Vaginal Bleeding

Menopause and Perimenopause Slideshow

• Vaginal Bleeding Overview
• Vaginal Bleeding Causes
• Vaginal Bleeding Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Vaginal Bleeding Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Surgery
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Outlook
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Vaginal Bleeding Overview

Unexpected bleeding is always a concern for a woman at any stage of life. Bleeding other than a normal menstrual period and even an abnormally heavy period can be great cause for alarm. The medical term for excessive or prolonged vaginal bleeding that occurs at the regular time of the menstrual cycle is known as menorrhagia. Metrorrhagia is the term used to refer to uterine bleeding at irregular intervals, particularly between the expected menstrual periods. Menometrorrhagia is the combination of the two, that is, excessive uterine bleeding, both at the usual time of menstrual periods and at other irregular intervals.

It is important to understand exactly what is causing the bleeding, its origin (uterus, vagina, or some other organ or tissue), and to make decisions about how to control or stop the bleeding.

• A woman's normal menstrual cycle involves a complex series of hormonal events. An egg is released from the ovary; either the egg is fertilized by a sperm and implants in the uterus, or the lining of the uterus is shed each month as the menstrual period. This shedding causes normal menstrual bleeding.

• A normal menstrual cycle is 28 days plus or minus 7 days.
  
  
• A menstrual period generally lasts from 2-7 days and has a typical volume of blood and fluid loss of about 2 to 8 (average 5) tablespoons. This corresponds to about eight or fewer soaked pads per day with usually no more than 2 days of heavy bleeding.