Contents
Menstrual and uterine bleeding These are two different physiological phenomena. Menstruation is the norm for the female body, while uterine bleeding, or metrorrhagia, signals problems in the body. How to distinguish them from each other?
What is the difference between menstruation and bleeding?
There are 5 signs to look out for:
First of all, it is necessary to establish what are the volumes of lost blood. Within the framework of critical days, this amount should be at least 50 and not more than 80 grams per cycle. If the volume reaches 90 grams or more, then this can provoke iron deficiency anemia;
You can talk about uterine bleeding when it becomes necessary to change the pads every hour;
Another significant difference between bleeding and menstruation is that metrorrhagia can occur on any day of the cycle and not coincide with the expected date of its onset. The shortest menstrual cycle is 21 days, and the longest is 35 days. It is possible to distinguish implantation type bleeding by the early onset and increasing volumes of blood discharge;
It is also important to pay attention to the shade of blood, because it is possible to distinguish heavy periods from uterine bleeding on this basis. So, with the onset of menstruation, the blood is dark, and with metrorrhagia, it is bright red and even scarlet;
The duration of bleeding should also be taken into account, because normally menstruation lasts from three to seven days.
Causes of uterine bleeding
Factors that can provoke the onset of metrorrhagia should be considered:
Spontaneous or artificial termination of pregnancy;
Tumors in the uterus or ovaries;
Inflammation in the organs of the female reproductive system;
Endocrine diseases;
blood problems, such as a clotting disorder;
Strong and prolonged stress;
Vitamin deficiency and poor nutrition;
General infectious processes;
body intoxication.
Classification of uterine bleeding
Metrorrhagia can be observed not only in adult women. Depending on age, bleeding from the genital tract in newborn girls is distinguished, first of all. These secretions are of a meager nature and of a natural hormonal nature, last for several days and do not need treatment.
The next type includes metrorrhagia, which occurs during puberty, that is, at the age of 11 to 16 years. They are formed due to hormonal changes in the body, as well as due to a violation of psycho-emotional balance, but they can also be the result of various diseases of the genital area.
The main group includes the most common pathologies:
Uterine bleeding in women of reproductive age;
Metrorrhagia of the menopause, provoked by diseases of the genital organs and hormonal problems.
Dysfunctional (hormonal) uterine bleeding is also very common and can begin at any age. The reason for this is a malfunction in the functioning of the endocrine glands: the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, adrenal glands or ovaries. With such metrorrhagia, hormonal imbalance should be eliminated.
Specialists distinguish between both ovulatory and anovulatory bleeding of a dysfunctional type. The first are formed in females in reproductive age. The latter are observed during menopause and are characterized by a significant duration (from one week to several months). They can be moderate or plentiful, but it is precisely due to their duration that they provoke anemia.
Some girls experience so-called juvenile bleeding, which is characterized by seasonality and a persistent lack of ovulation. Along with juvenile metrorrhagia, one should also note those that form during menopause. They are characterized by a high frequency, which becomes a sign of not only benign diseases (uterine leiomyoma or uterine polyps), but also of malignant origin.
Those metrorrhagia that can occur in each of the three trimesters of pregnancy are also included in the group of pathological uterine bleeding. They are not normal and need to be treated as soon as possible. However, many women do not pay attention to them, believing that this is a natural process.
The most dangerous and difficult to differentiate are metrorrhagia:
Breakthrough type – are formed against the background of the use of hormonal or contraceptives. In 90% of cases, when breakthrough bleeding occurs, the dosage of the drug is changed. The uterus, which has been damaged by an intrauterine device, can also bleed. In such a case, it is necessary to remove the contraceptive;
Bleeding of the profuse type is the strongest, moreover, in nature it resembles menstruation. They can take place not only against the background of menstruation, but also in the “dry” period. They cannot be stopped only with the help of drug therapy, so there is a need for curettage.
Thus, it is sometimes very difficult to distinguish uterine bleeding from menstruation. However, understanding what types of bleeding a woman may experience in principle is very important. This will allow you to maintain reproductive function as long as possible and seek medical help in time in case of problems with women’s health.