Women experience abnormal menstrual bleeding at different points in the menstrual cycle. Some bouts of abnormal bleeding are brief and may subside with no treatment. However, other causes may be linked to medical conditions that require the use of medication, physical therapy or surgical procedures to correct.
Heavy Bleeding
At some point in a woman's menstrual cycle it is normal to experience heavy bleeding. This bleeding can be caused by medical conditions such as uterine fibroids, uterine polyps, ovarian cysts, polycystic ovarian syndrome or irregular hormone levels. A woman that doesn't have any of the above medical conditions may still experience heavy bleeding due to stress or the natural progression into menopause. Heavy bleeding may also be accompanied by abdominal cramping and blood clots. Heavy bleeding in a normal menstrual cycle should last no longer than three to seven days.
Bleeding with Clots
Passing blood clots in a heavy menstrual cycle can be perfectly normal. In light or medium flow, the body has enough time to send anticoagulant to the uterus before the blood passes through to stop it from clotting. However, if the blood flow is heavy or quick the body will not have enough time to send the amount of anticoagulants needed to keep the blood from clotting. Abnormal blood clots the size of a quarter or larger may be accompanied by severe abdominal cramping and extremely heavy bleeding. This can be caused by abnormal uterine growths such as uterine fibroids and polyps, miscarriage or irregular hormone level.
Short Menstrual Cycle
Menstrual periods that are less than 21 days in length, or in which a woman bleeds less than three days are considered short cycles. These cycles are considered abnormal. Short menstrual cycles may be caused by irregular hormone levels when first starting the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause, when estrogen levels begin to naturally decline before menopause begins. Sometimes short cycles require no treatment and return to normal on their own. However, in some cases a gynecologist may prescribe replacement hormones or oral contraceptives to regulate hormone levels.
Prolonged Bleeding
Prolong menstrual bleeding occurs when menstrual cycles are too close together or when a woman bleeds for more than seven days. Causes of prolonged menstrual bleeding are irregular hormone levels due to conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine fibroids, perimenopause, diabetes or being under weight or overweight. Treatments for prolonged menstrual bleeding include taking oral contraceptives to regulate hormone levels, using iron supplements to replace iron loss due to prolonged bleeding and the removal of any growths that may be causing the bleeding.
Warning
Women who are experiencing prolonged menstrual bleeding should consult their doctor promptly to have the cause evaluated and treated.
