High menstrual bleeding is one of the most common problems faced by the women all over the world. Here is a look at some of the causes of high menstrual bleeding.

A hormonal imbalance that happens at the time of adolescence or menopause is considered to be the most common cause of the problem. During the time of adolescence after the girls experience their first periods, and for several years before the menopause actually happens and the menstruation stops, the woman’s hormonal level fluctuates that may lead to excessive uterine bleeding during that time of menstrual periods. This problem of hormonal imbalance can be treated with the help of birth control pills or medical hormones.

Another cause could be the presence of uterine fibroid tumors. They are actually usually benign or actually non-cancerous in nature. This type of tumor often occurs in the uterus of the women when they are in their thirties or forties. Although no apparent cause for the growth of uterine fibroid tumors has been identified, one thing is absolutely clear, they are dependent on estrogen.

There are a lot of surgical treatments available that can help to treat the fibroid tumors present in the uterus. The treatments include endometrial ablation, myomectomy, embalization of the uterine artery a, hysterectomy and uterine balloon therapy.

There are some non-surgical pharmacological treatments available to deal with the fibroid tumors. The treatment options include oral contraceptives, RU486 (used for abortion), GnRH agonists, androgens, and gestrinone.

In some cases the natural progesterone has provided to be an effective form of treatment for the fibroid tumors. Often, in case the symptoms are not severe or are causing any troubles, the treatment takes a “wait and see” approach. Once the menopausal stage comes around the uterine fibroid tumors usually shrink and then disappear without any type of treatment.

Thanks for this info Jyoti, I know a lot of my friends who have heavy periods, but haven't consulted the doctor thinking its normal, but at least i can now guide them in the right way to go and see a doctor to get some treatment done.

I have also heard about the imbalance of the hormones which affects high period bleeding, and the common and i think the only way to cure this is by birth control pills!

sorry i didn't understad this, how can birth control pills possibly reduce bleeding. what does the pill do to our mechanisn to do that. can you please give a little bit of detail about it??

I dont know how the theory is, but apparently its true that oral contraceptives (birth control pills) reduce bleeding problems by around 50% which includes a reduce rate of heavy bleeding and oral contrceptives also resolve irregular periods too.

Thats very true Sara. I don't know the technicalities of it either, but the pill does reduce heavy periods and cramps, thought I wish it would do something to cure my PMS!

On cases like these, one should and its a must that she consults an OB-Gynecologist. I have a friend before who had the same case and all the while she thought that to be normal or at least for her as she was having it rather on a regular monthly period already. Howver, we just 'coaxed' her to go and have herself checked upon and it was then that we learned her to be having a more serious problem than mere heavy periods. So, for cases like these, you better consult an expert at once!

I used to have very heavy bleeding and my doctor told me that unless I was soaking through more than a pad an hour for several hours in a row that it was nothing to worry about... um.. woa that was shocked, and yes, I still worried because the periods were so heavy... Then I started having bleeding between periods and I went to a different doctor and he checked me out and said that the cause was most likely too much estrogen and was nothing to worry about.. What the heck? I mean I'm glad I'm fine, but how can you NOT worry when your bleeding is so abnormal?

There was a time when i used to get really heavy periods, and something which caused this was stress and also exercise...yes i used to exercise while being on my periods. But i was told by my friend that I shouldn't exercise and over exert myself, which maybe the cause of heavy periods. So i did stop and although the stress was still there, my periods were no as heavy.

I also learned a few relaxation techniques, in which they helped me to relax and de-stress myself. Its easy to have don't get stressed but its not, so the easiest way is to do some breathing and relaxation exercises.

I just thought I would add that not having enough iron in your blood (being anemic) can sauce heavier periods also. Some doctors prescribe iron supplements to lessen periods, or a multi vitamin with extra iron in it.

I think if anyone is anemic the blood color will be pale, that won't lead to heavy bleeding. Tumor in uterus will definetly lead to heavy bleeding.

I strongly believe that it's due to hormonal imbalance, I've been experiencing this problem since from very first month. It's gradually decreasing with continuous medication.

One of my friend had this problem of heavy bleeding during menstrual cycle. She consulted the doctor immediately and got the relief in few months. The doctor gave her the same advice that this is not such a big problem to worry about.

Without consulting a gynaecologist it's not good to take birth control pills, they reduce the bleeding but doesn't help in eliminating the waste out which causes many inflammations, etc,. oral contraceptives are not best advised to reduce bleeding, but natural contraceptives are lactation, how much you lactate that much you are free from menstruating.

very informative! yeah i had experience that one before but as of today i am good and well..