Once menstruation starts, most women have regular cycles. They know when to expect bleeding and when it should end, but some women struggle with irregularity or unusual bleeding during or in between their periods. This is called "abnormal uterine bleeding." It's described as bleeding that's heavy, lasts a long time, or happens between periods. Abnormal uterine bleeding can be caused by common hormone problems. One hormone problem is called "anovulation." This is when an ovary does not produce an egg during a menstrual cycle. This happens in many women 1 or 2 times each year. It can be more common in perimenopause. This is a long period of hormone changes leading up to menopause.
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding is a condition in which bleeding is abnormal and occurs at unexpected times of the month. This happens because of changes in the hormones that help control a woman's menstrual cycle.
Your uterine bleeding may be heavy. Or you may have bleeding between periods. These problems may be caused by hormonal imbalance. Or they can be caused by uterine growths, an intrauterine device (IUD), bleeding disorder, or pregnancy.
Menorrhagia is heavy or prolonged bleeding during your period. It can be caused by hormone problems or problems with the uterus. Medicines or procedures to treat the uterus can help.
