Should I Be Worried About Late
Posted5 years agobyAndreas Obermair
At what age do you expect menopause to occur? How does it affect your health and cancer risk?
Menopause occurs when a womans ovaries stop releasing hormones. Naturally, a womans production of estrogen and progesterone hormones decrease in her late forties, which may cause menstrual periods eventually stopping. The age where most women become menopausal is between 50 and 54 years. In this context menopause is defined as not having a menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months. As the hormone levels decrease, this may come with symptoms such as hot flushes, headaches, insomnia, mood swings and depression. Some women dont have symptoms at all. Others may have symptoms at varying severity for 5 to 10 years.
When Can You Expect Perimenopause
Chances are, if youre between the ages of 45-50, your irregular periods are a sign of perimenopause. The average age a woman starts the menopausal transition is 47.
While we cannot predict when this will occur for you, the age your mother began to experience symptoms may be a good indicator. Smokers tend to reach menopause earlier than non smokers as well.
What Are Perimenopausal Symptoms
During perimenopause, you can experience a variety of symptoms. Declining estrogen levels can keep you up at night, deflate your libido, and thin your locks. This is also the cause of hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and many other perimenopausal symptoms.
The reason: Your ovaries have been making estrogen since your first period. During perimenopause, the estrogen production decreases substantially. Your body has to adjust to functioning with less of the hormone, putting you into estrogen withdrawals. The type and intensity of symptoms vary greatly among women some just feel a little off or don’t notice anything at all.
Others can experience perimenopausal symptoms including:
- Trouble sleeping
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My Periods Have Changed Is Menopause Around The Corner
An ob-gyn explains the course of perimenopause.
Its a common scene in any ob-gyn practice: A patient comes in, concerned that her periods have changed. Whats going on? she asks. Is this menopause?
If youre a woman in your 40s, a change in your menstrual periods is the hallmark of perimenopause thats what we call the years leading up to your last menstrual period.
Heres a look at how we diagnose perimenopause and menopause, and what else to expect as you enter this phase of life.
Changes In Menstrual Cycle
Women who are pregnant or in perimenopause will see shifts in their menstrual cycle because of hormonal changes. A missed period is a tell-tale sign of pregnancy, while irregular periods may mean the onset of menopause.
Signs of irregular menstruation include changes in blood flow, light spotting, and longer or shorter periods. Its important to remember that irregular periods could indicate another condition. Speak with your doctors about any concerns.
Learn more about conditions that can lead to a missed period »
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Who Can Still Get Pregnant
The bottom line is if you havent reached menopause defined as 12 straight months without a period you can still get pregnant. Dr. Bembry acknowledges that some women develop a false sense of security when they go off birth control and go for years without becoming pregnant.
Similarly, women with a history of infertility might assume they cant get pregnant in their 40s. The same goes for women with premature ovarian failure. While these patients may look like theyre menopausal, they can still ovulate and become pregnant.
Menopause Symptoms At Age 40
For the majority of women, menopause symptoms dont start this early. If menopause happens before age 40, its called premature menopause. If it happens between ages 40-45, its known as early menopause. Fewer than 10% of women experience premature or early menopause.
But if youre in your early 40s and are regularly experiencing symptoms such as changes to your periods timing or flow, hot flashes, mood changes or sleep problems, dont ignore them. Talk with a womens health specialist.
A specialist like an OB-GYN or certified nurse-midwife can work with you to determine whether your symptoms are related to menopause, or another reason such as hormonal disorders or other health conditions.
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What Other Changes Should You Expect
Your period evolves in a number of ways once youve entered perimenopause. While some women have perimenopausal periods closer together, others might notice them occurring further apart. Further changes in your menstrual cycle after 40 often include:
- Heavier periods: Your flow may become more intense over time. If bleeding is unusually heavy, however, be sure to consult your doctor.
- Lighter periods: Inversely, a lot of women experience decreased flow for up to a year before their periods stop completely.
- Skipped periods: Anovulatory cycles are another possibility during perimenopause. Keep in mind, though, that youre still fertile at this stage. So if youve recently had sex and missed your period, consider taking a pregnancy test.
- Longer or shorter periods: Perhaps your period has always lasted for 4 days, but now its 2 or 6 days. You might even experience a random combination of both shorter and longer cycles while in perimenopause. This, too, is a fairly common occurrence.
How To Protect Against Unplanned Pregnancy
To prevent a baby bump on your road to menopause, use an effective, safe and appropriate method of birth control until your menopause is confirmed.
Natural family planning is not recommended for perimenopausal women because irregular periods make predicting ovulation difficult.
Many contraception options exist. Dr. Bembry says vasectomy is the most effective form of birth control, as long as post-procedure care is followed, but admits a lot of men just dont go there.
When considering birth control options, talk to your physician. She can discuss risks, effectiveness rates, perimenopausal symptom relief and even which methods can protect against certain cancers.
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Q What Can I Do About Perimenopausal Weight Gain
Thank You Second Springers For Commenting
Have a read of the very useful comments and discussions below to gain an understanding of the variety of women’s’ experiences of periods around the time of perimenopause. Many thanks to these fabulous Second Spring women for taking the time to comment and share their experiences. We all learn so much from each other. This menopause conversation needs to be louder and clearer to stop women from suffering in silence and feeling very isolated.
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When To Visit The Doctor
While many factors can affect the regularity of your periods, an occasional late period is often for no apparent reason at all, according to Dr. Berman. But if it’s frequently happening or you’re experiencing other symptoms, speak to a health care provider.
“Many people will, for various reasons, occasionally not ovulate, and this can cause an early or delayed menses,” he says. “Depending on history, it may require further testing to determine the cause.”
Make an appointment with your doctor if you can’t pinpoint the reasons for a late period your health care provider may want to check for specific health conditions. It’s also important to note that vaginal bleeding after a late period may not be the monthly visitor you expected.
“Anybody who experiences heavy bleeding and pain after a missed period and/or a positive pregnancy test should go to the doctor,” says Dr. McDonald. “All bleeding is not a period, especially in a setting where something is off.”
What Other Factors Influence When Perimenopause Starts Or When A Woman Reaches Menopause
New research published online on April 12 in Menopause, the journal of NAMS, looked at the various factors that may affect the age when natural menopause occurs.
They found that there are factors that do seem predictive of when a woman will approach menopause, such as higher estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone levels, which weve known for a while,” says Streicher. Irregular menstrual bleeding and hot flashes were also indicators of earlier menopause, she adds.
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One new finding uncovered in the research was around alcohol consumption. The authors observed that participants tended to increase their alcohol consumption when approaching menopause, making it a potential clue that the change was coming.
That makes sense, says Streicher. This can be a time of added stress for women, and we know that any stressful situation can cause someone to drink more, she says.
Although this study didnt find a strong association with smoking, other research has indicated that smoking is related to early onset of menopause, says Streicher.
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It’s Easy To Get The Care You Need
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As you head toward the big change, keep in mind that diaper changes arent quite out of the picture just yet. You can still get pregnant during perimenopause defined as the years leading up to your final period.
This menopausal transition brings unpredictable ovulation cycles as estrogen and progesterone hormone levels go up and down. During these years of yo-yoing hormone levels, your ovaries continue to release eggs for fertilization. Translation: You can still become pregnant.
Premier Health Ob/Gyn physician J. Scott Bembry, MD, says hes seen a handful of patients in his own practice whove become unintentionally pregnant in their late 40s.
Does The Age My Mother Reached Menopause Mean Anything
Most likely your moms age at menopause will provide a clue. When we look at the things that are the greatest determinants for when someone is going to go through menopause, genetics seems to be one of the most important things, says Streicher.
A womans race or ethnicity can influence when she goes through menopause, too, she says. Findings from the Study of Womens Health Across the Nation indicate that women of color tend to begin perimenopause and menopause at earlier ages than white women.
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The question I always ask women when they ask when theyre going to go through menopause is, When did your mom go through menopause? because that is very often predictive, says Streicher.
Theres a lot of truth in that. You may follow what happened with your mother if she went through menopause early or late, you may, too, she says.
Certain medical conditions such as autoimmune problems, thyroid issues, and lupus can make a woman go through menopause earlier, adds Streicher.
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What’s The First Sign Of Perimenopause
The first sign is typically a disruption of your menstrual cycle. For many women, your period starts earlier or later than normal. For example, if your menstrual cycle has always been 28 days, during perimenopause, your period could come as early as 21 or as late as 35 days. Some women start skipping months entirely and then experience heavier-than-normal periods when they do have them.
