Menorrhagia: Symptoms & Signs

Menorrhagia refers to menstrual periods that are abnormally heavy. This can refer to prolonged time of bleeding or an abnormally heavy blood loss. This can be associated with signs and symptoms like menstrual periods that last more than 7 days, blood clots, or menstrual flow that soaks through multiple pads or tampons in a short time (typically having to change a pad or tampon more than every 2 hours). Many women with menorrhagia report that the bleeding is so severe that they are unable to carry out normal daily activities.

There are many possible causes of menorrhagia. Conditions that cause hormonal imbalance, like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), are a possible cause. Uterine fibroids (benign tumors) or polyps can also cause heavy bleeding. Using an intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control has also been linked to menorrhagia. Other possible causes of excessively heavy menstrual bleeding include disorders of blood clotting. Associated symptoms can include

• severe lower abdominal pain and
• cramping.

Other causes of menorrhagia

• Adenomyosis
• Hormone Imbalance
• IUD Use
• Kidney Disease
• Medications
• Ovarian Dysfunction
• Platelet Function Disorder
• Pregnancy Complications
• Uterine Polyps
• Von Willebrand Disease

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