How long can abnormal bleeding last

Women in their 40s will often notice their period occurring less often. Abnormal bleeding occurs when you have: Heavier bleeding than usual Bleeding for more days than normal menorrhagia Spotting or bleeding between periods Bleeding after sex Bleeding after menopause Bleeding while pregnant Bleeding before age 9 Menstrual cycles longer than 35 days or shorter than 21 days No period for 3 to 6 months amenorrhea.

There are many causes of abnormal vaginal bleeding. Symptoms of abnormal vaginal bleeding include: Bleeding or spotting between periods Bleeding after sex Bleeding more heavily passing large clots, needing to change protection during the night, soaking through a sanitary pad or tampon every hour for 2 to 3 hours in a row Bleeding for more days than normal or for more than 7 days Menstrual cycle less than 28 days more common or more than 35 days apart Bleeding after you have gone through menopause Heavy bleeding associated with anemia low blood count, low iron Bleeding from the rectum or blood in the urine may be mistaken for vaginal bleeding.

Keep a record of your symptoms and bring these notes to your doctor. Your record should include: When menstruation begins and ends How much flow you have count numbers of pads and tampons used, noting whether they are soaked Bleeding between periods and after sex Any other symptoms you have. Exams and Tests. Others may be done at a hospital or surgical center: Sonohysterography: Fluid is placed in the uterus through a thin tube, while vaginal ultrasound images are made of the uterus.

Ultrasound: Sound waves are used to make a picture of the pelvic organs. The ultrasound may be performed abdominally or vaginally. Magnetic resonance imaging MRI : In this imaging test, powerful magnets are used to create images of internal organs. Hysteroscopy : A thin telescope-like device is inserted through the vagina and the opening of the cervix.

It lets the provider view the inside of the uterus. Endometrial biopsy: Using a small or thin catheter tube , tissue is taken from the lining of the uterus endometrium. It is looked at under a microscope.

Treatment depends on the specific cause of the vaginal bleeding, including: Hormonal changes Endometriosis Uterine fibroids Ectopic pregnancy Polycystic ovary syndrome Treatment may include hormonal medicines, pain relievers, and possibly surgery. Birth control pills can help make your periods more regular.

Hormones also can be given as an injection, a skin patch, a vaginal cream, or through an IUD that releases hormones. An IUD is a birth control device that is inserted in the uterus. The hormones in the IUD are released slowly and may control abnormal bleeding.

Other medicines given for AUB may include: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen or naproxen to help control bleeding and reduce menstrual cramps Tranexamic acid to help treat heavy menstrual bleeding Antibiotics to treat infections Procedures for AUB may include: Endometrial ablation Surgical removal of benign growths Procedures to block blood supply to uterine vessels Hysterectomy.

When to Contact a Medical Professional. Contact your provider if: You have soaked through a pad or tampon every hour for 2 to 3 hours. Your bleeding lasts longer than 1 week. Many women already know that on average, menstrual periods last four to seven days, with a normal cycle occurring every 21 to 35 days.

But did you know this interesting fact? Blood loss during a period averages about 40 ccs, or the equivalent of only three tablespoons. Feeling lightheaded or dizzy when you stand is also concerning," says Dr. She also urges women to see a doctor if they experience bleeding after going through menopause, or if they experience bleeding while pregnant. A blood flow of 80 ccs five tablespoons or more that lasts longer than seven days may signal that you have menorrhagia — excessively heavy and prolonged menstrual periods.

If heavy and prolonged periods interfere with living your daily life consult your doctor. Excessive blood loss can also lead to anemia, an iron deficiency, and may signal other medical conditions. Anemia can cause fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath or dizziness. Bleeding that occurs between periods or is not directly associated with your normal menstruation is referred to as metrorrhagia. This can consist of light or heavy bleeding or spotting that may be accompanied by abdominal pain or cramps.

Metrorrhagia is more common for teenagers and women nearing menopause. Less commonly, bleeding irregularities can indicate pre-cancer or cancer.

Stress and lifestyle changes — Stress and lifestyle changes, such as gaining or losing weight, dieting, changing exercise routines, traveling, illness and other disruptions to your normal daily routine can impact your menstrual cycle and cause irregularities. Birth control — Going on or off birth control pills can affect your menstruation. Some women may experience irregular periods or miss periods for up to six months after stopping birth control pills.

Other forms of birth control, such as IUDs, can cause period irregularities lighter or heavier flows or cause your period to stop. Birth control pills that only contain progestin no estrogen may cause bleeding between periods.

Medications — Some anti-inflammatory drugs, anticoagulants blood thinners , hormone medications or steroids can affect menstrual bleeding. Hormone imbalances — An excess of estrogen and progesterone can cause heavy bleeding. This is most common for girls in the first year or so of having her first period and for women nearing menopause.

The tube may rupture or bleed as the pregnancy grows and create or result in a serious medical situation. Endometrial ablation. A hysteroscopic or non-hysteroscopic procedure used to remove, burn, or freeze most of the endometrium uterine lining ; sometimes used to treat abnormal uterine bleeding. Endometrial biopsy. Removal of a small piece of tissue from the endometrium lining of the uterus for microscopic examination. An inflammation of the endometrium caused by bacterial invasion.

The lining of the uterus that is shed each month as the menstrual period. As the monthly cycle progresses, the endometrium thickens and thus provides a nourishing site for the implantation of a fertilized egg. The female sex hormones produced by the ovaries that are responsible for the development of female sex characteristics.

