{"id":50712,"date":"2026-10-12T15:50:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T15:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/theres-a-reason-your-periods-can-get-heavier-in-your-40s-expert-says\/"},"modified":"2026-10-12T15:50:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T15:50:08","slug":"theres-a-reason-your-periods-can-get-heavier-in-your-40s-expert-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpnewswire.com\/news\/theres-a-reason-your-periods-can-get-heavier-in-your-40s-expert-says\/","title":{"rendered":"There’s A Reason Your Periods Can Get Heavier In Your 40s, Expert Says"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For many women, perimenopause, or the period that leads up to menopause, begins<\/a> in their 40s. This happens when your body is getting ready to stop having periods for good.<\/p>\n

Often, the process changes your menstrual cycle. It can make your periods irregular, longer, or shorter. And it can lead<\/a> to heavier periods, too.<\/p>\n

Here, HuffPost UK spoke to Dr Ghazala Aziz-Scott, a specialist in women\u2019s health at the\u00a0Marion Gluck Clinic<\/a>, to work out why this happens, what\u2019s normal, and when you should speak to a GP.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Why do some people\u2019s periods get heavier in their 40s?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

During this decade, Dr Aziz-Scott explained that the amount of progesterone women produce during the second half of their menstrual cycle (the luteal phase) can decline.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, some women actually start to produce more oestrogen in perimenopause.<\/p>\n

Progesterone\u00a0\u201cis a hormone that stabilises the endometrial lining and oestrogen has the opposite effect of stimulating the endometrial lining,\u201d the doctor stated.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If your progesterone declines while your oestrogen rises, you might become what Dr Aziz-Scott calls\u00a0\u201coestrogen dominant\u201d.<\/p>\n

This\u00a0\u201cimbalance leads to the endometrial lining being less stable and a greater blood loss\u201d. Some people don\u2019t ovulate at all for certain menstrual cycles during perimenopause (anovulation), which can also<\/a> make periods heavier.<\/p>\n

What is normal for periods in perimenopause?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Irregular ovulation and changes to hormones in our pituitary gland, like\u00a0FSH\u00a0(follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH\u00a0(luteinising hormone), can make periods\u00a0\u201cerratic\u201d, the expert advised.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The perimenopause \u201ccan go on for many years,\u00a0with initially the odd anovulatory cycle to periods of amenorrhoea [having no periods at all] for several months,\u201d she continued.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPerimenopausal periods tend to be closer together, and much heavier; for example, a 28-day cycle might be 22 days. Periods can be clotty, and flooding may occur\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But this can vary from woman to woman. Some might find that they see a sudden stop to their periods,\u00a0\u201cand it is also very common to have several months of no periods and experience spotting or very light bleeds\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How can I make periods in menopause easier?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Eating well, including consuming more cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and cabbage), milled flax seeds, and\u00a0\u201ca wide variety of colourful fruit and vegetables\u201d might go some way towards balancing oestrogen dominance, the specialist said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hormonal treatments, including those which include progesterone or the Mirena coil, are\u00a0\u201cpopular\u201d among those with very heavy periods, she added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf periods are very heavy, medications such as mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid can reduce the blood flow while menstruating, as one of the common patterns of perimenopause is iron deficiency anaemia due to the heavy blood loss,\u201d Dr Aziz-Scott told us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In some cases,\u00a0\u201ca small dose of synthetic progesterone directly onto the lining of the womb [can]\u00a0make periods much lighter or disappear altogether, restoring quality of life and decreasing the risk of anaemia\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But in general, she added, you should speak to your doctor to work out what\u2019s going on with your hormones.<\/p>\n

When should I see a GP about heavy periods in my 40s?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The NHS said<\/a> that you should see your doctor if you notice any menopause or perimenopause symptoms for the first time and want to know what you can do about them.<\/p>\n

And Dr Aziz-Scott shared that you should speak to your GP if your periods are affecting your quality of life \u2013 you might also want to go for\u00a0\u201ceducation and reassurance about what is going on in your body<\/span>\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sometimes, your doctor may prescribe appropriate treatments like mefenamic acid.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is also helpful to discuss any symptoms you may be experiencing and how to manage these,\u201d the expert ended. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIron deficiency anaemia is a very common occurrence, and many women don\u2019t realise this until they are really feeling unwell, with low energy, weakness and even breathlessness.\u00a0So if you do have very heavy periods, checking your haemoglobin and iron levels is very important.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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