Is it normal to have brown spotting after menopause?

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Category: Healthhub

Menopause is when a woman has no menstrual periods for at least a year. On average, women reach menopause just after 50 years of age, but this varies widely from person to person.

Experiencing discharge or brown spotting after menopause may not be a cause for concern. However, sometimes it can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. Regular checkups with a doctor are recommended to diagnose any unusual discharge.

In this article, learn about the possible causes of brown discharge after menopause, as well as about diagnosis and management.

Causes

Mature woman talking to doctor in waiting room.

In many cases, brown discharge after menopause is not a cause for concern.

The lining of the vagina walls gets thinner during menopause so that the vagina may become more sensitive to dryness and irritation.

Women may experience itching, burning, and off-colored discharge more regularly than before they entered the menopause.

Brown spotting after menopause is typically a sign of blood mixing into the discharge.

While fresh blood is red, it turns brown or black as it oxidizes and leaves the vagina.

The color may be lighter or mixed with other colors if the woman has an infection, such as a yeast infection.

Read on to learn about the potential causes of brown spotting after menopause.

1. Vaginal or endometrial atrophy

As hormone levels decrease during menopause, the vaginal lining or the uterine cells may become thinner. This thinning is called vaginal atrophy or endometrial atrophy.

Vaginal atrophy often causes the vagina to become drier, less flexible, and more susceptible to inflammation or infection than before menopause. Vaginal atrophy may lead to:

brown spotting
itchiness
pain and inflammation
redness
bleeding after sex

The vagina may feel continuously uncomfortable, so a woman with these symptoms should speak to a doctor. A doctor may recommend hormone replacement therapy, as well as the use of water-soluble lubricants during sexual activity.

2. Endometrial hyperplasia

The endometrium may also get thicker after menopause. Similarly to vaginal or endometrial atrophy, this is often due to the body producing too much of the hormone estrogen and too little progesterone.

Thick endometrial tissue can cause bleeding and abnormal spotting.

Doctors may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to adjust the levels of the hormones and treat the issue. They may also consider surgery to remove thickened cells or perform a hysterectomy.

3. Infection

A vaginal infection can cause off-colored discharge that looks like spotting. It may also cause an unpleasant odor, itching, pain, and irritation in the area.

Factors that increase the risk of infections include: