Menorrhagia (Heavy Bleeding)
At Your Visit
You will be asked about:
- Your family and past health
- Your lifestyle, eating, and workout habits
- Stress
- Changes in body weight
- Your menstrual periods
- Birth control
Your doctor will also do an exam. A pelvic exam will be part of this.
Tests
You may have one or more of these tests:
- Blood tests—Your doctor will measure levels of hormones and check for pregnancy and other problems like low iron.
- Endometrial biopsy —A small amount of tissue is scraped from the lining of your womb and looked at under a microscope.
- Ultrasound—A tool that uses sound waves to make a picture of your pelvic organs is placed on your belly or inside of your vagina.
- Laparoscopy —A thin tube with a tiny camera is placed through a small cut below or through your navel to let the doctor look inside your belly.
- Hysteroscopy —A thin tube with a tiny camera is placed into your vagina and up through your cervix to let the doctor see inside your womb.
Amenorrhea (Lack of Menstruation)
It may be hard for your doctor to find out the cause.
You will be asked about:
- Your family and past health
- Your lifestyle, eating, and workout habits
- Stress
- Changes in body weight
- Your periods
- Birth control
Your doctor will also do an exam. A pelvic exam will also be done.
Pregnancy is a common cause. If your period is at least two to three weeks overdue and you are sexually active, the first thought is pregnancy.
Your doctor may test your blood for hormone levels:
- Too much androgen
- Lack of estrogen
- Other hormone abnormalities
- To much prolactin in the blood
- Too much or too little thyroid hormone
More Tests
Other tests that may be done are:
- Pictures of the brain to check the pituitary gland—Sometimes a small, noncancerous growth can make too much hormones that get in the way of the normal period.
- Ultrasound scans of your belly and pelvis
- Chromosome studies
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review BoardBeverly Siegal, MD, FACOG
- Review Date: 09/2018 -
- Update Date: 10/29/2018 -