Period once a year and menopause

As ovarian hormone production changes, ovulation may happen less often and periods can become widely spaced before stopping. Menopause is reached after a full year without a period; bleeding after that point is not treated as a routine period and should be checked.

Other causes of infrequent bleeding include pregnancy, hormonal contraception, weight or stress changes, thyroid conditions, and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Symptoms such as Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Vaginal Dryness, mood changes, or low sex drive may accompany the transition, but they do not establish the cause on their own.

Record each bleed, including its date, flow, and any pain, and note contraception, medicines, pregnancy possibility, and other symptoms. Arrange an appointment if periods have become this infrequent, if you are unsure whether menopause has occurred, or if bleeding returns after a full year without periods. A clinician can decide whether examination or tests are useful.

Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding with faintness, severe pelvic pain, fever, or weakness. Contact a clinician promptly for any bleeding after menopause, bleeding after sex, or recurrent watery or unusual discharge. These symptoms can have treatable causes that should not be assumed to be part of the menopause transition.

Ask whether your pattern fits perimenopause, whether pregnancy or another condition should be excluded, and whether your symptoms need treatment. Discuss options for vaginal dryness, hot flushes, sleep or mood changes, bone health, and contraception until menopause is confirmed.