By Hadley Gavin
After the onset of menopause, in most cases, the occurrence of postmenopausal bleeding is a pathology. To understand the reason for this, you need to know what the concepts of “menopause” and “postmenopause” mean.
Menopause means the last independent menstruation. This diagnosis is made retrospectively, according to the patient. Modern diagnostic methods allow you to diagnose the change with laboratory methods. This is evidenced by a decrease in estradiol levels of less than 30 pg/ml, an increase in FSH to 40 IU/L or more, and the absence of menstruation for more than 1 year. Postmenopause is the period of a woman’s life after menopause.
Causes of postmenopausal bleeding
The occurrence of uterine bleeding in postmenopausal women is the reason for an additional examination. Postmenopausal bleeding ICD 10 may occur due to many reasons. Given the growing frequency of cancer in the population, cancer alertness should be mandatory. In fact, endometrial cancer is the most common cause of postmenopausal bleeding. The good news is that it manifests itself early when there are great chances for successful treatment and recovery.
The causes of postmenopausal bleeding can be many pathological conditions, the treatment of any of which should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Many women wonder “can stress cause postmenopausal bleeding?”, the answer is “yes”, if the stressful condition is constant and physically exhausting.
The most frequently met health issues that lead to uterine bleeding in postmenopausal women may be:
- Cancer
This is the most widely met reason for metrorrhagia. It is the answer to what is the most common cause of the postmenopausal bleeding question.
- Uterine fibroids
Most often it occurs in women with the localization of a benign tumor in the submucosal layer or intramuscular space. The presence of this pathology in a postmenopausal woman indicates a high risk of malignant degeneration of fibroids.
- Hyperplasia
Hormonal disorders observed after menopause can cause the growth of the mucous layer in the thickness of the walls of the uterus. A frequent manifestation of this pathological condition is the ICD 10 code postmenopausal bleeding.
Postmenopausal bleeding symptoms
In postmenopausal women, bleeding may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen or in the lower back. The pain can be pulling, aching or cramping in nature;
- bleeding often causes iron deficiency anemia, the signs of which are: deterioration of overall well-being, weakness, lethargy, decreased performance and appetite, brittle hair and nails, pallor of the skin;
- in some cases, an increase in the abdomen is possible.
Postmenopausal bleeding workup
Every woman with uterine bleeding after menopause needs a thorough examination. It must be remembered that the sooner the cause is identified, the more favorable the subsequent forecast may be. If metrorrhagia is pronounced, treatment is started in parallel with the examination.
The only case when postmenopausal bleeding may be the norm is hormone replacement therapy with progesterone drugs. In this case, after menopause, a woman notes the presence of meager menstrual flow. These signs are observed monthly for 1-2 years.
