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Causes For Heavy Periods

By on July 23, 2012
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Many women, from time to time experience abnormal bleeding during menstrual periods, but how do you determine if the bleeding is heavy? Well, the easiest method to recognize if you are going through heavy periods or menorrhagia is to note down, how frequently you are changing your tampon or pad. If you happen to change every 1 or 2 hours or if the periods continue for more than a week then it is identified as menorrhagia.

Causes for Heavy Periods or Menorrhagia

Hormonal Imbalance

Hormonal imbalance caused in women close to menopause or in adolescents having their first menstrual cycle is one of the common causes of heavy periods.

Hormonal Imbalance

There is fluctuation in the progesterone and estrogen hormones and this might occur, if there is any problem in the functioning of the ovaries. However, menorrhagia caused due to hormonal imbalance can be treated using hormones or birth control pills.

Uterine Fibroid Tumors

This is another common reason for heavy periods and it usually occurs in the uterus. It is normally non-cancerous (benign) and is often seen in women in their 30s or 40s. Although, the reason for the occurrence of such tumors is still unclear, it is apparent that they are dependent on the female hormone – estrogen. These tumors are treated using various surgical methods.

Cervical Polyps

The fragile and small growth that starts either in the endocervical canal or the cervix’s mucosal surface is known as cervical polyps and they protrude through the cervix opening. Although, the cause of this condition is not clear, they often result due to infection or due to blockage in the blood vessels that are situated in the cervix.

Cervical Polyps

Source: http://www.riversideonline.com/health_reference/Womens-Health/DS00699.cfm

Sometimes, it is also linked to the abnormal reaction due to increased levels of estrogen. Cervical polyps usually affect women above twenty years who have children.

Also Read

Natural Remedies For Heavy Period Bleeding
How To Aid Heavy Menstruation
How to Reduce Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Endometrial Polyps

These are normally benign or non-cancerous growth, which protrude from the uterus lining. Although the cause for such polyps is still unclear, they are often related to excess estrogen after the hormone treatment or following few kinds of ovarian tumors.

Cervical, Ovarian and Uterine Cancer

Although rare, these are some of the possible causes for heavy periods. Cervical cancer occurs when the cells in the region of cervix multiply, become abnormal and harm the healthy parts as well.

Cervical cancer

Source: http://www.medicaltourismco.com/oncology/cervical-cancer-treatment-abroad.php

HPV or human papillomavirus is the source of over 90% of all cancers related to cervix.

Intrauterine devices or IUD’s

This is another cause for heavy menstrual bleeding. IUD’s are used for contraception. When women experience heavy or prolonged periods while using intrauterine devices, they should be immediately removed and an alternative method must be chosen for birth control.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

PID is an infectivity affecting one or more than one organ (cervix, fallopian tubes and uterus). It is most often a STD (sexually transmitted disease), but sometimes occurs after a few gynecological procedures, abortion or childbirth.

Ectopic Pregnancy or Miscarriage (the fertilized egg gets implanted in the Fallopian tube) and medical conditions such as kidney, thyroid or liver diseases and platelet or bleeding disorders are some of the other causes of heavy periods.

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