Heavy Periods
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Overview
The lining of the womb (endometrium) is found in the centre of the womb. It is surrounded by a muscle layer and accounts for about 10% of the womb. Its job is to make things as easy as possible for a pregnancy to develop inside the womb. Every month when a pregnancy does not happen the lining of the womb sheds as a period. This makes way for fresh lining to regrow immediately afterward. The amount of menstrual flow varies from woman to woman and may also vary from period to period. Normal periods last for 3-5 days, but in some women they can bleed for longer periods of time and more heavily. Heavy periods are common; they probably affect about one in 3 women. They are rarely due to serious disease; but they often make life difficult and unpleasant.
Why Does it Occur?
There are many different reasons for heavy periods. These include fibroids and polyps that can grow inside the centre of the womb. Some women have other medical conditions such as thyroid problems or bleeding disorders that can make periods worse. However, in the majority of women there is no obvious cause, and we blame the bleeding on changes in chemicals that affect the shedding of the lining of the womb – what we call “Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding” or “DUB”.
