What is Menorrhagia?
Menorrhagia is the medical term for intensive menstrual bleeding – when bleeding is abnormally heavy or prolonged.
During normal (healthy) 3-7 days menstruation usually women loose an average 2-4 tablespoons (35-45 ml) of blood. During menorrhagia women lose about 5-6 tablespoons (about 80 ml) of blood during menstruation. Losing a lot of blood during the menstrual period can cause several health problems including anemia.
Menorrhagia symptoms
During menorrhagia women usually experience abnormal blood loss which could be a reason for several symptoms such as:
- Intensive vaginal bleeding,
- Anemia (iron deficiency anemia),
- Dizziness,
- Weakness,
- Tiredness,
- Fatigue,
- Pallor.
Menorrhagia causes
Hormonal dysfunctions
During normal healthy menstrual cycle women have so called “hormonal balance” – adequate production of female hormones (estrogens, progesterone) which regulate the uterine lining development and shedding during monthly menstrual periods. If women experience hormonal dysfunctions, it triggers the hormonal chaos and anovulation (absence of ovulation). And if ovulation does not occur in a menstrual cycle, progesterone is not produced – this causes hormonal imbalance and could result in menorrhagia.
Pregnancy
Single intensive late menstrual period (menorrhagia) could happen with women in early pregnancy (spontaneous miscarriage). Actually this type of bleeding is a signal of miscarriage.
During ectopic pregnancy also medical professionals could observe menorrhagia which is also a symptom of tubal miscarriage.
Menorrhagia
Uterine polyps and/or fibropids
Uterine polyps and fibroids are hormone depending noncancerous uterine tumors which could be diagnosed during reproductive period of women life (14-44). In most cases women with polyps and fibroids have increased levels of hormones (mainly estrogens). These uterine noncancerous tumors could cause menorrhagia (intensive and prolonged menstrual bleeding).
Intrauterine contraception
Sometimes Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) could be a reason for bleeding during menstruation. Actually the menorrhagia is a pretty common IUDs side effect. The only solution for these cases is IUD removal.
Endometrial abnormalities
There are at least two endometrial abnormalities which could trigger menorrhagia:
- Endometrial hyperplasia and
- Adenomyosis.
Endometrial hyperplasia is an excessive proliferation of the cells of the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus). Main reason for endometrial hyperplasia is abnormal production of female hormones – high levels of estrogens, combined with insufficient levels of progesterone. This type of hormonal misbalance could be observed in women with obesity, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), estrogen producing tumors and estrogen replacement therapy.
Endometrial hyperplasia is recognized as a risk factor for endometrial cancer.
Adenomyosis is uterine thickening that occurs when inner lining of the uterus, which normally lines the uterus, moves into the outer muscular walls of the uterus – actually it is the medical condition characterized by the presence of ectopic glandular tissue found in muscle tissue. Unfortunately main causes of adenomyosis are not known yet.
Cancer of reproductive organs
Medical professional observed cases of excessive menstrual bleeding in women with uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer. Main reasons of menorrhagia in mentioned group of women are hormonal dysfunctions and pathological changes in tissues (mainly in endometrium).
Inherited bleeding disorders
Inherited bleeding disorders could be a reason for menorrhagia (pretty rare). In these cases menstrual bleeding could be observed very early in puberty when menstrual periods just start. Young girls with inherited bleeding disorders suffer from intensive monthly menstrual bleedings. Main cause of mentioned bleedings is the inherited deficit of important blood-clotting factor.
Menorrhagia solutions
Main solution for menorrhagia is hormonal therapy including birth control pills, hormonal IUDs, progestins, implants, Depo Provera. In most cases treatment should be provided and monitored by medical professionals.
Some natural remedies also could be effective during menstrual bleeding.
