If bleeding does not stop in women. Uterine bleeding - causes and symptoms, how to stop

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Bleeding from the vagina

In healthy women aged 13 to 50 years (or so), bleeding is not something to worry about. You expect it - regularly, every month. If you don't menstruate, it's not normal.

But vaginal bleeding, which are either too strong, too small, or at the wrong timing can pose a problem. The different options depend on your age (especially if you are before or after menopause), whether you are taking birth control pills, whether you are physically active, and your health.

If you have abnormal vaginal bleeding, it may be related to something else in the reproductive system and is the result of infection, hormonal changes and sometimes cancer. The risk of malignant growth increases with age. The likelihood of infection largely depends on your sex life. Hormone levels fluctuate in response to signals from the brain, ovaries, thyroid and adrenal glands. But make sure that the blood you see is actually from the vagina and not in the urine or stool.

Where can blood come from in the vagina?

Let's start with an overview of the different places in the female reproductive system where vaginal bleeding.

The labia at the entrance to the vagina can be damaged, most often during violent sexual intercourse. Sometimes, however, upon careful examination you will see a small polyp there, or a small ulcer, or a wart, or even varicose veins - any of these can bleed.

When the hymen is torn, expect the same; moderate bleeding.

The vagina itself can become inflamed, infected, or undergo cancerous growth, all of which will cause bleeding.

Foreign objects inserted into the vagina, usually during masturbation, can cause bleeding. (The amazing variety of such items indicates imagination rather than caution.)

After menopause, when the level of estrogen hormones drops sharply, the vaginal walls become dry, less lubricated during intercourse, and this causes pain and bleeding.

Moving higher up the vagina, we reach the cervix, the entrance to the uterus. It may bleed due to infection (which is quite common in this area), if it is injured by deep intercourse or after the insertion of an intrauterine contraceptive device.

Polyps and malignant tumors the cervix will also cause bleeding. (Women should have regular pap smears to detect such tumors in their earliest stages, when they are treatable).

Bleeding from the uterus often occur with pathological pregnancy, cancer, polyps or fibroids, and abortion (spontaneous or induced). Foreign objects can also make their way here from the vagina. Fluctuating hormone levels, birth control pills, stopping or starting estrogen replacement can all cause uterine bleeding.

In women before menopause, the ovaries release an egg every month, which then travels into the fallopian tubes, where it meets sperm. The fertilized egg then travels down to the uterus where it implants. If it remains in the tube without entering the uterus, the result is an ectopic pregnancy. The egg has no future at this location and eventually causes the fallopian tube to rupture, accompanied by severe pain and bleeding. This is quite serious. More often, bleeding occurs when the fallopian tubes become infected and inflamed due to a sexually transmitted disease.

Malignant growth, infections or ovarian cysts can cause vaginal bleeding. They are also caused by decreased function of the thyroid gland, or a poorly functioning pituitary gland, or other disorders of the endocrine glands.

Trying to understand why you are abnormal vaginal bleeding, always remember that non-gynecological factors may play a role here - blood thinners, medications, clotting disorders: all will leave you vulnerable to abnormal bleeding not only from the vagina, but from any organ in the body.

Vaginal bleeding in menopausal women has many causes. Let's assume that you have either just entered menopause or have been in this state for a long time. You've almost forgotten what menstruation is when you suddenly see blood leaking from your vagina, or find it on your underwear. What could it be? Statistically, there is good evidence that the blood is the result of cervical or uterine cancer. Indeed, most cases of uterine cancer occur in menopausal women. The likelihood of such a tumor is greater when you bleed lightly rather than heavily and when you have never given birth. The tumor could, of course, be a benign polyp, but without a biopsy you won't be able to tell for sure.

Here's another scenario.

You recently turned 50 years old, and your periods have become so irregular that you are unable to accurately predict them. Moreover, you have started to experience hot flashes, cold sweats and painless vaginal bleeding. It is very likely that you have simply entered the end of your period. The bleeding will stop over the next few months. But, if there is a high statistical probability of cancer, you should double check everything with your gynecologist.

If along with bleeding you feel pain in the lower abdomen, cancer is possible, but fibroids are almost as likely. These large, benign tumors in the wall of the uterus are a very common cause of bleeding in women before menopause and are one of the main reasons for uterine amputation.

In pre-menopausal women, vaginal bleeding may simply reflect a variation of the normal 28-day menstrual cycle. This cycle can shorten to 24 or 25 days and lengthen to 30 or even 32 days. The bleeding period itself usually lasts from 3 to 7 days, and most women use four or five sanitary napkins per day. If a tampon is sufficient for your bleeding, it is probably normal in amount.

