The age at which a girl gets her first period varies, but, according to the Office on Women's Health, the typical age is around 12 years old in the United States. Women continue with regular monthly bleeding cycles until they reach menopause. A normal period usually lasts between three to five days. Women experiencing menorrhagia, or prolonged menstrual bleeding, need to be seen by a healthcare provider.
Fibroids
The uterus is a muscular organ, and fibroids grow from the muscular cells of the uterus. The cause of fibroids is unknown, but risk factors include heredity and race. African American women are more likely to have fibroids than others, according to MayoClinic.com. Symptoms of uterine fibroids include excessive menstrual bleeding and cramping. Fibroids are not cancerous and usually are more of an annoyance than a serious medical problem. Fibroids have the potential to interfere with pregnancy. According to MayoClinic.com, women with fibroids have a slightly increased risk of early miscarriage, premature labor, abnormal fetal position and separation of the placenta from the uterine wall. Not all fibroids cause these problems, and women with multiple fibroids or very large fibroids that distort the uterine cavity are more likely to experience problems. Treatment of menorrhagia due to fibroids consists of using various hormones to either shrink the fibroids or control the monthly cycle.
Uterine Cancer
Endometrial cancer, or cancer of the lining of the uterus, can cause prolonged bleeding according to MayoClinic.com. Uterine cancer usually occurs in postmenopausal women, and prolonged bleeding is the first clue. Women who experience postmenopausal bleeding, pain with sexual intercourse, pelvic pain or unexplained discharge from the vagina should seek medical attention early. Risk factors for endometrial cancer include starting periods before age 12, diabetes, obesity, a high-fat diet and irregular periods. Surgery is the first treatment when a woman has uterine cancer, and if the cancer has not spread, the prognosis is good.
Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding, or DUB, is abnormally heavy bleeding outside of the menstrual cycle that is not caused by structural abnormalities, inflammation, pregnancy or drugs, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. This condition is the most common cause of abnormal bleeding, and more than 50 percent of DUB cases are in women older than 45. Ninety percent of cases are anovulatory, which means that the ovaries do not produce enough progesterone to oppose the estrogen in the body. The result is the uterine lining continues to grow until it outgrows its blood supply. It then sheds continuously and irregularly, causing bleeding, according to Merck. In the 10 percent that are ovulatory cases, progesterone remains unopposed, and the estrogen is insufficient to rebuild the uterine lining. The condition of DUB is controlled with hormone therapy.
