5 Common Causes of Heavy Periods

Let’s face it — under the best of circumstances, periods can be a hassle, but as long as they come and go without incident, you understand it’s just a part of healthy ovulation.

However, for 10% of women, periods aren’t exactly a minor inconvenience each month, thanks to heavy bleeding that’s more disruptive than healthy.

As experts in women's health, we turn to Dr. Chetanna Okasi and the team at Women’s Wellness MD, for answers. In the following, we dive into what we consider to be heavy periods, what commonly drives the issue, and what you should do next.

Let’s take a look.

What constitutes a heavy period?

To make sure we’re all on the same page, we want to start this discussion with some of the attributes of heavy menstrual bleeding, which is medically called menorrhagia. These characteristics include:

• Soaking through tampons or pads every two hours for more than a day
• Soaking through tampons or pads at night
• Needing to double up your protection — wearing a tampon and pad, for example
• Bleeding for more than a week
• Passing blood clots larger than a quarter

Also, heavy bleeding that develops after years of normal menstrual bleeding should get your attention, since it’s not normal for you.

In more serious cases of heavy bleeding, you can develop iron-deficiency anemia due to the blood loss, which can leave you fatigued.

What is behind heavy menstrual bleeding?

Now that we’ve established what we mean by heavy bleeding, let’s look at some of the common culprits behind this condition, which include:

1. Uterine fibroids

Up to 80% of women develop uterine fibroids during their reproductive years. In most cases, these growths don’t pose any problems, but when they do, symptoms often include heavy bleeding.

1. Adenemyosis

Adenomyosis is a condition in which the endometrial lining grows into the wall of your uterus. Adenomyosis affects 20-35% of women, and when the condition does lead to symptoms, heavy bleeding tops the list.

1. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS affects about 5-6 million women in the United States. PCOS is primarily a hormone issue that leads to higher-than-normal androgen hormones, which can affect your menstrual cycles. In many cases, you miss periods, but some women experience heavy bleeding.

1. Sexually transmitted infections and pelvic inflammatory disease

If you have an active sexually transmitted infection that’s turned the corner into pelvic inflammatory disease, you might experience heavier menstrual bleeding than typical.

1. Uterine hyperplasia

Uterine hyperplasia is a condition where your endometrial lining becomes abnormally thick, which can lead to heavy bleeding. Hormone imbalances can cause uterine hyperplasia and, more seriously, it may signal a precancerous condition that precedes uterine and cervical cancer.

Next steps for heavy bleeding

This list we have presented is by no means complete, and many other issues can lead to heavy bleeding. Our goal here is to inform you of the possible range of conditions to underscore the importance of getting help.

The bottom line is that heavy bleeding can be more than just a hassle and might point toward a larger health issue. 

To figure out what’s behind your heavy bleeding, contact us today at one of our locations in Columbia or Greenbelt, Maryland, to schedule an appointment so we can take action and help.