What does abnormal vaginal bleeding mean then?

Excessive bleeding during periods, even if they occur regularly every 28 days. Common causes are fibroids (more common in menopausal women, but by no means limited to this age) or an underactive thyroid (women with an overactive thyroid will have light monthly bleeding).

Vaginal bleeding between periods is not normal, but sometimes it’s difficult to figure it out if your cycles are very irregular.

Here are some additional signs to help you figure out what happened.

If you are taking birth control pills, expect unpredictable bleeding.

The presence of clots in menstrual blood indicates heavy bleeding in the uterus.

If your periods have always been normal and you suddenly start bleeding profusely, you may have been pregnant without knowing it—and you have suffered a spontaneous miscarriage.

“Blood spots” on underwear between menstruation may be due to cervical or uterine cancer or with a polyp.

If you are bleeding and have pain in your lower abdomen, you probably have a pelvic infection (especially if the pain comes on gradually and is accompanied by fever and vaginal discharge).

If you are an alcoholic and/or you have serious liver disease, there is too much estrogen in your body and this will cause vaginal bleeding.

Regardless of your own diagnosis, see a gynecologist when you are bleeding. While you wait for your appointment, consider a few additional items that you can bring to your doctor's attention.

Is your skin dry and rough? Do you feel tired and sleepy? If so, abnormal bleeding may be due to an underactive thyroid gland.

Have you ever had a fever that comes and goes? It often happens that when you visit a doctor you do not have a fever. So tell your doctor about it. A fever usually means an infection.

If you have small bleeds under the skin or bleed easily in other parts of the body, the condition may be a general clotting disorder, and vaginal bleeding is only one manifestation.

After talking with you and a thorough external examination, the doctor can make any appointment - from a pregnancy test to a cervical smear, ultrasound examination or tomogram.

But by making all the observations described above, you will greatly simplify the process of making a diagnosis and shorten it.

Every third representative of the fair sex experiences uterine bleeding at least once in her life. Bleeding refers to the discharge of blood from the uterus, which differs in nature and etiology. The causes may include various gynecological diseases, problems associated with bearing a child, labor, and the postpartum period. Less common, but also possible, is bleeding in women, which may be associated with injuries to the genitals or problems with the blood system.

Etiology of bleeding

Dysfunctional bleeding in gynecology is usually called uterine bleeding. Heavy discharge is the first signal that hormonal imbalances are occurring. More often, the reason lies in the lack of normal levels of sex hormones.

Pathology can occur in every woman at any age. Depending on the age category, uterine bleeding is classified depending on predisposing factors:

Puberty (12-18 years) – infectious diseases, lack of essential vitamins, excessive physical activity, psycho-emotional trauma.
Reproductive (18-45 years) – stress of various types, childbirth and abortion with complications, diseases of the endocrine system, inflammatory processes in the reproductive organs.
Menopause (45-55 years) the work of the ovaries fades away - infectious diseases of the chronic and acute type, injuries provoked by diseases of the psyche or nervous system.

Clinical signs and symptoms of bleeding are expressed either by heavy bleeding during menstruation, or by an increase in the duration of critical days, as well as acyclic discharge between menstruation. Sometimes there may be no discharge for 6-8 weeks, and then its appearance with varying intensity.

The main causes of heavy discharge

There are a large number of reasons that can become a catalyst. Therefore, in order to identify the exact cause, they are divided into several categories.

discharge is caused by abnormalities associated with different organs and systems;
bleeding associated with imbalance in the sexual sphere.

Extragenital reasons:

infections (measles, syphilis, etc.);
blood diseases (hemophilia, vasculitis, lack of vitamins C, K);
liver problems;
diseases of the cardiovascular system;
disorders of the thyroid gland.

Genital causes are divided into those associated with pregnancy and those not associated with pregnancy.

Causes related to pregnancy:

In the initial stages - problems with pregnancy (natural and ectopic), pathologies of the ovum, for example, hydatidiform mole.
Late periods - presentation, scarring in the tissues of the uterus, placental abruption, destruction in the tissues of the cervix, and other problems associated with gynecology and obstetrics.
During labor - placental abruption, low placenta, presentation, uterine rupture, injury to the soft tissues of the birth canal, various injuries to the vulva and vagina, delayed postpartum discharge of the placenta, strangulation, problems with the attachment of the placenta.
Postpartum period - injuries associated with the soft genital tract, decreased uterine tone, endometritis, fibroids, delayed release of the placenta.

