Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
| | A | | | B | | | C | | | D | | | E | | | F | | | G | | | H | | | I | | | J | | | K | | | L | | | M | |
| | N | | | O | | | P | | | Q | | | R | | | S | | | T | | | U | | | V | | | W | | | X | | | Y | |
Causes of Periods, heavy
In many cases there is no obvious cause.
If the cause is known, it is commonly:
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) (a hormonal problem)
- Cervical or endometrial polyps (benign outgrowths of the lining of the cervix or womb cavity)
- Endometriosis (womb lining tissue in place in the pelvis where it should not normally be)
- Fibroids (benign enlargements of the smooth muscle wall of the womb)
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland)
Occasional causes
- Puberty and start of the menopause
- Intrauterine contraceptive device - 'the coil'
- Cystic glandular hyperplasia (metropathia haemorrhagica -problem of the womb lining)
- Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease (ongoing infection in the pelvis)
- Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Rare causes
- Adrenal disorders and hyperprolactinaemia
- Liver or kidney disease
- Blood disorders
- Endometrial carcinoma (cancer of womb lining)
- Tuberculous endometritis (tuberculosis of womb lining)
Heavy periods are sometimes also caused by medical treatments, such as anticoagulant drugs (to reduce the clotting of the blood), chemotherapy (drug treatment for cancer) and sterilisation (an operation to prevent future pregnancies).
