menorrhagia
Pronunciation: men-uh-RAY-jee-uh
Abnormally heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, typically defined as blood loss exceeding 80ml per cycle.
Full Definition
Menorrhagia, now more commonly referred to as heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), is characterized by excessive menstrual blood loss that interferes with a woman's quality of life. Clinically, it is defined as menstrual blood loss exceeding 80ml per cycle or bleeding lasting longer than seven days. Common symptoms include flooding, clots larger than a quarter, changing sanitary products hourly, or bleeding through double protection. Causes include structural abnormalities (fibroids, polyps, adenomyosis), hormonal imbalances, bleeding disorders, or medications. Treatment options range from medical management with hormonal therapies, tranexamic acid, or NSAIDs to surgical interventions such as endometrial ablation or hysterectomy in refractory cases.
Usage
Usage note: The term 'heavy menstrual bleeding' is increasingly preferred over 'menorrhagia' in current clinical practice.
In Context
- "The patient's menorrhagia significantly improved after initiating the levonorgestrel IUD." — Follow-up note
- "Evaluation for menorrhagia included CBC, thyroid function tests, and pelvic ultrasound." — Diagnostic workup