Reasons not related to pregnancy:

puberty;
reproductive;
menopause period;
various neoplasms, tumors of the uterus and ovaries;
rupture of the cyst or the ovary itself;
damage to the uterus;
inflammatory and infectious diseases;
erosion, cervicitis, vaginitis, endometritis.

Uterine bleeding is only a symptom. You cannot procrastinate and remain idle. It is imperative to establish the true cause, eliminate it, and then the symptom of bleeding will disappear. Therefore, first you need to eliminate the source.

Uterine bleeding - signs of manifestation

These types of discharge cannot be considered unambiguously. Since each woman’s body is individual and special, the menstrual cycle varies in duration, intensity and character. There is a category of women whose periods are scanty, short-lived, while others, on the contrary, are abundant and long.

One of the clearest signs of normality is the regularity of menstruation. If the system is disturbed, and also if bleeding begins to occur between menstruation, then this can already be called bleeding. In other, more understandable words, we can say that bleeding is menstruation that lasts longer than usual or occurs before the expected menstruation. Otherwise, this can be considered within normal limits.

The clinical picture is represented by the following symptoms:

systematic scanty discharge (spotting), which does not affect general well-being;
discharge during menstruation, during which a large amount of blood is lost, leading to anemia;
bleeding of unknown etiology in the middle of the cycle not related to menstruation;
copious discharge of dark or brightly fresh blood, with clots, combined with shock and deterioration of the condition.

Each of these symptoms is subject to treatment, which will be aimed at stopping blood loss. Signs of severe bleeding that is life-threatening for a woman:

copious discharge in a stream or large drops of blood, in an hour the sanitary pad or tampon is changed approximately 2 times;
general malaise, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness;
pale skin;
decrease in pressure;
increased heart rate and pulse;
manifestation of apathy.

If you have at least one symptom, you must urgently call an ambulance. Otherwise, there is a risk of hemorrhagic shock and subsequent death.

How to stop bleeding: treatment methods

An important issue that every woman should pay attention to is how to stop uterine bleeding. It was noted above that blood loss can be life-threatening and lead to death.

All types of bleeding in gynecology are treated in an inpatient setting with initial diagnostic measures to establish the causes.

Methods and methods of treatment directly depend on the age category of the patient, stage of severity and the reasons that provoked blood loss.

The main method is considered to be cleaning (scraping), after which the true cause can easily be determined using hysteroscopic analysis. This method is used rarely, during puberty, only if there is simply no other way out.

Bleeding can also be stopped using hormonal drugs in large doses. These include oral contraceptives: “Non-ovlon”, “Regevidon”.

In case of symptomatic therapy, the following are used:

drugs with hemostatic properties - “Vikasol”, aminocaproic acid;
"Oxytocin" for uterine contractions;
in case of severe anemia, iron-containing products – “Fenuls”;
necessarily vitamin complexes and vascular strengthening agents - folic acid, Ascorutin, B vitamins.

After such therapy, prophylaxis is carried out to avoid relapse. During dysfunction, a repeated course of hormone replacement therapy can be carried out. It is possible to install an intrauterine device. If concomitant intrauterine disorders are detected, appropriate treatment is carried out, for example, polyp, fibroids, hyperplasia, endometritis.

Effective drugs with hemostatic properties:

aminocaproic acid;
"Vikasol";
"Etamzilat";
"Dicynon";
preparations containing calcium.

To quickly stop bleeding, uterine contractants can be used: Oxytocin, Pituitrin, Hyfotocin. Sometimes they are prescribed in addition to hormonal therapy.

They can also use folk methods in the form of infusions of yarrow, nettle, and shepherd's purse, but before use, consultation with a specialist is necessary.

What to do if there is prolonged bleeding?

Many women ask how to stop prolonged bleeding? Let us note here that if it is menstruation that lasts more than 7 days, this is no longer normal, you need to visit a gynecologist.

Especially if you notice signs of anemia, urgently call an ambulance and undergo observation in a hospital setting.

Signs of anemia:

severe weakness, drowsiness and lethargy;
low pressure;
very pale skin;
dizziness;
presyncope, fainting.

The pathological condition in question can be a symptom of very serious illnesses and can lead to certain complications. Therefore, uterine bleeding, regardless of intensity and duration, is a reason to immediately consult a doctor for a full examination and receive qualified assistance.

What is considered uterine bleeding, why is bleeding from the uterus dangerous?

Uterine bleeding, which lasts no more than a week, and, in general, does not affect the general condition of the woman - menstruation, which is considered a normal condition.

If the bleeding from the uterus is intense and/or it lasts longer than menstruation usually lasts, this indicates the presence of a systemic disease or disturbances in the functioning of the reproductive system.

