 years. This is due to age: the aging processes of the reproductive system are activated in the body, starting with the depletion of the ovaries and a decrease in their sensitivity to the effects of follicle-stimulating (FSH) and luteinizing (LH) hormones produced by the pituitary gland. The ovaries stop producing estradiol, causing its blood levels to drop.

The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland begins to actively produce gonadotropic hormone, the level of FSH and LH in the blood increases, which is why hormonal levels and the menstrual cycle are disrupted after 40 years.

Gonadotropins provoke severe depletion of the ovaries, and critical days can occur, but their duration may vary. Gradually, under the influence of such irregularities in the menstrual cycle at 45 years of age, its duration increases. Eventually it happens.

Along with these processes, disruptions in the cyclical release of gonadotropins are provoked in the pituitary gland. Gradually, they cease to have an effect on the ovaries, which are in the active stage of exhaustion. The listed reasons for cycle disruption after 40 years provoke inhibition of ovarian function, and this is associated with the occurrence of structural changes in them, such as:

• activation of the process of oocyte death;
• atrophic processes in primordial follicles;
• thinning of granulosa, stroma;
• sclerosis of hyalinosis.

The listed factors provoke disruption of the cyclicity of menstruation after 45 years due to the lack of possibility of ovulation and insufficiency of the luteal phase. This affects what happens to the woman’s body: oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea develops.

Women of different ages depend on female sex hormones; after 40–45 years, hormonal imbalance causes depletion of the endometrium of the uterus. Also during this period, opposite processes may occur - diffuse, focal hyperplastic changes. Gradually, the size of the uterus decreases to 4–5 centimeters.

The indicated reasons for the disruption of the menstrual cycle also affect the general condition of the woman. This is due to the fact that many tissues and organs have receptors that sense estrogen levels, and during menopause or premenopause it decreases significantly.

Most often, such changes are smoothed out with the help of the body’s adaptation mechanisms, blocking the processes of the appearance of unpleasant symptoms. But in some women the activity of these functions is insufficient, which is why menopausal syndrome manifests itself.

Periods of a woman's life after 40

After forty years, many women begin to experience suppression of their reproductive function. The process of menstrual irregularities is divided into several stages:

1. Menopause.
2. Postmenopause.

Perimenopause combines premenopause, menopause, and 2 years after the last normal menstruation.

Menopausal transition period

The main cause of menstrual irregularities after 40 years of age is premenopause. It begins at the age of 40–45 years and lasts until the end of menstruation. It is characterized by the beginning of a decrease in the activity of the hormonal function of the ovaries and the appearance of primary symptoms of menopause. This period passes unnoticed for only 5–10% of women.

Menopause

At the age of 45, menstrual irregularities caused by premenopause move to the next stage - menopause, which occurs with the last normal menstruation after 45 years and lasts a year.

Menopause in a woman’s life is premature if it begins at 37–40 years old, early – at 41–45. This stage may occur a couple of years earlier due to smoking, fasting, or alcohol addiction.

Perimenopause

It begins at the age of 40–45 and ends by the age of 55. This age is characterized by a decrease in ovarian function associated with the aging of the reproductive system. The perimenopause phase includes perimenopause, menopause and the 2 subsequent years.

Postmenopause

This stage begins from menopause, that is, after the onset of the last normal menstruation, as well as for 1 year after it. It is observed up to 65–70 years of age, gradually flowing into the senile period.

Symptoms of menopause

Divided into 3 groups:

• early - appear before the cessation of menstruation (during the transition to menopause);
• medium-term – begins 2–4 years after menopause;
• late – appear 4–5 years after menopause.

In almost 50% of women, menopause is severe with pronounced symptoms. A mild form of transition is observed only in completely healthy representatives of the fairer sex, while menstrual cycle disturbances are observed later in them.

Early

Failure of the menstrual cycle in the fifth decade is manifested by vasomotor and psycho-emotional symptoms.

Irregular and short-lived menstruation provokes the appearance of vasomotor symptoms, such as:

• feeling of heart rate;
• feeling of rising temperature;
• increased sweating;
• hypertension.

