Heavy menstrual bleeding is more common than you think, and more serious than you’ve been told.
This educational resource is part of a sponsored collaboration between The Fibroid Foundation and Always.
The Fibroid Foundation does not endorse, test, or certify products.
Heavy menstrual bleeding is a medical condition with real consequences for your body and your daily life. While a typical menstrual cycle involves a relatively modest amount of blood loss over four to eight days, women with HMB lose significantly more, enough to interfere with work, sleep, and everyday activities. Soaking through protection every hour, needing double coverage, waking up at night to change pads, passing clots larger than a quarter, or bleeding for more than a week are all recognized signs of HMB.
One of the most serious complications of heavy menstrual bleeding is anemia, a condition in which your body doesn’t have enough red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. Iron-deficiency anemia from ongoing blood loss can cause fatigue, weakness, headaches, shortness of breath, brittle nails, and even unusual cravings like the urge to chew ice. It can fundamentally impact your quality of life.
