When Is Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Cause for Concern?

Heavy menstrual bleeding is inconvenient and frustrating — but is it cause for concern? Sometimes, the answer is yes. Here’s what you should know about heavy bleeding, and how to get help if you need it.

About 10% of women experience heavy menstrual bleeding, or menorrhagia, today. Some women have always had frustratingly heavy periods, while others experience a sudden shift that leaves them confused.

No matter which group you’re in, our compassionate OB-GYN, Sidiq Aldabbagh, MD, and talented group of women’s health specialists at Trusted Women’s Health Center in Kendall and Miami, Florida, are here to help you.

We want our patients to understand heavy bleeding well so they can recognize when it’s a cause for concern. That’s why we’re covering the topic in our blog this month. Keep reading to find out when you need to be concerned (and when to get help) for heavy bleeding.

What counts as heavy bleeding?

To understand what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to menstrual bleeding, we first have to explore exactly what qualifies as heavy bleeding.
“Heavy bleeding” might sound like it would just refer to a large quantity of blood during your period. But it can also refer to steady bleeding over a longer period of time — which may or may not involve a particularly large amount of blood flow. Either one of these situations can be a cause for concern.

When heavy bleeding is a cause for concern

Every woman has a different cycle, and “normal” can vary. The average menstrual cycle (the time between the start of your period) is 21-35 days. The average period lasts two to seven days. Most women lose about 60 milliliters (around 4 tablespoons) of blood during periods.

With heavy bleeding, those numbers are different. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists classifies all of the following situations as heavy bleeding:

Period longer than seven days
Blood soaking a tampon or pad at least hourly (for several consecutive hours)
Quarter-sized blood clots (or larger)
Requiring multiple pads at once to catch all the blood
Waking up at night to change tampons or pads

If your heavy bleeding falls within these categories, it’s possible that you have a reproductive health problem. A few of the conditions that may cause heavy bleeding include uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and irregular ovulation. Although there are other possible causes, like endometrial cancer, that’s less common.

The earlier we evaluate your menstrual bleeding, assign your diagnosis, and start a treatment plan, the less impact heavy bleeding has on your life. So, reach out to us if you have any concerns about heavy bleeding. We can help.

How we treat heavy bleeding

Our treatments for heavy bleeding are all patient-specific. Common treatments include medication, hormone therapy, endometrial ablation, and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery performed by our elite surgeon, Dr. Aldabbagh.

We can help you get your menstrual cycle back on track and prevent heavy bleeding from disrupting your life any longer. If you’re ready to enjoy the freedom that comes with a lighter and shorter menstrual flow, don’t hesitate to connect with us.

Phone our office at 786-360-4334 or reach out online today to schedule your office visit and get help with heavy bleeding.