Thread by @firstdoctorr

10 common causes of heavy menstrual flow you should know

1. Fibroids
2. Pelvic infections
3. Some drugs
4. Polyps
5. IUCDs
6. Endometriosis
7. Adenomyosis
8. Blood clotting problems
9. Cancers of the womb or cervix
10. Thyroid disease

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If a woman loses more than 80ml of blood in one period, the bleeding is heavy. Heavy periods usually often come with blood clots.

Although methods of quantifying the exact amount of blood loss are not usually accurate, most women know when their period is heavy.

Nearly 20% of women over 30 years have #fibroids.They are of different types & may cause heavy menstrual bleeding.

Treatment of fibroids depends on the many factors so see your doctor.

#Infections like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can cause heavy periods. This often comes with abnormal vaginal discharge & lower abdominal pain.

Most PIDs can be treated with medications.

People who menstruate & are taking certain medications like #Warfarin & #Aspirin can have heavy menstrual bleeds.

Any drug which thins the blood or encourages bleeding & needs to be given to a menstruating woman, should be carefully weighed to check the risk-benefit ratio.

#Polyps are non-cancerous growths.They may be attached to the inner wall of your womb (endometrial polyps) or your cervix (cervical polyps).

Polyps can increase period bleeding, cause bleeding in-between your periods, & bleeding after sex.
Treatment is mostly surgical removal.

Women who use copper T intrauterine contraception devices #IUCDs to prevent pregnancy, tend to have heavy menstrual flow.

This might be due to blood vessel changes which affect blood flow to the womb. Heavy periods may warrant a review of your contraceptive method.

#Endometriosis is when tissues that usually line the inside of your womb grow outside the uterus.

This can cause shorter amount of time in-between your periods, very painful periods & heavy flows.
See your doctor for full evaluation & treatment.

#Adenomyosis is when tissues that usually line the inside of your womb grow within and into the wall of your uterine.

This can cause heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, severe cramping, pain during intercourse or blood clots that pass during a period.
See a doctor.

Women with blood clotting disorders can experience heavy menstrual bleeding.

For e.g. platelet disorders & clotting factor deficiencies can make it difficult for blood to clot properly, leading to heavy periods.
Your health care providers can help.

Uterine #cancer may cause brown vaginal discharge with bleeding in-between your periods, which may be heavy.

Cervical cancer could cause irregular & heavy periods, with occasional blood-streaked vaginal discharge.
Pls see your doctor for early diagnosis & treatment.

Your thyroid gland influences the control of your menstrual cycle. Too much or too little thyroid hormone can make your period very light, heavy, irregular or even absent.

Low thyroid hormone (#hypothyroidism) may cause heavy periods. See your doctor for assessment & treatment.

Heavy period or menorrhagia is very common. Nearly 1 in every 5 women you see have it.

People should know what causes it & how to find help. Kindly RT for awareness.

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