With a physiological delay in menstruation, a change in the psycho-emotional state and the appearance of the following symptoms are noted:

• memory impairment;
• insomnia;
• irritability;
• decreased libido;
• depression;
• headaches and...

Medium-term symptoms of menstrual irregularities include the appearance of dryness, itching, burning sensations in the vagina, pain during sexual intercourse, urinary incontinence, wrinkles on the skin, increased fragility of the nail plates, hair loss and weakening.

All of the above symptoms can manifest themselves within five years after menstrual irregularities at 45 years of age.

Late

These menopausal symptoms are associated with the development of diseases of vital systems and organs. The reasons for the failure of the menstrual cycle after 40 years lead to the appearance of such problems as:

• cardiovascular pathologies;
• postmenopausal osteoporosis;
• Alzheimer's disease.

To avoid the development of dangerous pathologies, it is necessary to begin treatment of menopausal syndrome in a timely manner. Hormone replacement therapy is considered the only effective method. It should be started when early signs of menopause appear. On average, this takes 1–3 years, but the duration can be increased to 5 years.

Women's menstrual flow varies in nature. Menstruation comes at different intervals, causing pain for some. The amount of blood leaving the body also differs. When there is an excess of it, heavy periods occur.

The amount of blood released during menstruation depends on a number of factors. Heredity, body characteristics, and physical condition matter. The volume of menstruation may increase sharply. Having seen heavy discharge, women do not know how to behave and whether to go to the doctor.

How to determine?

To separate the concept of menstruation from, the following criteria should be taken into account:

• duration of menstruation (normally no more than 7 days);
• volume of discharge (should not be more than 150 ml per day);
• profuseness (a large volume of discharge should normally occur in the first two or three days, no more);
• duration of the menstrual cycle (at least 21 days between bleeding);
• sensation of pain (normal – moderate pain);
• discharge between periods (there should not be any).

Heavy periods

Very intense periods are called “menorrhagia” in medical parlance. The concept defines a violation of menstrual function, as a result of which the amount of discharge is significantly increased during the normal duration of the cycle.

Symptoms

This condition cannot always be attributed to a disease. The cause can be not only gynecological pathologies, but also certain conditions of the body.

We can talk about menorrhagia when there is a significant increase in the volume of bloody discharge, when you have to change a pad or tampon every hour.

Causes of menorrhagia

There are a number of reasons why a woman experiences heavy bleeding:

• Hormonal imbalances. If there is a malfunction of the body's hormonal system, heavy periods are likely on the first day, as well as on subsequent days. Such problems most often occur at a young age or in adolescents, while the menstrual cycle is just becoming established. Women may experience problems when taking hormonal contraceptives. There may be an increase in the volume of menstrual flow in premenopausal women.
• Uterine fibroids. Myoma or fibroids are benign formations. Causes excessive discharge and bleeding. The cause of the disease is inflammatory processes or infections that affect the organs of the reproductive system.
• Cervical polyp. This is a formation in the endometrium. Appears due to injury, curettage, hormonal disorders, inflammation of the cervix.
• Endometrial cancer or cervical cancer. A malignant tumor can cause large amounts of menstrual blood.
• Problems with blood clotting. If there is such a disease, a woman has heavy periods, only a doctor can tell. Going to the clinic is mandatory, since large blood loss will negatively affect the general condition and cause anemia.
• Use of the IUD. The intrauterine device can cause heavy discharge during menstruation. This means the body is incompatible with this contraceptive, so it must be removed.
• Heredity. If the mother had problems with the amount of menstruation, most likely the daughter will suffer the same.
can cause heavy menstruation.
• Stress, climate change, flights- all this can provoke a problem.

To find out the cause in each specific case, you need to consult a gynecologist. After the examination, the woman will be prescribed treatment.

Uterine fibroids can cause a woman's heavy periods

After childbirth and cesarean

After childbirth, the functioning of a woman’s body changes, which also affects the nature of her periods. Most often they become more abundant and last longer. The reason is the uterus, the cervix of which becomes anatomically wider after the birth of the baby. As a result, the amount of menstrual flow increases. The size of the uterus also becomes larger, so its surface area, and therefore the endometrium, becomes larger. This leads to a significant increase in the volume of menstruation.

