Common causes of heavy periods include:
Hormone problems. Every month, a lining builds up inside your uterus (womb), which you shed during your period. If your hormone levels aren’t balanced, your body can make the lining too thick, which leads to heavy bleeding when you shed the thicker lining. If you don’t ovulate (release an egg from an ovary), this can throw off the hormone balance in your body, too, leading to a thicker lining and a heavier period.
Growths in the uterus (womb). Polyps are growths within the lining of your uterus. Fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) tumors that grow within your uterus. Both can make your periods much heavier or make them last longer than they should.
Certain IUDs. Many women use a small intrauterine device (IUD) for birth control. If your IUD doesn’t have hormones, it may make your periods heavier.
Problems related to pregnancy. In rare cases, after sperm and egg meet, the growing ball of cells implants itself outside the uterus instead of inside. This is called an ectopic pregnancy. It can’t be a viable pregnancy, and it may cause serious health problems, such as heavy bleeding, which you may mistake for a heavy period. A miscarriage, which is when a baby dies in the womb, can also be the cause of heavy bleeding.
Some female cancers. Rarely, cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries may cause excess bleeding in some women, which may appear to be a heavy period.
Bleeding disorders. They’re not common, but bleeding disorders — which run in families — make it hard for someone to stop bleeding when they’ve been cut. They can also make a woman’s period heavier and make it last longer.
Certain medications. Blood thinners or drugs that fight inflammation may cause heavy periods.
Other health problems including:
- Endometriosis
- Thyroid problems
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease