Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding Causes of abnormal uterine bleeding Diagnosis of abnormal uterine bleeding Treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding Where to get help.
Abnormally heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding is also called 'abnormal uterine bleeding'. We sometimes use this general term to describe bleeding that does not follow a normal pattern, such as spotting between periods. It used to be referred to as menorrhagia, but this term is no longer used medically.
On average, a typical woman passes around 40 ml of blood during her menstrual period, which lasts around four to seven days. For some women, however, bleeding may be excessively heavy or go on for longer than normal. A woman may have 'chronic' heavy or prolonged bleeding for more than six months or it may be 'acute' sudden and severe. In most cases, the causes of abnormal menstrual bleeding are unknown.
See your doctor about any abnormal menstrual bleeding. Symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding Symptoms include: bleeding for more than eight days heavy blood loss during the menstrual period — for example, soaking through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several hours in a row needing to change your pad or tampon during the night have to change or restrict your daily activities due to your heavy bleeding bleeding or spotting between periods intermenstrual bleeding cramping and pain in the lower abdomen fatigue any vaginal bleeding after menopause.
Causes of abnormal uterine bleeding While in many cases it is not possible to determine the exact cause, there are a number of reasons a woman may experience abnormal uterine bleeding. Some of the known causes of abnormal uterine bleeding include: spontaneous miscarriage in pregnancy ectopic pregnancy — lodgement of the fertilised egg in the slender fallopian tube instead of the uterine lining hormonal disorders — conditions such as hypothyroidism low levels of thyroxine , polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS and hyperprolactinemia can disrupt the menstrual cycle ovulatory dysfunction — this is when the ovary does not release an egg each month.
The progesterone-only treatments commonly cause spotting hormone replacement therapy — used as a treatment for menopausal symptoms fibroids — benign tumours that develop inside the uterus polyps — small, stalk-like projections that grow out of the uterus lining endometrium. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights.
Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Menorrhagia —excessive menstrual bleeding—can be a cause of medical issues, and it can cause serious complications. You should make an appointment to see your gynecologist if you have heavy periods. Sometimes heavy bleeding is an emergency that warrants prompt medical attention. The easiest way to know if you are experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding is to take note of how often you are soaking through a pad or tampon.
If your period is heavy enough to require changing a pad or tampon every hour for several hours, or if you have vaginal bleeding that lasts more than a full week, you are experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding. Other signs of heavy menstrual bleeding include:. Go to the nearest emergency room if you experience severe, acute bleeding in which you soak through four or more pads or tampons in a two-hour period.
There are a number of different causes of heavy menstrual bleeding—including benign noncancerous growths, like fibroids, or malignant growths, like cancer of the uterus or cervix. Hormone changes or blood clotting disorders can cause menorrhagia too. Other, less common causes of heavy menstrual bleeding include endometriosis and having an intrauterine device IUD like the ParaGard , which may cause excessive bleeding, especially during your first year of use.
But the list does not stop there. This emphasizes the importance of seeing your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and evaluation.
The most common cause of heavy menstrual bleeding is ovulatory dysfunction during adolescence or perimenopause. During this time, ovulation releasing an egg can be irregular—which means it might not happen every month. This can lead to thickening of the endometrium uterine lining and heavy periods. Oral contraceptives can usually regulate your bleeding during adolescence, and hormone therapy can help during menopause.
Beyond the normal hormonal changes that occur with puberty or menopause, hormonally-induced ovulatory dysfunction can also occur with hypothyroidism , polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS , and premature ovarian insufficiency. Getting treated for your underlying problem is important, and it can help restore regular ovulation and normalize your periods.
Fibroids are growths that develop from the muscle of the uterus, usually between ages 30 to Uterine fibroids are estrogen-dependent. During menopause, fibroids typically shrink and disappear without treatment.
Progestin-release intrauterine devices IUDs can decrease menstrual bleeding but do not reduce fibroid size. Injectable gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists can decrease the size, but can only be used for a short time due to their side effects. Endometrial ablation the lining of the uterus is destroyed is a procedure that can be used for the treatment of small fibroids.
In the most severe cases, a hysterectomy may be warranted, in which the whole uterus is removed, with or without the ovaries. Endometrial polyps are typically noncancerous, grape-like growths that protrude from the lining of the uterus.
They can develop before and after menopause. The cause of endometrial polyps is unclear, though research suggests a link between hormone therapy and obesity. Treatment of small polyps is unnecessary unless you're at risk of uterine cancer. If you are, your healthcare provider might recommend a polypectomy , in which the polyp would be removed for microscopic examination.
Large polyps are routinely removed and examined as a precaution. Uterine adenomyosis is a condition in which the endometrial uterine cells grow into the muscular wall of the uterus, causing uterine enlargement and painful, heavy bleeding. Hormonal birth control methods can help control the condition, and the definitive treatment for adenomyosis is a hysterectomy. PID is most often caused by an untreated sexually transmitted infection STI , however, it can sometimes occur following childbirth, abortion, or other gynecological procedures.
The recommended treatment for PID is antibiotic therapy. Cervical cancer , which can be caused by human papillomavirus HPV an asymptomatic STI , can invade other parts of the body. While the cause of endometrial cancer is unknown, the most common age for diagnosis is the mid 60's.
Early diagnosis is key to the effective treatment of cancer. In addition to regular Pap screening for cervical cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends that women at high risk of endometrial cancer have an annual endometrial biopsy. While there are several types of bleeding disorders, the most common type in women is von Willebrand disease VWD.
Other bleeding issues that can lead to heavy menstrual bleeding include having a low platelet count platelets are involved in the clotting process and are produced in the bone marrow or taking a blood thinner like aspirin or Coumadin warfarin sodium.
This combination can make it especially hard to function. Untreated heavy bleeding can lead to iron deficiency anemia. According to research, 1 in 20 people who menstruate have heavy menstrual bleeding. Some common causes include uterine fibroids or hormonal imbalances. The first step in managing heavy bleeding is to figure out the cause. With this infographic, learn how fibroids disproportionately affect Black women in prevalence, symptom severity, and more. Learn more about the latest advancements in research and treatment options for uterine fibroids.
If your period is so heavy that you quickly soak through pads or tampons, there are things you can do to find relief. Find out what home remedies and…. Fibroids can cause pain in some women. The pain may come and go, or it may be constant. It may be in your pelvic region but it can sometimes appear in…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. When to go to the ER Symptoms Causes Complications Outlook Takeaway Heavy menstrual bleeding, called menorrhagia, is fairly common but may lead to serious complications.
Untreated heavy menstrual bleeding can cause anemia.
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