Heavy Periods (Menorrhagia)

You may have heavy periods if you:

• Need to change your pad or tampon every 1 to 2 hours, or empty your menstrual cup more often than is recommended.
• Need to use 2 types of period product together, such as a pad and a tampon.
• Have periods lasting more than 7 days.
• Pass blood clots larger than about 2.5cm (the size of a 10p coin).
• Bleed through to your clothes or bedding.
• Avoid daily activities, like exercise, or take time off work because of your periods.
• Feel tired or short of breath a lot.

It can be normal to have heavy periods. They can sometimes be heavy at different times, like when you first start your periods, after pregnancy or approaching menopause.

Sometimes heavy periods can be caused by:

• Conditions affecting your womb or ovaries, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis and pelvic inflammatory disease.
• Conditions that can make you bleed more easily, such as Von Willebrand disease.
• Some medicines and treatments, including some anticoagulant medicines and chemotherapy medicines.
• Rarely, heavy periods can be a sign of womb cancer.

Heavy periods do not always need to be treated. But there are treatments that can help if they’re affecting your daily life.