What Are The Causes Of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?

However, if you are bleeding profusely during your period that you have to keep changing pads all through the day and it is restricting your daily activities, you could be suffering from menorrhagia, a condition characterized by heavy menstrual bleeding. 1 in 20 women suffer from this condition.
How To Identify The Problem?

Listed below are the most prominent symptoms of menorrhagia to help you identify if your bleeding is normal or not:

• Your period lasts more than a week.
• You need to change pads every hour, even at night, disrupting your sleep.
• You tend to use double protection to take care of the immense bleeding.
• You are always tired, anaemic, and cannot perform daily activities.
• You notice blood clots bigger than a quarter in your menstrual blood.

If you are experiencing all or most of these symptoms, you should visit BirthRight by Rainbow Hospitals to consult the best gynecologist in Hyderabad for a proper diagnosis. In scientific terms, menorrhagia is the condition in which the body loses 80 ml or more of blood in one cycle. Since there is no clear way to determine how much anyone bleeds, your doctor might use a chart to mark the number of pads or tampons you use per day of your cycle.

Causes of Menorrhagia

Hormonal Imbalance
Two hormones namely estrogen and progesterone together help regulate the buildup of the uterus lining (endometrium) by maintaining balance. When the body cannot maintain a balance of these hormones, it leads to the development of endometrium in excess, causing heavy periods. Conditions like thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, obesity, and PCOS can lead to hormonal imbalance.

Pregnancy Complications
If you experience heavy bleeding during pregnancy, it can either be caused by a miscarriage or a low-lying placenta. Both of which should be reported to your doctor immediately.

Dysfunction of the ovaries
Your body won't be able to produce progesterone hormone if your ovaries are unable to release an egg, causing a hormonal imbalance.

Cancer
Uterine cancer and cervical cancer affect the reproductive system and can lead to heavy periods. This is more common if you have undergone an abnormal Pap test procedure in the past or if you are postmenopausal.

Uterine Fibroids
These noncancerous, or benign, tumors grow in your uterus during your childbearing years. They are not cancerous but can lead to excessive and prolonged bleeding.

Uterine Polyps
These benign growths can cause higher hormone levels, leading to prolonged or heavy periods.
Inherited bleeding disorders
Bleeding disorders like von Willebrand's disease, a blood disorder in which the blood does not clot properly can lead to heavy bleeding.

Other Medical Issues
Liver and Kidney diseases can also result in heavy bleeding and prolonged menstruation.

Diagnosis
Your doctor will treat menorrhagia based on the cause of your problem. Here are some tests for menorrhagia:

• Dilation and curettage is done to detect abnormalities.
• Hysteroscopy is done to examine the lining. In this, a camera is inserted into the uterus.
• Sonohysterogram is done to examine the uterus. This is done by instilling fluid into the uterus and using ultrasound.
• Ultrasound is done to examine the pelvis, ovaries, and uterus.
• Endometrial biopsy is done to examine the uterus lining to identify cellular abnormalities.
• Pap smear is done to check for cancer, dysplasia, inflammation, and cervical infection.
• Blood tests may be prescribed to check for disorders such as anemia, and clotting disorders, thyroid disease, and anemia.

How to Treat Menorrhagia?
Treatment for menorrhagia depends on the cause:

• Hormonal treatment for a hormonal imbalance.
• In case of endometrial cancer, hysterectomy and radiation are done.
• In case of fibroids, hysterectomy or a myomectomy may be considered.
• Uterine artery embolization is considered to treat fibroids.
• Medications are prescribed to regulate the period and reduce bleeding