Menorrhagia
Menorrhagia is a term that refers to a menstrual period with abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding Although heavy menstrual bleeding is common in premenopausal women, most women do not experience heavy menstrual bleeding enough to call the condition menorrhagia.
In menorrhagia, each menstrual period causes a large amount of blood loss and cramps, which interfere with the woman's normal daily activities. If you have menstrual bleeding so heavy that you are afraid you will get your period, see your doctor There are many effective treatments for menorrhagia
In some cases, the cause of heavy menstrual bleeding is unknown, although many conditions cause menorrhagia For example:
- Hormonal changes During a normal menstrual cycle, the balance between the hormone estrogen and the hormone progesterone regulates the maturation of the lining of the uterus (endometrium), which is then shed during menstruation. In case of hormonal imbalance, the endometrium may become excessively formed and cause heavy bleeding during shedding
- Ovarian dysfunction If your ovaries don't release an egg (ovulate) during your menstrual cycle (anovulation), your body no longer produces the hormone progesterone, unlike during a normal menstrual cycle. This process causes a hormonal imbalance that can lead to menorrhagia
- Uterine fibroids These benign tumors of the uterus appear during pregnancy Uterine fibroids, in some cases, cause heavier and longer menstrual bleeding than normal
- Polyps Small, benign growths on the lining of the uterus that cause heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding Uterine polyps are mostly found in women of childbearing age The condition is caused by the high content of hormones in the body
- Adenomyosis This condition develops when endometrial glands become embedded in the muscle of the uterus This process causes heavy and painful menstrual bleeding Adenomyosis develops in middle-aged mothers
- Intrauterine device Menorrhagia is a common side effect of the non-hormonal, birth control intrauterine device If the device causes excessive menstrual bleeding, it should be removed
- Complications of pregnancy One, a heavy and late menstrual period may develop during pregnancy If the bleeding occurs during a normal menstrual cycle, it is less likely to be caused by a miscarriage An ectopic pregnancy—the implantation of a fertilized egg in the fallopian tubes instead of the uterus—also causes menorrhagia.
- Cancer In rare cases, malignant tumors of the uterus, ovarian and cervical cancers cause excessive menstrual bleeding.
- Hereditary bleeding diseases Some blood clotting disorders, such as von Willebrand disease, are conditions in which one of the factors involved in blood clotting is impaired or lacking. Such diseases also cause abnormal menstrual bleeding
- Medicines Some medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-clotting drugs, also cause heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding.
- Other health problems Many diseases, including pelvic inflammatory disease, thyroid problems, endometriosis, liver and kidney diseases are also associated with menorrhagia.
Symptoms of menorrhagia:
- Soaking one or more sanitary napkins or tampons every hour
- More than 1 sanitary pad used to control menstrual flow
- Waking up during the night to change a diaper
- Bleeding lasting longer than 1 week
- Presence of blood clots in menstrual fluid for longer than one day
- Limiting daily activities Heavy menstrual bleeding