Pathological uterine bleeding has no age restrictions. They can occur during adolescence, menopause, and also during reproductive age.

The main consequence of uterine bleeding is the development in a woman anemia of varying degrees. This pathology is manifested by frequent dizziness and general loss of strength. The skin becomes pale, blood pressure drops sharply.

The lack of therapeutic measures for heavy blood loss poses a serious danger to life!

Causes of uterine bleeding at different ages of women

There are many reasons that can provoke bleeding from the uterus, but the most common of them are the following:

Hormonal imbalance. Blood loss during menstruation increases with increasing levels of estrogen or progesterone in the circulatory system.
Blood disease.
Errors in the functioning of the thyroid gland, which are represented by such ailments as hyper- or hypothyroidism.
Adenomyosis. With this pathology, patients experience severe pain during menstruation. The bleeding is intense.
Polyps.
Erosive changes in the cervix.
Injury to the uterus during surgical procedures or childbirth.
Serious problems with the liver.
Disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system: sudden jumps in blood pressure, atherosclerosis, etc.
Internal uterine fibroids.
Cancerous lesions of the reproductive system.
Complications when carrying a child, as well as ectopic pregnancy.
Taking hormonal birth control pills or using an intrauterine device. In the first case, the dosage of the drugs should be adjusted or changed to others. If the cause of heavy bleeding from the uterus is the IUD, it must be removed.
Complications during childbirth: damage to the soft birth canal, incomplete release of the fertilized egg, strangulation of the placenta, decreased tone of the uterus, etc.

As mentioned above, the condition in question is characterized by the absence of age restrictions.

Video: Uterine bleeding

1. At the age of 12 to 18 years, the following phenomena can provoke disruptions in hormonal regulation:

Vitamin deficiency in the body, which can be a consequence of inadequate nutrition.
Severe injury.
Disorders associated with blood clotting.
Malfunctions of the adrenal glands and/or thyroid gland.
Tuberculosis of the pelvic organs.
A history of various childhood infectious diseases: measles, whooping cough, rubella, etc.

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding at such an early age may also be present in girls whose birth - or gestation - was accompanied by certain difficulties.

2. At the age of 18 to 45 years, the pathological condition in question is diagnosed quite rarely

The main culprit of uterine bleeding in this age range is ovarian dysfunction, which may be a consequence of the following phenomena:

A sharp change in climatic conditions.
Working in hazardous conditions.
Taking medications that affect the functioning of the hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland.
Prolonged stay in a stressful situation, mental exhaustion.
Living in a region with poor environmental conditions.
Ectopic pregnancy.
Abortion (including spontaneous).
Inflammatory diseases that are chronic in nature and negatively affect the ovaries. Such diseases include:
— Ovarian cancer.
— Cancerous tumors, benign neoplasms of the body/cervix.
— Endometriosis, .

3. At the age of 45 to 55 years, the presence of uterine bleeding may be a consequence of ovulation disorders due to irregular release of gonadotropins

Although in some cases, the cause of bloody discharge from the uterus at this age may be some female diseases.

Clots during bleeding from the uterus - normal or pathological?

The presence of clots during bleeding can be caused by the following phenomena:

The specific structure of the organs of the reproductive system, which contributes to stagnant blood processes. Doctors often associate such an anomaly with the period of intrauterine development, when the uterus undergoes certain modifications.
Hormonal imbalance, in which rapid and excessive growth of the endometrium occurs. Its peeling can occur before or during menstruation.

Causes and dangers of uterine bleeding during pregnancy

Bleeding while carrying a child is a dangerous signal, which requires urgent medical measures, otherwise a miscarriage or premature birth may occur (depending on the stage of pregnancy).

Even with scanty bleeding, you should immediately go to the hospital!

The main thing is not to drive, because in this case the load must be minimized.

There may be several reasons for the pathological condition in question:

First 12 weeks:

Pregnancy disorders (miscarriage, etc.).
Cancerous tumor in the chorion region.
Bubble drift.

After the 12th week - until the end of pregnancy:

Degenerative modifications of the cervix.
Abruptio/placenta previa.
A scar on the uterus that remains after a cesarean section or surgical manipulation.
Cuveler's uterus.

Video: Uterine bleeding: causes, how to stop, treatment

What to do in case of uterine bleeding - first and emergency medical aid for sudden heavy or prolonged light bleeding from the uterus

When the pathological condition in question appears, the following activities are prohibited:

Apply heat to your stomach.
Take a warm shower, and even more so, a bath.
Perform douching.
Take any medications that cause uterine contractions without first consulting a doctor.

