Prolonged bleeding during the menstrual cycle is called menorrhagia. Although heavy menstrual bleeding is a common concern among premenopausal women, effective treatments are available. The causes are varied and range from harmless to potentially deadly. Untreated menorrhagia can lead to fatigue, anemia and other serious health problems.
Intrauterine Devices
The Mayo Clinic explains that an intrauterine device, or IUD, may be responsible for menorrhagia. A woman places this into the uterus and leaves it for months or years to serve as birth control. If an IUD is the cause of woman's menorrhagia, she needs to remove it.
Uterine Fibroid Tumors
Uterine fibroid tumors are non-cancerous growths found in the uterus. Fibroids can be so tiny that a person would need a microscope to see them. Nonetheless, they can grow very large. They may fill the entire uterus, and may weigh several pounds. Although it is possible for just one fibroid to develop, usually there are more than one, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health. Fibroid tumors are responsible for many cases of menorrhagia.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a serious reproductive problem that can lead to the inability to bear children. Sexually transmitted diseased that move from the vagina into the uterus often cause pelvic inflammatory disease. Other non-cancerous tumors, cysts and polyps in the reproductive organs can cause prolonged menstrual bleeding as well, according to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones control the menstrual cycle, and an imbalance of these is often responsible for menorrhagia and other menstrual irregularities. The Mayo Clinic explains that, if the hormones progesterone and estrogen are out of the proper ratio, the lining of the uterus can grow thicker than it should. This causes a heavy, prolonged period when the lining finally sheds. Similarly, when an ovary fails to release an egg, the resulting hormonal imbalance can cause a heavy, long period. Hormonal imbalances are more common as a woman nears menopause.
Cancer
Occasionally, the cause of prolonged bleeding turns out to be a reproductive cancer. The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center explains that these cancers may strike the cervix, uterus or ovaries.
Medication Side Effects
Several medications can cause menorrhagia. Common culprits include anticoagulants, or blood thinners, and anti-inflammatory drugs, says the Mayo Clinic. Birth control pills can also cause prolonged menstruation when used improperly.
Non-Reproductive Disorders
Disorders outside of the reproductive system may also cause these menstrual irregularities. Diabetes, thyroid disorder, kidney and liver disease and blood-clotting disorders are sometimes responsible.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Menorrhagia (Heavy Menstrual Bleeding): Causes
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: Menorrhagia
- University of Virginia Health System: Gynecological Health
- Mayo Clinic: Menorrhagia (Heavy Menstrual Bleeding): Definition
- US. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health: Uterine Fibroids