When Are You Actually In Menopause How Is Menopause Calculated Defined Or Diagnosed
Menopause is defined as taking place 1 year after a woman’s last period. Once you have had a consecutive 12 months with no period you are officially declared to be in the menopause – congratulations! So you can find yourself putting the clock back to zero a few times if your period returns after a few months break.
Some women have a period even after a 1-year break with no period. So you see why menopause can drive some women crazy – it’s so different and unpredictable!
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Cancer Risk And Age At Menopause
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, women who experience late-onset menopause have an increased risk of uterine and breast cancer. This is due to having an increased exposure to hormones such as estrogen. As women menstruate longer, they have more ovulations which also increases the risk of ovarian cancer. Women with a long reproductive life, menarche before the age of 12 years and menopause after age 55 years have an increased risk of these hormone-dependent cancers. A pooled analysis of data from more than 400,000 women found for every year older a woman was at menopause, breast cancer risk increased by approximately 3%.
Will Being Super Healthy Help Delay Menopause
Although maintaining good overall health is important for a variety of reasons, it wont necessarily translate to later menopause, says Streicher. I have women who tell me, I have a healthy diet, Im thin, I work out all the time, and I look young. Im sure Im not going to go through menopause early, and when I do, I wont have hot flashes and other symptoms. I wish I could say that was true, but its not, she says.
Body weight might matter, though. We do know that the extremes of weight, in someone who is very obese or someone with very low body weight, may impact the onset of menopause, but for the majority of women in the middle it doesnt seem to have a big impact, says Streicher.
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When To See Your Doctor
If your periods seem irregular, or youve missed a period but know youre not pregnant, its a good idea to talk with your doctor ASAP, as there are many reasons and conditions that could be causing the issue.
Your doctor can properly diagnose the reason for your late or missed period and discuss your treatment options. If you can, keep a record of changes in your cycle as well as other health changes. This will help them make a diagnosis.
If you have the following symptoms, contact a doctor immediately, or call 911:
Hot Flashes And Night Sweats
Hot flashes and night sweats are commonly associated with menopause, but they may also be early signs of pregnancy.
During a hot flash, youll feel a quick rush of heat that can cause you to sweat and your face to become red and flush. You may also sweat excessively during sleep, which can wake you up during the night and lead to fatigue.
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When To Seek Medical Advice
Although perimenopause is an inevitable part of every womans life, its still essential to see your gynecologist for an annual checkup. Theyll be able to assess your chances of developing menopause-related conditions and advise you on how to manage your symptoms.
However, should you notice any of the following warning signs, please seek medical attention right away.
- Side effects of hormone treatment
- Periods less than 21 days apart
- Bleeding between periods
What Causes This Change In The Body
It mainly comes down to hormones, your bodys messengers, which travel through the bloodstream to affect various functions and processes. When a woman enters middle age, her ovaries start to produce less oestragen. They also produce less ovarian follicles making the ovaries become less responsive to Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone , two hormones necessary for reproduction and the regulation of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. This decline in oestragen and fluctuating hormones can be the cause of almost any imaginable bleeding pattern. This also includes intermenstrual bleeding, which is separate to irregular menstruation.
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How Period Frequency Flow And Pms Can Change As Hormones Shift
Perhaps from the very first day you got your period, you’ve been able to count on it coming back month after month for nearly four decades. You’ll probably be dealing with it until you reach menopause, which happens around age 52 on average, according to the Office on Women’s Health.
Despite its inevitability, you will experience changes in your menstrual cycle throughout the decades, especially since your period is directly tied to your hormones. And after you turn 40? That’s when your body starts to shake things up. Whether you’re approaching 40 or want to know what can happen to your flow after you do, here’s what ob-gyns said to expect.
Youve Upped Your Workout Intensity
A strenuous exercise regimen can also cause missed periods. This is most common in those who train for several hours a day. It happens because, whether intentionally or not, youre burning way more calories than youre taking in.
When you burn too many calories, your body doesnt have enough energy to keep all its systems running. More strenuous workouts can increase hormone release that can affect your menstruation.
Periods typically go back to normal as soon as you lessen training intensity or increase your caloric intake.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a set of symptoms caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones. Many people with PCOS do not ovulate regularly.
As a result, your periods may:
- be lighter or heavier than standard periods
- arrive at inconsistent times
Other PCOS symptoms can include:
- excess or coarse facial and body hair
- acne on the face and body
- weight gain or trouble losing weight
- dark patches of skin, often on the neck creases, groin, and underneath breasts
- skin tags in the armpits or neck
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