Before the ambulance arrives, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

Adopting a horizontal position. It is advisable to place your feet on a hill. This will minimize serious consequences and help the patient remain conscious.
Applying cold to the lower abdomen within 1-2 hours. Every 15 minutes it is necessary to take 5-minute breaks.
Drink plenty of fluids. For these purposes, sweet tea or still water will do. You can also prepare a decoction of rose hips: the vitamin C it contains has a positive effect on strengthening the walls of blood vessels.
Taking hemostatic drugs. Possible only after consultation with a doctor. Pregnant women should take them with extreme caution: such medications have certain side effects. This group of drugs includes Aminocaproic acid, Dicynone, tincture of water pepper, Vikasol.

If bleeding is prolonged and/or intense, women may receive the following treatment in hospital:

1. Taking oral combined contraceptives

This is relevant if the cause of uterine bleeding is a hormonal imbalance in the body. This method is only suitable for nulliparous women who do not have endometrial cancer.

When diagnosing anemia, this type of treatment is unacceptable: it takes a lot of time. For each patient, the doctor individually calculates the dosage of the drug. However, often the initial dose is 6 tablets. With each subsequent day, the dosage decreases.

2. Treatment with hemostatic drugs

Their use should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. Failure to achieve the desired effect may require surgical treatment.

Among the most popular hemostatic agents are:

Aminocaproic acid. Most often, drip administration of the drug is used: 100 ml. in a day. A contraindication to the use of this drug is DIC syndrome in the patient.
Tranexam. It is a very powerful hemostatic agent, which is also endowed with anti-inflammatory and antiallergic properties. When combining the drug in question with other hemostatic medications, there is a risk of blood clots.
Dicynone. Can be administered intramuscularly or by oral administration, 1 tablet 4 times a day. Due to the absence of the effect of increased blood clotting, this remedy can be used for a long period of time.
Oxytocin. Favors increasing the tone of the uterus, narrowing the lumen of blood vessels. There are a number of specific diseases for which patients are prohibited from injecting this drug: myocarditis, hypertension, serious disorders of the kidneys in pregnant women, etc.

3. Surgery

Indicated in the absence of positive effects from drug therapy for 2 days after the start of its use.

Uterine bleeding is profuse abnormal blood discharge from the uterus. In medicine, they are usually called dysfunctional, since they are the most striking evidence of hormonal disorders in women.

With uterine bleeding, unlike menstruation, the volume of blood released and the duration of the discharge changes, or the regularity of menstruation is disrupted. This pathology occurs in many women, regardless of their age. In this regard, there is the following classification of uterine bleeding:

during puberty or juvenile age (12-18 years);
reproductive age (18-45 years);
period of decline of ovarian function (menopause - 45-55 years).

The development of this pathology is due to a number of reasons that determine several types of uterine bleeding: dysfunctional, organic and those caused by systemic diseases (diseases of the kidneys, liver, blood, thyroid gland).

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding is characterized by excessively heavy and prolonged discharge caused by disruption of the hormonal regulation of the menstrual cycle. In turn, they are divided into ovulatory and anovulatory.

Ovulatory uterine bleeding is characterized by the persistence of ovulation, as well as shortening or lengthening the interval between menstruation. This condition occurs most often against the background of inflammatory diseases of the genital organs or adhesions in the pelvis. Often before and after menstruation, as well as in the middle of the menstrual cycle, spotting is observed. Since ovulatory bleeding occurs most often in women of childbearing age, it is accompanied by miscarriage and infertility.

Anovulatory uterine bleeding is characterized by the absence of ovulation, which, over a long period of existence, can lead to the development of hyperplasia, fibroids, endometriosis and even endometrial cancer. This pathology most often occurs in premenopause (premenopause).

Organic uterine bleeding is accompanied by diseases such as endometrial polyp, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages, cancer of the uterine body or cervix. This type of disease is chronic and is characterized by bleeding of varying intensity and duration on any day of the menstrual cycle.

Causes of uterine bleeding

Risk factors for the development of dysfunctional uterine bleeding at different periods of a woman’s life depend on her age.

At the age of 12-18 years, uterine bleeding is caused by a violation of hormonal regulation at the stage of its formation for a number of reasons:

physical or mental injuries;
dysfunction of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands;
malnutrition, hypovitaminosis;
consequences of complicated pregnancy and pathological childbirth;
a history of childhood infectious diseases during puberty: whooping cough, mumps, measles, chickenpox, chronic tonsillitis, influenza, etc.;
sometimes tuberculosis of the female genital organs or bleeding disorders.

