Heavy menstrual bleeding, also known as Menorrhagia, refers to the state of abnormally heavy bleeding during periods.
It’s common for women at the premenopausal stage of their life to experience heavy bleeding during periods; but if you are not among them, heavy menstrual bleeding is a matter of severe concern.
If you normally lose a lot of blood during your periods or experience severe cramps that prevent you from leading your normal lifestyle, you must first identify the cause of it.
Here are some of the most common conditions that are responsible for causing menorrhagia.
1. Disturbed hormonal balance
Menstruation involves the shedding of the lining of the uterus (endometrium), whose build up is generally controlled by the balance between oestrogen and progesterone, the two significant hormones of your body. It sometimes happens that there is excess endometrium generation due to disturbed hormonal balance, which results in heavy menstrual bleeding.
2. Polyps
Sometimes heavy menstrual bleeding occurs due to the occurrence of uterine polyps, which are tiny growths appearing on the uterus lining. This condition is mostly prevalent among women of child-bearing age caused due to raised levels of hormones.
3. Intrauterine device (IUD)
People who use birth control methods like Intrauterine device or IUD are likely to experience certain side effects which include heavy menstrual bleeding. If the cause behind your Menorrhagia is an IUD, you might need to remove it to get relief from the condition.
4. Pregnancy complications
If you experience your period later than usual and it is associated with excessive bleeding, it may be caused by a miscarriage. Moreover, you might also experience Menorrhagia in case of an ectopic pregnancy, a condition when the fertilized egg is implanted within the fallopian tube in place of the uterus.
5. Uterine fibroids
Women of reproductive age may develop noncancerous (benign) tumours in the uterus known as uterine fibroids. These fibroids can be responsible for giving you periods lasting longer than usual accompanied with excessive bleeding.
6. Cancer
Though it is a rare case, sometimes the reason behind heavy menstrual bleeding may be uterine cancer, cervical cancer or ovarian cancer.
7. Medications
Consumption of certain prescription drugs such as anticoagulants and anti-inflammatory medicines may lead to prolonged or excessive menstrual bleeding.
