Heavy periods

Heavy menstrual bleeding means losing enough blood during your period to interfere with daily life. There is often no serious cause, but assessment is advisable for anaemia, pain, bleeding between periods or a clear change.

• You need to change pads, tampons, menstrual cups or other products much more often than usual.
• You leak through clothing or bedding or need to change products several times at night.
• Over a few cycles, record when bleeding starts, how many products you use, whether you leak and what pain you have.
• Bring extra period products and spare clothing if you often leak.
• Make an appointment if your periods become clearly heavier, last longer than about a week or limit your daily life.
• For urgent GP care outside office hours, call HAP 9252. Call Ambulance 912 only for an immediate threat to life.