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"  Q: I&amp;#039;m 39 years old, and lately my period is nonstop. Bleeding lasts between eight and 12 days. What could be wrong? A: Irregular periods beginning around age 40 may be a sign of approaching perimenopause. If that&amp;#039;s the case, your doctor may prescribe oral contraceptives or progestin therapy to rebalance hormone levels and help regulate your cycle. But strange patterns in bleeding are not always due to perimenopause. Sometimes abnormal vaginal bleeding occurs very early in a pregnancy, when the woman doesn&amp;#039;t realize she is pregnant--and that bleeding can be associated with miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy (when the embryo implants outside of the uterus). If there&amp;#039;s any chance you could be pregnant, it&amp;#039;s important to take a pregnancy test ASAP. Other medical causes for nonstop periods include fibroids, endometriosis, polyps, infection, and even cervical or endometrial cancer. See your ob/gyn for an exam and a complete work-up.  Hilda Hutcherson, M.D., is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University&amp;#039;s College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City and the author of Pleasure. Send your questions to her at askhilda@redbookmag.com. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.redbookmag.com/body/health-fitness/advice/a10754/abnornal-vaginal-bleeding-in-40s/>