During reproductive age, uterine bleeding is not observed so often and is accompanied by ovarian dysfunction. This happens for the following reasons:

overwork, chronic mental stress, stressful situations;
ovarian tumors;
endometriosis of the uterus, chronic endometritis;
malignant tumors and polyps of the uterus and cervix;
change in climatic conditions;
uterine fibroids;
dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary system caused by the use of certain medications;
ectopic pregnancy, miscarriages, medical or surgical termination of pregnancy;
poor environmental conditions in the place of permanent residence, harmful working conditions;
various infectious and inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive system.

Most often, uterine bleeding occurs in premenopausal women, which is due to a natural decrease in gonadotropins secreted by the pituitary gland. In this regard, the menopause is accompanied by an irregular release of hormones, which entails disruption of the ovulatory cycle, folliculogenesis, and development of the corpus luteum.

The occurrence of uterine bleeding at the age of 45-55 years indicates the absence of other pathologies that can cause it. In this case, the causes of uterine bleeding include:

uterine fibroids;
endometriosis;
uterine polyps;
hormone-active ovarian tumors.

Symptoms

Uterine bleeding is expressed by metrorrhagia, acyclic bleeding, an increase in the duration of menstruation and the amount of discharge released during this process.
Since uterine bleeding is essentially similar to menstruation, every woman should be able to recognize the symptoms of blood loss. Pathological bleeding can be determined by the following symptoms:

heavy discharge lasting more than a week with signs of anemia: low blood pressure, increased fatigue, weakness, pale skin, headaches, dizziness;
the presence of a large number of blood clots in the secretions;
the degree of profuse discharge is so high that the pad gets wet within an hour, and the woman often feels a loss of strength and is not even able to go to work;
bleeding is accompanied by severe pain in the lower abdomen and nagging pain in the lumbar region;
bleeding after intercourse is also a sign of uterine bleeding.

Diagnostics

In women of reproductive age, detection of uterine bleeding begins with curettage of the walls of the uterus and cervical canal. The resulting scraping is sent for histological examination. This procedure is not only diagnostic in nature, but also has a therapeutic effect, since it removes the defective layer of the endometrium and blood clots, and the contraction of the uterine muscles helps stop bleeding.

Additional diagnostic methods include:

hysterosalpinography;
hysteroscopy;
Ultrasound of the pelvic organs;
consultations of related specialists.

Treatment

Regardless of the woman’s age, treatment of uterine bleeding has the following goals:

stopping bleeding and replenishing blood loss;
eliminating the cause that caused this condition;
rehabilitation of patients.

In case of severe uterine bleeding, the patient must be given first aid, which is to stop the bleeding. It comes down to injections of contracting and hemostatic drugs, the introduction of tampons soaked in special medications, or emergency curettage. Minor bleeding stops as therapy progresses.

How to stop uterine bleeding

You can stop uterine bleeding before the doctor arrives as follows. The woman must be laid on a hard, flat, horizontal surface. She needs a pillow under her feet and a heating pad with cold water or an ice pack on her stomach. It is strictly forbidden to warm the lower abdomen.

As first aid for uterine bleeding, Tranexam is used, which helps to quickly stop bleeding and dissolve blood clots. Depending on the activity of uterine bleeding, Tranexam is used either in the form of tablets or as intravenous injections.

For emergency symptomatic treatment of uterine bleeding, the following drugs and hemostatic agents are recommended: Dicion, Vikasol, Etamzilate, calcium supplements, aminocaproic acid. The use of Dicion and Vikasol for uterine bleeding helps to increase blood clotting, and also prevents bleeding and improves blood restoration and circulation.

Any bleeding from the genitals, which differs from normal menstruation, should alert the woman and serve as a reason to contact a gynecologist. Be extremely attentive to your health!

Periodic blood loss accompanies a woman from early adolescence. Regular menstruation starting from 9–15 years of age indicates the maturity of the reproductive system, becomes habitual and does not cause concern. But when the nature and frequency of bleeding in women changes, it can be difficult to independently understand what is happening - a normal process or there is a danger. Heavy periods or bleeding, how to identify and recognize the pathology in time? After all, many women, not knowing exactly the difference, mistaking one for the other, risk their health and sometimes their lives.

What is considered normal?

Gynecologists call only a few types of bleeding from the uterus normal:

ovulation (in the middle of the cycle when the egg is released);
implantation (at the time of attachment of the fetus in the uterus);
regular menstruation.

The first two types of discharge do not occur in all women; they are short-term, not abundant, and indicate the normal course of reproductive processes. Menstruation, which occurs regularly, is a sign of the maturity of the reproductive organs and ensures the body’s readiness for conception.

