Menorrhagia

What is menorrhagia?
Menorrhagia is when a person has atypically heavy periods for a number of consecutive months.

What may cause menorrhagia?
Although in most cases there are no underlying causes, menorrhagia can be caused by:

  • uterine fibroids
  • endometriosis
  • pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
  • adenomysis
  • polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
  • intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs)
  • cancer of the womb
  • endometrial polyps
  • diabetes
  • hypothyroidism
  • anticoagulant medication
  • chemotherapy
  • certain herbal supplements


Treatment
Various treatments are available for heavy periods, including:

  • some types of contraception like IUS (intrauterine system) or combined pill
  • medicines
  • surgery