If a cesarean section was performed during childbirth, a suture remains on the uterus, and subsequently a scar. The scarred tissue is connective and cannot contract, causing menstrual flow to become more abundant.

After scraping

Artificial termination of pregnancy or abortion has a strong negative impact on the functioning of a woman’s body. There is a complete restructuring of the functioning of the hormonal system.

Discharge that begins immediately after curettage is not menstruation, as many women think. They last up to one week and are moderate in quantity. If the blood loss after surgery is large, you should immediately consult a doctor.

A danger to health and life is indicated by copious discharge accompanied by:

• unpleasant odor;
• high temperature;

The cause of menorrhagia in this case may be an inflammatory process of the uterus.

With clots

With heavy menstruation, you should pay attention not only to the volume, but also to the nature of the discharge. Sometimes a woman observes large dark blood clots. This suggests that the blood is coagulating directly in the uterine cavity.

The reasons for heavy periods with clots are as follows:

• hormonal imbalance;
• the presence of a barrier to the exit of blood, for example, polyps, fibroids, etc.;
• problems with uterine contractions as a result of the presence of fibroids or endometriosis.

First menstruation in adolescence

Teenage girls often experience heavy discharge when their menstrual cycle begins. The reason is the instability of the hormonal system.

Problems in girls can be triggered by negative emotions, excess body weight or its deficiency, excessive physical activity, as well as problems with the endocrine system.

• moderate exercise;
• swimming in the pool;
• proper nutrition;
• the required amount of vitamins.

Before menopause

In women aged 40-45 years, the perimenopause period begins. This is a condition when the body is rebuilt and becomes unable to conceive.

Due to the restructuring of the hormonal system, the volume of menstruation in women becomes significantly larger. It is also possible to increase their duration. But the cause of menorrhagia can be not only natural processes, but also pathologies, for example, diseases such as endometrial polyp or uterine fibroids.

How to reduce discharge?

How to help yourself with heavy menstruation? You need to go to the doctor.

• avoid heavy physical activity or reduce it;
• stop drinking alcohol and coffee;
• take multivitamin medications;
• for abdominal pain, you can use a heating pad with cold, but not more than a quarter of an hour;
• avoid stress;
• drink shepherd's purse and horsetail, which can reduce the amount of blood loss during menstruation.

Is treatment required?

After the examination, the doctor will choose the necessary treatment tactics and prescribe medications.

Diagnostics

At an appointment with a specialist, you need to tell him about the number of pregnancies and abortions, complications that arose after childbirth, and the use of medications. The doctor will conduct an examination. Pregnancy, especially ectopic pregnancy, uterine fibroids or other pathologies must be excluded.

May be prescribed for diagnostic purposes:

• ultrasonography;
• biopsy;
• smear;
• general blood analysis.

For women who have problems with menstrual flow, doctors recommend keeping a special calendar. It is necessary to note the duration of the cycle and days of menstruation, as well as the volume of discharge.

Purpose of therapy

Treatment of menorrhagia can be conservative and surgical. The first is prescribed to girls and adolescents, as well as women who have not yet given birth.

What to drink during heavy menstruation in this case? As therapy for heavy periods, medications with, for example, or Vikasol are prescribed. The complex prescribes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Indomethacin, Ibuprofen, as well as vitamin therapy.

It is possible that the doctor will prescribe hormonal medications and indicate the dosage regimen. The Mirena IUD, which contains levonorgestrel, is effective in treating heavy menstruation.

Surgical treatment is indicated in the presence of diseases such as:

• endometriosis;
• adenomyosis;
• polyps.

Hysterectomy or hysterectomy is indicated in the most severe cases, such as when heavy periods are caused by a tumor in premenopausal women.

Will traditional medicine help?

In some cases, treatment can be combined with traditional medicine, after consulting with your doctor.

