What is Menometrorrhagia & How is it Treated?

Menometrorrhagia is a pathological condition which is characterized by excessive uterine bleeding which does not follow a particular pattern and may occur irregularly and frequently than what is expected during a normal menstrual cycle in a female. A female between the age 14 to about 45 experiences monthly menstrual cycles due to change in hormone levels in which a combination of blood and tissues that are shed in the uterus are excreted from the body when a female is not pregnant and this blood is passed through the vagina. Normally, a menstrual cycle occurs every 28 days in a female lasting 3 to 5 days. In Menometrorrhagia, a female experiences bleeding at irregular intervals and not every 28-30 days as is the norm for every female of a reproductive age.

Menorrhagia and menometrorrhagia are both conditions in which a female experiences excessive bleeding but there is a difference between these two conditions. The main difference between menorrhagia and menometrorrhagia is that in menorrhagia the bleeding is prolonged but they occur at regular intervals which is not the case with Menometrorrhagia. Females suffering from menorrhagia may also experience dysmenorrhea as well. Menorrhagia is predictable whereas Menometrorrhagia is not predictable.

There may be numerous causes for a female to have Menometrorrhagia. Some of the possible causes for Menometrorrhagia are:

Menometrorrhagia Caused Due to Hormonal Imbalance: This may be due to an increase in the level estrogen so much so that the levels of estrogen are more than that of progesterone in the body. This may be due to stress or consumption of oral contraceptive pills.

Menometrorrhagia Caused Due to Endometriosis: This is a pathological condition in which there is growth of cells on the lining of the uterus outside the uterine cavity usually in the ovaries.

Uterine Fibroids: This is a pathological condition in which there is development of benign tumors in the uterus resulting in frequent abnormal bleedings or Menometrorrhagia.

Dilation & Curettage: This is usually a diagnostic procedure in which the opening of the uterus is enlarged and tissue samples are taken for analysis. This procedure may also cause Menometrorrhagia at times.

IUD: Usage of IUD or a barrier form for birth control is also one of the causes of Menometrorrhagia.

Obesity: Obesity which is one of the major causes of concern which poses a lot of health hazards is also one of the causes of Menometrorrhagia.

Some of the symptoms of Menometrorrhagia are:

• Excessive bleeding in between menstrual cycle
• Menstrual Cycle less than every 28 days
• Menstrual cycle lasting longer than is the norm of five days at maximum
• Presence of large blood clots
• Presence of blood while urinating in between periods
• Abdominal pain
• Back pain
• Lethargy due to excessive loss of blood.

There are different ways to treat Menometrorrhagia. Some of the treatment for Menometrorrhagia are:

NSAIDs: During Menometrorrhagia, prostacyclin which is a form of thromboxane inhibitor is produced in huge numbers. Thromboxanes present in the body act as blood coagulators. These Thromboxanes are inhibited by the presence of prostacyclin. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatories like naproxen stop the production of prostacyclin and hence allowing the thromboxanes to function and decrease the menstrual blood flow treating Menometrorrhagia to some extent.

Selective Progesterone Receptor Modulators to Treat Menometrorrhagia: These target the blood vessels of the uterus and are quite effective in decreasing the menstrual blood flow.

Blood Transfusion: This is reserved for people who have excessive loss of blood and end up having low blood count.

Iron and Folic Acid Supplements: This is extremely effective in people with Menometrorrhagia as it increases the iron and folic acid content which is lost during the excessive blood as a result of Menometrorrhagia.

If the above treatments are ineffective in treating Menometrorrhagia then surgical intervention is recommended to treat Menometrorrhagia. Some of the surgical interventions done for treatment of Menometrorrhagia are:

Hysterectomy: This is perhaps the most definitive treatment for Menometrorrhagia as this surgical procedure entirely removes the uterus along with the tubes and ovaries but this procedure is reserved for those who do not desire to get pregnant in the future.

Endometrial Ablation: In case if hysterectomy is not an option for a female with Menometrorrhagia, then the next option for treatment is endometrial ablation. This is a procedure in which the endometrium is removed which is quite effective for reducing blood flow.

There are also some home remedies for Menometrorrhagia. These home remedies are:

Home Remedy for Menometrorrhagia using Banana Flower: This increases the progesterone levels in the body and hence helps in reducing the blood flow during Menometrorrhagia. You can take some banana flowers and cook it and eat with some curd mixed with it.

Mustard Seeds: Take some dried mustard and dissolve it in milk and drink it about a couple of days before you expect your menstrual cycles to start. This can be useful home remedy for Menometrorrhagia.

Coriander Seeds: This is also quite effective in treating Menometrorrhagia naturally at home. Boil some coriander seeds in a cup of water. Cool it and then drink it.

Also Read:

• Metrorrhagia: Causes, Treatment, Diagnosis