What Are the First Signs of Menopause? Irregular Bleeding Explained

Among the many early signs of menopause is irregularity in a woman's menstrual cycle. Typically, this irregularity first appears in the form of changes in both the frequency and intensity of menstrual activity. In perimenopause - the period directly preceding menopause, the length of the cycle will ordinarily shorten. 28 day cycles will shorten by as much as three or four days. As a woman progresses through perimenopause, the cycle gradually lengthens, with menstruation frequently being skipped altogether for months at a time. As a result, irregular bleeding occurs as one of the first signs of menopause.

Irregular bleeding generally entails an increase in the amount of blood flow during menstruation in the early stages of perimenopause, which eventually becomes lighter in the later stages until only light spotting occurs. These changes in the intensity of menstruation often occur as a result of the body's failing to release an egg during the period in which ovulation should occur. As a result, the body receives no natural signal to begin menstruation - if that happens frequently enough, the entire uterine lining can begin to be shed which then causes longer periods of bleeding. Perimenopause is an unpredictable period in life, and even this shedding can self-correct if menstruation begins again before the uterine lining is gone.

There are a number of ways to determine if you suffer from irregular bleeding, and whether you need to consult with your physician. If menstrual bleeding requires you to use a pad at least once an hour during any period lasting as long as 24 hours, or if the menstruation persists for any longer than 7 days, you should meet with your doctor for an examination. In addition, if you have had no menstruation for six months and it suddenly begins again, this may be a sign of something more serious.

Your irregular bleeding can be evaluated by your physician by performing a biopsy of the uterine lining. The first thing your doctor will want to do is to rule out any possibility of cancer. An alternative to the biopsy involves the use of ultrasound via a vaginal probing. All of these tests are designed to determine whether irregular bleeding is a normal part of the menopausal process or whether there are other health concerns involved. Where the bleeding is merely one of the first signs of menopause, irregular bleeding is often treated through the use of progesterone therapy. In cases where something more serious is occurring, your doctor may discuss such options as a hysterectomy.

Although it is one of the first signs of menopause, irregular bleeding need not be a cause for major concern unless the irregularity is severe. In most cases where women seek counsel for their irregular bleeding, they do so to alleviate other menopausal symptoms and to improve their quality of life as they make this hormonal transition. However, if you are at all alarmed by the frequency, duration, or intensity of your menstrual cycle as you approach your menopausal years, you should never hesitate to seek the advice of your doctor.