For heavy periods, the following remedies are effective:

• Infusion from shepherd's purse. Preparation: pour two or three tablespoons of herbs into a glass of boiling water.
• A decoction of a mixture of yarrow and burnet herbs. A tablespoon of raw material should be brewed with a glass of boiling water. Next, the decoction is kept in a water bath for at least 15 minutes and taken for 14 days, starting around the middle of the menstrual cycle.

How to prevent it?

Preventive measures to avoid heavy periods include:

• healthy lifestyle;
• moderate physical activity;
• food that includes all the necessary vitamins and iron.

Heavy periods are something you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to. It is necessary to consult a doctor, find out the cause of the pathology and begin a course of treatment after the examination.

Video about heavy discharge

A feature of women's health after 40 years is periodic irregularities in the menstrual cycle. This phenomenon may mean the approach of menopause, as well as a number of certain pathologies that require immediate attention.

As you know, after 40 years, the amount of hormones produced in a woman’s body significantly decreases, and the probability of successful conception after the first intimate relationship is 5%. These processes indicate the beginning of the decline of menstrual function. And although at the age of 40 the organs of the reproductive system should function normally, certain circumstances may influence a premature decline in their activity. As a result, a woman is more likely to encounter problems.

There are other causes of the disorder that are not caused by a decrease in menstrual function. These include the following:

1. Psychogenic. A delay in menstruation occurs due to severe stress. Unfortunately, even with age, the number of things for which a woman feels responsible and worries does not decrease. Stressful situations at work or at home can have an undue negative impact on a woman's well-being, leading to a delay in menstruation. You should also take into account the general state of health at this age, and the fact that even the most minor psycho-emotional experiences are more difficult to bear than at a younger age.
2. Emotional. Delays associated with strong impressions and emotions. They can be both positive and negative.
3. Neurogenic. A cycle failure often occurs due to the psychological stress that a woman experiences at work or because of an important event that is about to happen in the life of a child.
4. Heavy lifting and excessive physical activity. Most women who are no longer going to give birth stop paying attention to the stress they expose themselves to. They try to do all the housework themselves, from rearranging furniture to carrying heavy bags every day. Such an effect on a fragile body provokes a failure of menstruation.
5. The presence of pathologies of the female genital organs. It is not for nothing that gynecologists insist on regular examinations and visits to specialists for women who have crossed the age mark of 40 years. During this period, the risk of developing various diseases that cause a delay in menstruation increases. The most common ailments include ovarian cyst, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, chronic adnexitis, endometritis. Carrying out an abortion, removing a polyp or any other gynecological manipulation also leads to a delay in menstruation.
6. Chronic pathologies. Menstrual irregularities can be caused by menstruation, which develops in a woman’s body over a long period of time. For example, kidney stones, heart disease, diabetes, pathologies of the digestive system. Any serious disruption of the functioning of one of the body systems inevitably affects the menstrual cycle. During colds and flu, some cycle shifts are also possible.
7. Endocrine causes of delay. Cycle failure occurs due to abnormalities in the thyroid gland or diabetes.
8. Poor nutrition and excess body weight. A woman should. The body must be saturated with essential vitamins and microelements. A deficiency of any nutrients in the body affects the proper functioning of the ovaries, causing a delay in menstruation. The same effect is observed with obesity and with excessive thinness.
9. Delayed menstruation due to medication. Some medications can cause cycle disruption. This temporary effect often goes away after the end of the course of therapy.

Disruption of the menstrual cycle after 40 years may also be accompanied by a change in the woman’s usual volume of discharge. Of course, all the processes occurring in the body at this time can bring inconvenience and psychological discomfort to the fair sex.

In order for the period from 40 to 50 years to pass most favorably for a woman’s health and her psycho-emotional state, she should take care of herself. When work involves constant stress and tension, it is necessary to minimize such negative effects. If this is not possible, then it makes sense to think about changing your occupation.

So, in order to find out the reason for the failure of the menstrual cycle after 40 years, one should analyze the woman’s nutrition, her psycho-emotional state, physical activity and other factors that could provoke this failure. Irregular menstruation after 45 years of age should not be a surprise. It is at this age that the breaks between menstruation increase, that is, irregular discharge becomes a kind of norm. If the duration of menstruation exceeds 7 days and is characterized by heavy bleeding, it is necessary to be examined by a specialist.

