Common Culprits Behind Abnormal Bleeding

It would be great if you could count on your periods the way many of your friends do, who seem to know just when they will come and exactly how long they’ll last. Instead, your menstrual cycles are all over the place, and maybe you’re also experiencing heavy bleeding.

If you’re dealing with abnormal bleeding, you might be surprised to learn that up to 30% of women experience the issue at some point in their lives.

The experienced team at Bayard Street Obstetrics & Gynecology want to shine the spotlight on this common problem. More specifically, our women’s health experts are using this month’s blog to take a dive into what we consider to be abnormal bleeding, what might be behind the issue, and what to do next.

Defining abnormal bleeding

To give you an idea about what might qualify as abnormal bleeding, medically known as menometrorrhagia, it’s good to look at it from the opposite angle — what’s considered a normal menstrual cycle. Generally, you should get your period regularly, ranging from 21 to 35 days apart, and bleeding shouldn’t last more than a week.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines abnormal uterine bleeding as:

• Bleeding and spotting between periods
• Heavy bleeding during your period in which you soak through tampons or pads every hour or two
• Needing to change your tampon or pad at night due to heavy bleeding
• Bleeding that lasts for more than seven days
• Not having periods for 3-6 months
• Menstrual cycles that fall outside of every 21-35 days
• Bleeding after sex

You know your cycles best, so you’re the best judge of what’s abnormal for you. For example, if you’re used to having regular menstrual cycles and, out of the blue, they’re not keeping a schedule or there’s a change in how much you bleed, that’s not normal and can benefit from further investigation.

What can cause abnormal bleeding

There are many different conditions that can lead to abnormal bleeding and we want to focus on the common culprits we see more often at our practice, including:

• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids
• Adenomyosis
• Polyps
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Sexually transmitted infections
• Perimenopause and menopause
• Certain reproductive cancers

As you can see, the list is not only long, but varied. And it doesn’t include nongynecologic reasons for abnormal bleeding, such as having obesity, being underweight, or thyroid issues. 

Given the sheer number of possibilities behind abnormal bleeding, it’s best to see one of our specialists, especially if it’s been going on for some time. An abnormal menstrual cycle or two isn’t necessarily cause for concern, but if the issue persists, please make an appointment so we can get to the bottom of it. This is especially true if you’re also experiencing pelvic pain.

If you have concerns, we can help. You can start by contacting us at one of our New York City locations in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Flushing, Queens. You can also request an appointment using our convenient online scheduling system.