Any other blood loss is considered abnormal and requires medical attention. To identify dangerous symptoms, you should clearly know the limits of the norm, and for any deviations from which you should contact a gynecologist.

Normal periods

Signs that menstruation occurs without pathologies:

The period through which normal menstruation occurs ranges from 21 to 35 days. Any deviation to a lesser or greater extent requires additional examination.
Normally, discharge lasts from 3 days to a week. Sometimes longer periods (up to 10 days) are also not a sign of deviation, but the gynecologist must establish this fact.
From the beginning to the middle of menstruation, the amount of blood released increases, then gradually decreases.
The color of the discharge from bright red to brown, even black, is considered the physiological norm.
The presence of clots of a darker shade indicates the detachment of areas of the uterine epithelium during its renewal. The absence of such clots should alert you, as should their excessive quantity.

The amount of discharge during the entire menstruation does not always correspond to the average norm of 100 ml. If a fully filled pad has to be changed more than once every 2 hours, such menstruation is considered heavy.

Heavy periods

Regular discharge in a large volume does not indicate any violation. If such menstruation is normal and is not accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms, then there is no need to worry. It is worth seeking advice from a gynecologist if there has been a noticeable change in the amount of blood released, and this is not the typical course of menstruation for a woman.

Additional factors for contacting a doctor are pale skin, weakness, and loss of performance. This may be a symptom that bleeding has started and anemia has occurred due to blood loss.

“Disguised” blood loss that occurs during menstruation often goes unnoticed. In itself, such uterine bleeding may be a symptom of a more dangerous disease. If you have heavy periods or bleeding, how can you tell the difference yourself?

Symptoms of bleeding

There are several signs of how to distinguish heavy or irregular menstruation from uterine bleeding. Main symptoms of the pathology:

the pad or tampon is completely filled within an hour;
the color of the discharge is scarlet, there are no clots at all or there are more of them than usual;
on the third day of menstruation, the amount of blood does not decrease or the discharge continues for more than 7 days a month;
severe pain, fatigue, constant weakness.

Menstrual blood contains enzymes that prevent it from clotting and are responsible for the specific smell of discharge. With abnormal bleeding there is no such smell.

Abnormal discharge may begin in the middle of the cycle, immediately, or during menstruation. Therefore, if you have any of the symptoms, you should consult a doctor to establish an accurate diagnosis and eliminate the causes of vaginal bleeding.

Classification and reasons

There are chronic and acute abnormal bleeding. Chronic includes all types of atypical bleeding from the uterus that last more than six months and do not require immediate medical attention.

An acute condition includes sudden heavy (profuse) bleeding that occurs against a chronic background or occurs for the first time. Acute uterine blood loss requires urgent medical intervention.

Bleeding is not a disease itself, but only a symptom that a certain malfunction has occurred in a woman’s body. Simply stopping the bleeding without understanding the causes of the anomaly will not solve the problem. The cause of bleeding can be both organic disorders (diseases) and functional disorders without visible physical changes.

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB)

The causes of the pathology in this case may be disturbances in the functioning of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and ovaries, as a result of which the balanced production of hormones is disrupted. Organic damage to tissues and organs may not be detected.

Two types of DMC are diagnosed:

Ovulatory. The discharge can be scanty, spotting, and occur before menstruation, after it ends, or in the middle of the cycle. Ovulation occurs, but conception and pregnancy can be problematic due to hormonal imbalances. It is characterized by various irregularities of the menstrual cycle, deviations in duration, frequency, and amount of discharge in any direction from the norm.
Anovulatory. The monthly cycle passes without ovulation. Characterized by heavy, prolonged bleeding after a delay or occurring as a continuation of normal menstruation.

Hormonal causes of bleeding in women also include functional disorders of the thyroid gland with an increase or decrease in the production of thyroid hormones.

Organic bleeding

Diseases of internal organs or pathological changes in tissue structure that can provoke abnormal bleeding:

endometrial pathology (hyperplastic process);
ovarian tumors;
polyps;
inflammation and infections;
malignant formations of different localization;
systemic diseases affecting hematopoiesis.

The classification of uterine bleeding according to its causes is conditional. With a comprehensive examination, several causes, both organic and dysfunctional, can be diagnosed simultaneously.

Breakthrough bleeding

Iatrogenic bleeding, otherwise called “breakthrough” bleeding, occurs while taking hormonal drugs (including contraceptives), anticoagulants or other medications. The same reaction can be provoked by surgical interventions or trauma to the uterus when the intrauterine device is displaced.

