What is menorrhagia?
Menorrhagia is the most common type of abnormal uterine bleeding characterized by heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding. In some cases, bleeding may be so severe and relentless that daily activities become interrupted. Other types of abnormal uterine bleeding (also called dysfunctional uterine bleeding) include:

polymenorrhea	too frequent menstruation
oligomenorrhea	infrequent or light menstrual cycles
metrorrhagia	any irregular, acyclic non-menstrual bleeding from the uterus; bleeding between menstrual periods
postmenopausal bleeding	any bleeding that occurs more than 6 months after the last normal menstrual period at menopause

What causes menorrhagia?

There are several possible causes of menorrhagia, including the following:
•    hormonal (particularly estrogen and progesterone) imbalance (especially seen in adolescents who are experiencing their menstrual period for the first time and in women approaching menopause)
•    pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) 

•    uterine fibroids
•    abnormal pregnancy (i.e., miscarriage, ectopic)
•    infection, tumors, or polyps in the pelvic cavity
•    certain birth control devices (i.e., intrauterine devices, or IUDs)
•    bleeding or platelet disorders
•    high levels of prostaglandins (chemical substances which help to control the muscle contractions of the uterus)
•    high levels of endothelins (chemical substances which help the blood vessels in the body dilate)
•    liver, kidney, or thyroid disease

Treatment for menorrhagia:

Specific treatment for menorrhagia will be determined by your physician based on:

•    your age, overall health, and medical history
•    extent of the condition
•    cause of the condition
•    your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
•    expectations for the course of the condition
•    your opinion or preference