Heavy Periods

If you are struggling with heavy or irregular periods, you know it can significantly impact your quality of life. All of our female OB/GYN providers are skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of heavy or irregular periods. We start with an office visit to try and determine what the cause of the problem is, so that we can come up with the best individualized treatment plan for you!

Some causes of heavy or irregular periods can include:

Fibroids
- Growths in the uterus that can sometimes causes problems depending on their size and location
Polyps
- Typically small growths within the uterine lining
Irregular or absent ovulation
- This can occur at any time, but is especially common during the four to five years prior to menopause
Adenomyosis
- This occurs when tissue that lines the uterus starts to grow within the uterine muscle
Medication side effects
Problems with blood clotting factors
Problems with other hormones (e.g., thyroid hormones)
Pre-cancerous tissue in the uterus or, much less likely, a uterine cancer

Once we have an idea of what factors are involved in the abnormal bleeding, our OB/GYN providers can tailor our treatment recommendations to your individual situation.

Some of the treatment options that we offer for abnormal bleeding are listed below:

Birth control pills
- May help regulate periods and make them lighter and less painful as well
Progestin IUD (intrauterine device)
- A flexible device inserted into the uterus in the office that thins the uterine lining and helps with bleeding and cramping
In-office operative hysteroscopy procedure to remove polyps or fibroids
- Under sedation, a physician uses a small camera to look inside the uterus and remove any polyps or fibroids seen in the uterine lining
NovaSure® endometrial ablation
- Under sedation, a physician uses a device that opens up within the uterine lining and delivers bipolar energy to the uterine lining to stop it from growing and shedding
Vaginal, laparoscopic, or abdominal hysterectomy
- If more conservative options are not successful, our female OB/GYN physicians are all skilled in a variety of hysterectomy procedures, including minimally-invasive approaches.
- Hysterectomy involves removal of the uterus. Depending on your age and individual risk factors, your physician may recommend removing your ovaries and/or fallopian tubes as well.