What Are the Causes of Prolonged Menstrual Bleeding?

Prolonged menstrual bleeding can be something normal that happens to a woman, or it could be something that denotes that something is wrong. If you have menstrual bleeding that lasts longer than a week and is abnormal for you, it's a good idea to schedule an appointment with your doctor so she can find the cause of your prolonged menstrual bleeding.

Endometrial Cancer

• Endometrial cancer is the most serious reason for prolonged menstrual bleeding. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is one of the most common types of cancer in women and occurs when the cells of the endometrium become cancerous. Prolonged menstrual bleeding, especially after menopause, is one of the reasons that this type of cancer is easily detected. That also means that it is often caught in earlier stages, meaning better recovery for the patient. Most often, the uterus is removed to quickly remove all of the cancer.

Birth Control

• If you have recently started a new form of birth control, or changed the type of birth control that you usually use, you may find that you suffer from prolonged menstrual bleeding. Changing the hormones that you take in your birth control pills can trigger prolonged menstrual bleeding, especially when you begin a new package of pills. Intra-uterine devices, like the copper IUD or the Mirena, can cause prolonged menstrual bleeding after primary insertion.

Blood Thinners

• If your doctor has recently prescribed a blood thinner for your blood clots, you may find that this causes prolonged menstrual bleeding. Anticoagulant medications cause blood to become thinner and clot less effectively, which can occasionally present in menstrual bleeding, especially in postmenopausal women. Be sure to talk to your doctor about it, as you may lose too much blood in this way. He may switch your medication as a result.

Pregnancy and Pregnancy Complications

• You may find that if you recently became pregnant, you have prolonged menstrual bleeding, otherwise known as implantation bleeding, which occurs when the egg implants into the uterus. This is a normal condition. However, you may also find that prolonged bleeding is a side effect of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, in which case you'll need to see your doctor.

Childbirth

• One of the aftereffects of childbirth is prolonged menstrual bleeding. Often lasting up to six weeks, this is your body's way of regulating itself after having the baby. This is completely normal, and should begin to taper off after a few weeks. If you have concerns, make sure to mention it to your doctor at your six week postpartum checkup.