Iatrogenic bleeding does not have dangerous profuseness or duration, but requires immediate consultation with the treating gynecologist to change drug treatment or immediately remove the IUD.

Unlike breakthrough bleeding, profuse bleeding develops rapidly, and blood loss can be large. A distinctive feature of the profuse process is painlessness.

Age classification

The most common causes of vaginal bleeding in women vary depending on age. There are three age groups in relation to reproductive function.

Juvenile bleeding

This pathology is observed from the time of the first menstruation (menarche) and is typical for girls under 18 years of age. Without knowing how abnormal bleeding differs from the physiological norm, it is easy to confuse them.

At this age, the cause of vaginal bleeding most often lies in the immaturity of the reproductive system. Hormonal balance is just being established, the menstrual cycle is not regular. Disturbances in the production of progesterone, estrogen or follicle-stimulating hormones can cause bleeding. Having become permanent, they lead to anemia, further abnormal development of reproductive function in girls and hormonal infertility in women.

Disorders of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism) can also cause blood loss both at a young age and in more mature women. But, most often, the cause of pathology in girls is severely suffered infectious diseases that are considered “childhood”: measles, chickenpox, mumps, tonsillitis or influenza.

Bleeding before menarche in girls is extremely rare and requires special attention, as it can be a sign of malignant tumors.

It is important to know! If hormonal imbalances during puberty (during puberty) are not diagnosed and treated, this affects reproductive health during childbearing years. Later, during menopause, problems with gynecology lead to serious complications, including oncology. The disorder is continuous and does not “outgrow” with age, but gets worse.

Bleeding during reproductive age

A third of all women of childbearing age experience the problem of abnormal uterine bleeding. Violation of normal ovarian function is their most common cause.

Among the factors that can provoke ovarian pathology during reproductive age, gynecologists note:

stress and nervous tension;
increased physical activity;
harmful working and living conditions;
change of climate zone;
obesity or underweight;
genital infections and inflammatory processes;
chronic diseases of the reproductive organs: endometritis, endometriosis, fibroids, polyps, tumors;
endocrine diseases.

Termination of pregnancy (surgical, medicinal, spontaneous) can also provoke various gynecological disorders accompanied by blood loss.

Bloody discharge during pregnancy indicates a threat to life for both the mother and the fetus. Such pathological conditions are considered separately.

Bleeding in menopause

In the period preceding menopause (menopause), a decrease in the production of female hormones can cause profuse bleeding immediately after a timely period. Such conditions, which recur periodically in women over 40 years of age, are the first signs of approaching menopause, before other symptoms appear.

The naturalness of the process of attenuation of fertile (childbearing) function does not mean that such accompanying phenomena can be ignored. Profuse bleeding can continue for a long time and threaten serious blood loss. In addition, sometimes it indicates the presence or possible development of other organic disorders.

During the period of the most pronounced symptoms of menopause, bleeding may occur due to excessive growth of the endometrium of the uterus and require surgical intervention. Without treatment, the process (adenomyosis, GPE) can spread to neighboring organs and lead to malignant degeneration of the endometrium.

Note! Any postmenopausal bleeding (when there have been no periods for more than a year) should prompt a woman to see a doctor immediately. The risk of cancer at this age is especially high.

Bleeding during pregnancy

There are only a few cases when discharge during pregnancy mixed with blood does not pose a threat:

The moment of implantation of the egg in the uterus.
Removal of the mucus plug before the onset of labor.

Such discharge is not dangerous provided it is scanty (spotting), painless, pink or brown in color, and ends quickly. Any other discharge of blood from the vagina during pregnancy is a dangerous signal. Urgent seeking medical help is required at any time.

Possible causes of bleeding during pregnancy that threaten the life of the woman and the fetus:

ectopic attachment of the fetus;
spontaneous termination of pregnancy (miscarriage);
uterine rupture;
placental abruption;
blood clotting disorders in the mother;
polyp of the cervical canal.

After childbirth, the placenta separates and comes out, and the uterus contracts. These processes are accompanied by heavy bleeding - lochia, which lasts up to 6 weeks.

Any changes in the color or smell of lochia, a sharp increase in their number, or the absence of clots may indicate the onset of pathological bleeding from the uterus. The abnormal postpartum process is usually accompanied by fever, headaches, low blood pressure, and signs of anemia.

The condition of the reproductive organs of a woman of any age is of great importance and atypical discharge should be diagnosed in a timely manner. If there is heavy menstruation or bleeding, it is imperative to accurately determine the cause, and after stopping the discharge, eliminate this disorder. Without treating the root of the problem, uterine bleeding recurs, the disease becomes chronic and entails the development of new pathologies.