Heavy Periods: What To Do
Menstrual bleeding heavy enough to interfere with physical, social or emotional quality of life.
Last revised
It is defined by impact rather than by volume, it is the commonest cause of iron deficiency in women of reproductive age, and it is treatable.
Key takeaways
- Definition: bleeding that interferes with quality of life
- Common consequence: iron deficiency anaemia
- Most useful single change: Record how often you change protection and any flooding or clots.
- Commonest mistake: Assuming heavy bleeding is normal because it always has been.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to get help" below apply to you.
Do
- Record how often you change protection and any flooding or clots
- Ask for a ferritin test as well as a full blood count
- Ask about both hormonal and non-hormonal treatment options
- Take prescribed iron for the full course, which outlasts symptom relief
Do not
- Assuming heavy bleeding is normal because it always has been
- Self-supplementing iron without a blood test
- Ignoring bleeding between periods or after sex
The figures behind the list
Each item above follows from these, published in the guidance named at the foot of the page.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Definition | bleeding that interferes with quality of life |
| Common consequence | iron deficiency anaemia |
| Test that shows depleted iron stores | serum ferritin |
| First-line treatment for many | the hormonal coil (LNG-IUS) |
| Non-hormonal options | tranexamic acid and NSAIDs during the period |
Where to go next
- Heavy Periods: What the Evidence Actually Says
- Understanding Heavy Periods: A Plain-English Explainer
- Heavy Periods — the reference entry
- Menopause: What Published Guidance Supports
- Cervical Screening: What the Evidence Actually Says
When to get help
See a GP for bleeding between periods, after sex, or after the menopause, for periods that have suddenly become much heavier, or for heavy bleeding with dizziness or breathlessness. Seek urgent care for bleeding that soaks through protection hourly, or for fainting.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.