Ironing out heavy menstrual bleeding

Many women dismiss heavy periods as normal until a health screening reveals abnormal blood counts

- Amrita Kaur

Heavy menstrual bleeding and iron-deficiency anaemia are conditions that often go unnoticed until they significantly impact daily life.

Secretary Nur Hanna Nasarudin initially thought her heavy menstrual bleeding was normal.

However, in 2023, a lump in the 42-year-old's lower abdomen revealed underlying health issues.

In December that year, she saw a general practitioner for stomach pain. A physical examination revealed a lump, prompting her doctor to recommend further evaluation. She was referred to KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), where an ultrasound showed multiple fibroids, polyps and a thickened endometrium.

The largest fibroid measured 7.5cm. The doctor explained that her heavy menstrual bleeding was likely caused by the fibroids.

Ms Nur Hanna, who is married and has a 15-year-old son, says: "I have always had heavy menses, needing to change about four heavy-duty 40cm pads a day, with the flow lasting for 10 days. The third to fifth days were particularly overwhelming." She thought this was normal, as she did not compare with other women around her.

A blood test also revealed that she had iron-deficiency anaemia, a condition in which the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells due to insufficient iron.

Ms Nur Hanna did not realise that she had symptoms of the condition. "I was feeling tired and sleepy all the time. Even climbing one or two flights of stairs made me feel breathless. Sometimes, I felt giddy and had fainting spells," she says. As a result, she avoided doing strenuous activities.

HEAVY BLEEDING CAN LEAD TO ANAEMIA