Hormonal changes in the body also affect the condition of a woman’s skin. Since the process of renewal and regeneration of dermal cells slows down significantly, it becomes more flabby and dull. Without proper care, the skin of the face and body will quickly become covered with wrinkles. Hormone replacement therapy and the use of cosmetics and care products help correct the situation.

During this period, most women experience some difficulties in the intimate sphere. Due to their mood swings, they often cannot reciprocate their feelings to their partner. In addition, representatives of the fairer sex indicate the appearance of itching and dryness of the vagina. The likelihood of developing genitourinary infections increases, as the mucous membranes of the genital organs cease to perform protective functions at the proper level.

Thus, if at the age of 45 a woman’s menstrual cycle has increased, the reasons may lie in the irregular production of the hormone estrogen. This means that the process of menstrual function fading has begun and the woman should take care that the onset of menopause is as calm as possible for her. Now this is possible thanks to various hormonal, homeopathic drugs, as well as.

Not many women can boast that they regularly visit a gynecologist. There are many reasons for this: lack of time, reluctance to visit a medical facility again, as well as a lack of faith that the premenopausal state can be improved. Of course, previously medicine had little to offer the fair sex during such a difficult period. Medicines were also not particularly effective and did not make me feel better. However, at the moment, effective herbal remedies have been developed, as well as homeopathic remedies that make a woman’s life easier and can also restore her smile and good mood. It is also possible to carry out hormone replacement therapy, which, according to numerous reviews, gives good results.

How to restore your menstrual cycle after 40 years should be discussed with your doctor during a consultation. Self-medication and independent selection of medications is highly discouraged. Firstly, most drugs have contraindications, and secondly, they can aggravate the course of hidden pathologies in a woman’s body. For this reason, the gynecologist may recommend additional examinations and tests, which are very advisable for women over 40 years old. To begin with, the possibility of the presence of cancer and other pathologies is excluded. Only after this is the appropriate complex of therapy prescribed.

For the prevention and treatment of such menopausal symptoms as sensations of heat (hot flashes), increased sweating and attacks of rapid heartbeat, Estrovel, Relaxil, Inoclim are used. For example, the biologically active food supplement Qi-Klim Alanine is used as a supporting supplement. additional agent for hormone replacement therapy. Medicines and tablets for menstrual irregularities should be prescribed by a qualified specialist. Therefore, to select a suitable remedy, it is recommended to make an appointment with a gynecologist, who, after collecting an anamnesis, will be able to recommend the means with the greatest effect for each specific patient.

Treatment of climatic symptoms using traditional methods can be no less effective than using medications. The most popular means are:

1. Dill water. Dill seeds are poured with hot water (not boiling water) and left to steep for about an hour. After taking this remedy, there is a reduction in the number of hot flashes, as well as normalization of sleep.
2. Oregano tea. Relieves intense hot flashes, soothes and reduces bleeding.
3. Homemade juices. During menopause, a woman should receive rich, comprehensive nutrition. Her body should not need any vitamins or microelements. To do this, you should include natural, healthy juices (preferably homemade) in your daily diet.
4. Peony tincture. It is an excellent remedy for reducing sweating, normalizing sleep, as well as other climatic manifestations.

Violation of the monthly cycle, the causes of which vary from person to person, is not necessarily a sign of disease. However, this phenomenon requires immediate examination by a gynecologist to exclude any diseases and confirm the normal course of the premenopausal period.

Medicines and folk remedies:

Medications:

• hormonal drugs;
• bioactive food additives;
• special drugs for the treatment of climatic symptoms.

Folk remedies:

• Dill water;
• oregano tea;
• natural juices;
• peony tincture.

When a woman crosses the threshold of 45 years, the nature of her menstruation should change: after 45 years, menstruation should gradually fade away; irregularity of the cycle at this age is a normal phenomenon, which indicates a decrease in ovarian activity. If earlier menstruation lasted for 5 days, then at this age three-day menstruation is the norm. Lengthening the cycle is also considered normal. If earlier the cycle was day to day for 28 days, now pauses of 35 or even 45 days should not be confusing. The amount of discharge can vary from heavy to scanty, and this is also considered normal (if the duration does not exceed 7 days).

