What is the medical term for heavy periods in women of reproductive age?

Medical Term for Heavy Periods

The medical term for heavy periods is "menorrhagia" or "heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB)." 1, 2

Definition

Menorrhagia is objectively defined as menstrual blood loss exceeding 80 mL per cycle, though it is more commonly described clinically as excessive menstrual bleeding that interferes with a woman's physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. 3, 4

• In practical terms, heavy menstrual bleeding can be predicted by the presence of clots ≥1 inch in diameter, low ferritin levels, and "flooding" (requiring pad or tampon changes more frequently than hourly) 5

• The American Heart Association defines urgent bleeding as that which saturates a large pad or tampon hourly for at least 4 consecutive hours 2

Clinical Classification

The PALM-COEIN Classification System categorizes the causes of abnormal uterine bleeding into structural and non-structural etiologies 2:

Structural causes (PALM):

• Polyp
• Adenomyosis
• Leiomyoma (fibroids)
• Malignancy and hyperplasia

Non-structural causes (COEIN):

• Coagulopathy
• Ovulatory dysfunction
• Endometrial disorders
• Iatrogenic
• Not yet classified

Prevalence and Impact

• More than 30% of women during their reproductive years will experience heavy menstrual bleeding 6, 4

• Up to 20% of women with heavy menstrual bleeding have an underlying inherited bleeding disorder 7, 3

• Approximately 70% of women on anticoagulation therapy experience heavy menstrual bleeding 2, 5