Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Menorrhagia)
Soaking through pads, passing large clots, or planning life around your period? Heavy bleeding is common, often treatable — and a frequent, fixable cause of low iron.
General education, not a diagnosis. SHELY is pre-launch — “Talk to someone” adds you to our experts waitlist; we don’t offer bookings yet.
Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) means losing more blood during your period than is comfortable or healthy — enough to disrupt your daily life. You don't need to measure it: if you're changing protection every hour or two, doubling up on pads, passing clots bigger than a coin, or bleeding for more than seven days, that counts.
The most common reasons are hormonal imbalance (when ovulation is irregular, the uterine lining builds up too much), fibroids, polyps, and adenomyosis. Thyroid problems and bleeding-clotting disorders can play a part too. In many women no single cause is found, which doesn't make the bleeding any less real or treatable.
Beyond the disruption, heavy periods are a leading cause of iron-deficiency anaemia in women — which is why persistent tiredness alongside heavy bleeding is worth taking seriously rather than normalising.
How to self-check
Signs & symptoms
- Soaking through one or more pads or tampons every hour for several hours
- Needing to double up on protection or change products overnight
- Passing blood clots larger than a 5-rupee coin
- Periods lasting longer than seven days
- Tiredness, breathlessness, or looking pale (signs of low iron)
- Restricting activities or planning your schedule around bleeding
What causes it
- Hormonal imbalance, especially when ovulation is irregular
- Uterine fibroids — non-cancerous growths in the muscle wall
- Endometrial polyps — small growths on the uterine lining
- Adenomyosis — lining tissue embedded in the uterine muscle
- Thyroid disorders affecting cycle regulation
- Bleeding or clotting disorders such as von Willebrand disease
- Some copper IUDs can make periods heavier
When to seek help
See a doctor if you regularly soak through protection hourly, pass large clots, bleed longer than seven days, or feel tired and breathless from blood loss. Seek prompt care for bleeding between periods, after sex, or after menopause, and for any sudden, very heavy bleeding. Because heavy periods often drain iron, ask about a blood test to check for anaemia even if the bleeding itself feels manageable.
How SHELY helps
SHELY Care
Track flow heaviness, clots, and cycle length to give your doctor a clear, accurate picture instead of a guess.
Iron Deficiency Risk Check
Heavy periods are a top cause of low iron — check whether your symptoms suggest you should get tested.
Symptom Checker
Describe your bleeding and related symptoms to understand what might be behind it and what to ask a clinician.
Not sure what comes next?
Pick a topic to explore what we know about Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Menorrhagia). Educational only — not a diagnosis.
- Soaking through one or more pads or tampons every hour for several hours
- Needing to double up on protection or change products overnight
- Passing blood clots larger than a 5-rupee coin
- Periods lasting longer than seven days
- Tiredness, breathlessness, or looking pale (signs of low iron)
- Restricting activities or planning your schedule around bleeding
- Hormonal imbalance, especially when ovulation is irregular
- Uterine fibroids — non-cancerous growths in the muscle wall
- Endometrial polyps — small growths on the uterine lining
- Adenomyosis — lining tissue embedded in the uterine muscle
- Thyroid disorders affecting cycle regulation
- Bleeding or clotting disorders such as von Willebrand disease
- Some copper IUDs can make periods heavier
See a doctor if you regularly soak through protection hourly, pass large clots, bleed longer than seven days, or feel tired and breathless from blood loss. Seek prompt care for bleeding between periods, after sex, or after menopause, and for any sudden, very heavy bleeding. Because heavy periods often drain iron, ask about a blood test to check for anaemia even if the bleeding itself feels manageable.
SHELY Care
Track flow heaviness, clots, and cycle length to give your doctor a clear, accurate picture instead of a guess.
Iron Deficiency Risk Check
Heavy periods are a top cause of low iron — check whether your symptoms suggest you should get tested.
Symptom Checker
Describe your bleeding and related symptoms to understand what might be behind it and what to ask a clinician.
Symptoms
- Soaking through one or more pads or tampons every hour for several hours
- Needing to double up on protection or change products overnight
- Passing blood clots larger than a 5-rupee coin
- Periods lasting longer than seven days
- Tiredness, breathlessness, or looking pale (signs of low iron)
- Restricting activities or planning your schedule around bleeding
Causes
- Hormonal imbalance, especially when ovulation is irregular
- Uterine fibroids — non-cancerous growths in the muscle wall
- Endometrial polyps — small growths on the uterine lining
- Adenomyosis — lining tissue embedded in the uterine muscle
- Thyroid disorders affecting cycle regulation
- Bleeding or clotting disorders such as von Willebrand disease
- Some copper IUDs can make periods heavier
When to seek care
See a doctor if you regularly soak through protection hourly, pass large clots, bleed longer than seven days, or feel tired and breathless from blood loss. Seek prompt care for bleeding between periods, after sex, or after menopause, and for any sudden, very heavy bleeding. Because heavy periods often drain iron, ask about a blood test to check for anaemia even if the bleeding itself feels manageable.
How SHELY helps
SHELY Care
Track flow heaviness, clots, and cycle length to give your doctor a clear, accurate picture instead of a guess.
Iron Deficiency Risk Check
Heavy periods are a top cause of low iron — check whether your symptoms suggest you should get tested.
Symptom Checker
Describe your bleeding and related symptoms to understand what might be behind it and what to ask a clinician.
Frequently asked
How do I know if my period is actually 'heavy'?
If you're changing a pad or tampon every hour or two, passing clots bigger than a coin, bleeding more than seven days, or organising your life around your flow, that's clinically heavy — regardless of what others experience.
Can heavy periods make me anaemic?
Yes — it's one of the most common causes of iron-deficiency anaemia in women. If you also feel tired, breathless, or look pale, ask your doctor for a simple blood test.
Is heavy bleeding always a sign of something serious?
Often it isn't — hormonal imbalance and fibroids are common and treatable. But because it can occasionally signal something needing attention, persistent heavy bleeding is always worth getting assessed.
What treatments are available?
Options range from medication (including hormonal IUDs and tablets that reduce flow) to treating an underlying cause like fibroids. Many women see a big improvement once the right approach is found.
✔ Written from established medical guidance — independent clinical review in progress
This guide is for general education and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your health. In an emergency or crisis, see our crisis support resources.