If the breaks do not increase and the amount of blood released remains the same, then this is a reason to visit a gynecologist. If there is no menstruation at the age of 40-45, then this indicates the onset of early menopause, since on average women in our country begin at 51-52 years old.

Heavy periods after 45 years

Many women after 40-45 years old are faced with this phenomenon - before this age, periods were regular for 3-5 days and average in blood volume, and as soon as they crossed this age limit, they immediately began to “pour out of buckets.”

This phenomenon is a harbinger of the beginning, so it is advisable to visit a gynecologist as soon as this happens. In addition, this can be a symptom not only of menopause, but also of diseases such as:

• uterine cancer;
• (inflammation of the inner layer of the uterus).

The doctor should examine you for the above pathologies. If none of the diagnoses are confirmed, he will prescribe hormonal therapy to alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

Scanty periods after 45 years

For many women, by the age of 45, menstruation stops completely. For some it continues, but the discharge becomes very scanty and more like spotting (like at the end of a regular period). The cycle often becomes irregular and “jumps” from 21 to 45 days. This phenomenon directly indicates that ovarian function is rapidly fading and menopause will soon begin.

Typically, a scanty period is accompanied by symptoms such as:

• bad feeling;
• tides;
• sleep disorders;
• decreased sexual desire;
• sweating;
• attacks of tachycardia;
• dryness and burning in the vagina;
• pain when urinating and frequent manifestations of cystitis;
• hair loss;
• dryness and decreased elasticity of the skin.

If all or at least several of the above are present, then these are manifestations of perimenopause.

If scanty, spotting discharge does not stop for more than 6-7 days, this is a reason to be wary. In addition, if symptoms such as fever, pain in the pubic area, pain in the ovarian area are added, immediately go to the doctor, because this may indicate that inflammatory processes have begun.

Long periods after 45 years

Prolongation of menstruation is not a good sign, the appearance of which may indicate the following pathologies:

• diseases of the genital organs (ovaries, uterus, vagina);
• inflammatory process;
• bleeding disorders;
• side effects of OCs or other medications

Frequent periods after 45 years

Some women experience a phenomenon called “bi-monthly periods” or bleeding between periods.

Menstruation more than once a month is called polymenorrhea. At this age, it occurs as a result of the gradual decline in the function of the ovaries that produce estrogen (which regulates the duration and frequency of cycles).

If “menstruation” is not on time and is not associated with the activity of the ovaries and is not polymenorrhea, then this may be one of the following phenomena:

• endometriosis;
• inflammatory diseases;
• fibroids, cysts, polyps;
• reaction to birth control pills;
• bleeding from the vessels of the uterus, which, due to insufficient estrogen content, become fragile, thin and easily burst;
• cervical or endometrial cancer;
• symptom of vaginal prolapse.

What does a delay in menstruation after 45 years mean?

1. unlikely, but pregnancy. Yes, a woman with good reproductive health can become pregnant even at 45 years old. If you decide to keep the child, careful medical supervision is necessary;
2. disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine system (special attention should be paid to the thyroid gland);
3. side effects of antipsychotic or hormonal medications;
4. fibroids, polyps, endometritis, inflammation of the appendages and/or ovaries;
5. diabetes mellitus, urolithiasis, cirrhosis, bleeding disorders;
6. consequences of a recent severe infectious disease.

Treatment of menstrual irregularities after 45 years

Most often, the basis of treatment for menstrual irregularities over the age of 45 is hormone replacement therapy. It helps to significantly improve a woman’s well-being and mitigate the symptoms of menopause - the condition of hair and skin improves, the cycle normalizes, the emotional background stabilizes, etc.

If a woman is diagnosed with cancer, then chemical hormonal drugs are contraindicated for her. However, there are many homeopathic remedies that have the same effects. The only thing is that you need to start using them when the very first symptoms of cycle disorders occur.

Alisa Edelberg, obstetrician-gynecologist, especially for the site

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