Heavy periods or heavy menstrual bleeding are common and affect around one in five Australian women. Some women with this condition also have a lot of pelvic pain.
Heavy periods can impact enormously on some women's day-to-day lives, but they can generally be managed using hormone therapies or surgery.
If you are suffering with this condition, the best starting point is your GP. Your GP may refer you to a gynaecologist. Once the cause is known, your doctor can talk with you about your treatment options.
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What is a heavy period?
Heavy menstrual bleeding is defined as excessive menstrual blood loss that interferes with a woman's physical, social or emotional quality of life.
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What causes heavy periods?
Diagnosing what causes heavy periods can sometimes be difficult. However, some physical condition affecting the uterus, such as fibroids and polyps, may cause heavy menstrual bleeding.
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Investigation & treatment
If you are worried about your periods, visit your GP. You are likely to be referred to a doctor who specialises in women’s health to investigate the cause of your heavy periods.
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Treatment with medication
Medication is usually the first treatment option recommended by doctors for heavy periods .
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Treating with surgery
If you have tried medication treatments for your heavy periods with no improvement, surgery may be your next option.
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Disclaimer
The Women’s does not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or use of such information or advice) which is provided on the Website or incorporated into it by reference. The Women’s provide this information on the understanding that all persons accessing it take responsibility for assessing its relevance and accuracy. Women are encouraged to discuss their health needs with a health practitioner. If you have concerns about your health, you should seek advice from your health care provider or if you require urgent care you should go to the nearest Emergency Dept.