Prolonged and heavy bleeding during menopause transition linked to increased odds of experiencing three symptoms of fatigue
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, March 14, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Prolonged (PMB) or heavy (HMB) menstrual bleeding during the menopause transition (MT) is associated with experiencing certain symptoms of fatigue, according to a study published online March 11 in Menopause.
Siobán D. Harlow, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues identified episodes of PMB or HMB using longitudinal daily menstrual calendar data from 2,329 participants in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Four symptoms of fatigue (worn out, feeling tired, full of pep, having energy) were queried at seven annual follow-up visits. The association between each fatigue variable and PMB or HMB recorded during the previous six months was examined.
The researchers found that reporting three or more episodes of HMB in the previous six months was positively associated with feeling tired and being worn out after adjustment (odds ratios [95 percent confidence intervals], 1.62 [1.11 to 2.38] and 1.44 [0.98 to 2.13], respectively), while there was a negative association seen for three or more episodes of PMB in the previous six months with being full of pep (odds ratio, 0.68; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.49 to 0.95).
“This study highlights the need for greater clinical awareness of abnormal uterine bleeding, particularly given the increased frequency during the menopause transition and its association with low energy or fatigue symptoms,” Stephanie Faubion, M.D., medical director of The Menopause Society, said in a statement. “Educating women about the possibility of prolonged or heavy menstrual bleeding during the menopause transition and the potential health consequences is also needed.”
One author disclosed past financial ties to CVS.
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