Estrogens largely are responsible for stimulating the uterine lining to thicken during the first half of the menstrual cycle in preparation for ovulation and possible pregnancy. They also are important for healthy bones and overall health.

A small amount of these hormones also is produced in the male when testosterone is converted to estrogen. Fallopian tubes.

A pair of hollow tubes attached one on each side of the uterus through which the egg travels from the ovary to the uterus. Fertilization usually occurs in the fallopian tube. The fallopian tube is the most common site of ectopic pregnancy. Benign non-cancerous tumors of the uterine muscle wall that can cause abnormal uterine bleeding.

Also known as leiomyomas or myomas. A fluid-filled sac located just beneath the surface of the ovary that contains an egg oocyte and cells that produce hormones. The follicle increases in size and volume during the first half of the menstrual cycle. At ovulation, the follicle matures and ruptures, releasing the egg. As the follicle matures, it can be visualized by ultrasound. Follicle-stimulating hormone FSH.

In women, FSH is the pituitary hormone responsible for stimulating follicular cells in the ovary to grow, stimulating egg development, and the production of the female hormone estrogen. In the male, FSH is the pituitary hormone that travels through the bloodstream to the testes and helps stimulate them to manufacture sperm.

GnRH analog. Prolonged use of GnRH analogs causes decreased hormone production and menopausal levels of estrogen. The surgical removal of the uterus. Hysterectomy may be performed through an abdominal incision laparotomy , through the vagina vaginal hysterectomy , through laparoscopy or robotic assisted laparoscopy, or by laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy LAVH.

Sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes also are removed. Hysterosalpingogram HSG. An x-ray procedure in which a special iodine-containing dye is injected through the cervix into the uterine cavity to illustrate the inner shape of the uterus and degree of openness patency of the fallopian tubes.

A thin, lighted telescope-like instrument that is inserted through the vagina and cervix into the uterine cavity to allow viewing of the inside of the uterus. The insertion of a long, thin, lighted telescope-like instrument, called a hysteroscope, through the cervix and into the uterus to examine the inside of the uterus.

Hysteroscopy can be used to both diagnose and surgically treat uterine conditions. Intrauterine device IUD. A contraceptive device placed within the uterus; also may be used to prevent scar tissue formation following uterine surgery. Major abdominal surgery through an incision in the abdominal wall. Growths or abnormalities of normal anatomy. Examples include scar tissue, polyps, and uterine fibroids.

Luteinizing hormone LH. In women, the pituitary hormone that triggers ovulation and stimulates the corpus luteum of the ovary to secrete progesterone and other hormones during the second half of the menstrual cycle.

In men, LH is the pituitary hormone that stimulates the testes to produce the male hormone testosterone. Magnetic resonance imaging MRI. A diagnostic procedure that absorbs energy from specific high-frequency radio waves. The picture produced by measurement of these waves can be used to form precise images of internal organs without the use of x-ray techniques. No radiation exposure occurs. Cessation of ovarian function and menstruation that usually occurs naturally but also can be a result of surgery.

Menopause can occur between the ages of 42 and 56 but usually occurs around the age of 51, when the ovaries stop producing eggs and estrogen levels decline. Regular but heavy menstrual bleeding which is excessive in either amount greater than 80 cc — approximately five tablespoons or duration greater than seven days.

Benign non-cancerous tumors of the uterine muscle wall that can cause abnormal uterine bleeding and miscarriage. Also see fibroids. The two female sex glands in the pelvis, located one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs and hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and androgens. The release of a mature egg from its developing follicle in the outer layer of the ovary.

This usually occurs approximately 14 days before the next menstrual period the 14th day of a day cycle. Pituitary gland. A small hormone-producing gland located just beneath the hypothalamus in the brain which controls the ovaries, thyroid, and adrenal glands. Ovarian function is controlled through the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone FSH and luteinizing hormone LH.

Disorders of this gland may lead to irregular or absent ovulation in the female and abnormal or absent sperm production in the male.

Polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS. A condition in which the ovaries contain many follicles that are associated with chronic anovulation and overproduction of androgens male hormones.

The cystic follicles exist presumably because the eggs are not expelled at the time of ovulation. Symptoms may include irregular menstrual periods, obesity, excessive growth of central body hair hirsutism , and infertility.

PCOS can also be associated with heart disease, hypertension, or diabetes. Also called Stein-Leventhal syndrome. A general term that describes any mass of tissue which bulges or projects outward or upward from the normal surface level. A female hormone usually secreted by the corpus luteum after ovulation during the second half of the menstrual cycle luteal phase. It prepares the lining of the uterus endometrium for implantation of a fertilized egg and also allows for complete shedding of the endometrium at the time of menstruation.

In the event of pregnancy, the progesterone level remains stable beginning a week or so after conception. A synthetic hormone that has an action similar to progesterone. Synonymous with progestational hormones. A hormone normally secreted by the pituitary gland into the bloodstream for the purpose of maintaining milk production during lactation.

When secreted in excessive amounts, it may lead to irregular or absent menstrual periods and may produce a milk-like discharge from the breasts. Thyroid gland. A large, two-lobed, endocrine gland located in front of and on either side of the trachea windpipe in the neck that secretes the hormone thyroxin into the bloodstream.