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Heavy periods can lead to big health problems for young women — but many don’t get the help they need
Suzannah Williams, University of Oxford and Tomi Adeniran, University of Oxford
Many of us have no idea whether or not our period is “normal”. It’s no wonder, since not only is everyone different, but the stigma still keeps many of us from asking questions or discussing what we go through every month with friends and family.
People with heavy menstrual bleeding may loose close to a pint of liquid during their period. Photo by Natracare on Unsplash
But there is such as thing as bleeding too much. In fact, around a quarter of women experience a clinical condition known as menorrhagia – also called heavy menstrual bleeding. This is when your period is abnormally heavy or prolonged. Here’s what you need to know about the condition.
What counts as a heavy period?
Typically, during a “normal” period, you lose between 70ml and 80ml of fluid (the equivalent of around two double espressos). Around 50% of the fluid lost is blood. But people with heavy menstrual bleeding may lose around 160ml-400ml of fluid (a little less than a pint of liquid).
The most common symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding are:
- Bleeding through pads or tampons every one to two hours,
- A period that lasts more than seven days,
- Passing blood clots larger than 1 inch (around the size of a 10p coin).
Are heavy periods bad for you?
Despite how common it is, most women with the condition aren’t even aware they have it. Many even assume their period is “normal”. But this way of thinking can be a problem, as heavy menstrual bleeding can sometimes be a sign of an underlying issue – such as fibroids, endometriosis, or a pelvic infection or bleeding illnesses. A recently fitted intrauterine device (IUD) may also temporarily cause heavy menstrual bleeding.
Around two-thirds of women with heavy menstrual bleeding also go on to have long-term iron deficiency anaemia as a result.
When we menstruate, we lose red blood cells which are integral for carrying oxygen (a source of energy) throughout the body. If you bleed heavily every month, you lose more red blood cells than normal.
Anaemia can take a while to develop, but can cause a range of symptoms that can have a major effect on your daily life.
While pale skin or lips are tell-tale physical signs, a person with anaemia may also feel more tired than usual, irritable, dizzy, confused and even depressed. Anaemia can also cause headaches, brain fog, increased heart rate and even weight loss.
What can you do about heavy periods?
If you suspect you may have heavy menstrual bleeding, it’s important to speak to your doctor as soon as you can. Diagnosis can take up to several months after you first visit your GP, so it’s important not to put it off.
Going to your appointment armed with information is always useful. For example, it’s good to have an idea of your usual blood loss either by using menstrual cups to measure volume or tracking how many sanitary items you use every cycle.
Keeping a menstrual diary or using a tracker app can also help, as well as knowing if the condition runs in the family. If you haven’t done this, it’s likely your doctor will ask you to track these things for a few months before diagnosing you.
Keeping track of your period can be useful when speaking to your GP. Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
Your doctor will be able to prescribe you certain medications that may lessen the effect of heavy menstrual bleeding – including the contraceptive pill or tranexamic acid (which controls bleeding and helps blood clots). Surgical options may also be needed should the condition be caused by another issue, such as fibroids.
If you suspect you may have anaemia, it’s similarly important to track your symptoms carefully, especially how you feel both before and after your period. Many common conditions, such as anxiety, cough, flu, and food allergies, have overlapping symptoms with iron-deficiency anaemia, so asking your doctor for a blood test is important as it will tell you whether or not you’re anaemic.
If you’re diagnosed with anaemia, iron supplements may be prescribed to help your body generate new red blood cells. A healthy, balanced diet containing foods high in iron – such as dark meats, chickpeas, beans, leafy greens and nuts – may also help.
Why it’s important to receive help
But as many women with heavy menstrual bleeding know, it often takes far too long before they get the help they need. This can mean years of unnecessary suffering, with the condition affecting everything from their personal life, school attendance, participation in sports and even their work. Those who develop anaemia, as a result, will experience even more effects on their physical and mental health.
This is why there needs to be far more openness and education about women’s health. Not only does this mean talking more about what is and isn’t normal when it comes to periods, it also means making sure healthcare providers are properly educated about the signs and symptoms of this condition – and the harms that can come from it. Having a more open discussion and raising awareness may help more women get the help and treatment they need sooner.
Suzannah Williams, Associate Professor in Ovarian Physiology, Lead for Ovarian Cryopreservation and Fertility Preservation Research, Lead of Rhino Fertility Project, University of Oxford and Tomi Adeniran, DPhil in Women’s and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Second Hand Uniform Donations and Sales
Lyneham High is grateful to accept donations of used uniforms in good condition at the front office and would like to thank all those parents who have done so this year already.
Second hand uniforms are available from Trevor in the Youth Workers Office (Just ask at the front office).
Trevor is available most mornings before school. Students are welcome to visit for uniforms before school, after school, and most recesses.
Jumpers are $10, and shirts $5. Stock varies as it depends on donations and demand.
Parents and students are welcome to visit the second hand uniform shop, or alternatively you are welcome to email trevor.preston@ed.act.edu.au, I am happy to check if we have stock.
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End of Year Administration
As the school year will end in a few weeks, we ask that families be mindful of things that they might need to tell the school but that might slip their minds:
• Will your family be going on holidays early, and will your child therefore miss some days at the end of the year? If so, please contact our absences team on 61421174 or at lynehamhs.absences@ed.act.edu.au to provide details.
• Will your child not be returning in 2023? If so, please email the school at lynehamhs@ed.act.edu.au.
Also, have you submitted the school’s consents for 2023? If not, please complete this online form as soon as possible; or collect/complete a pack of paper forms available from the front office. Refer to the school’s 31 October email to year 7, 8 and 9 families for more detail. |
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Is your teen a night owl? Their sleep pattern could shape their brain and behaviour years later
Rebecca Cooper, The University of Melbourne; Maria Di Biase, The University of Melbourne, and Vanessa Cropley, The University of Melbourne
It’s 11 pm on a weeknight and your teenager still has their bedroom light on. You want them to get enough sleep for school the next day, but it’s a struggle.
Our new research shows what happens to the brains and behaviour of young teenagers, years after they’ve become “night owls”.
We found this shift in sleep pattern increased the risk of having behavioural problems and delayed brain development in later adolescence.
But it’s not all bad news for night owls.
Sleep habits shift
People’s sleep patterns shift during their teenage years. Teens can stay awake longer, fall asleep later, and have a lie in the next day.
Many teens also shift from being a morning lark to a night owl. They feel more productive and alert later in the evening, preferring to go to sleep later, and waking up later the next day.
This shift towards “eveningness” can clash with teens’ school and work. A chronic lack of sleep, due to these mis-matched sleep schedules, can explain why teens who are night owls are at greater risk for emotional and behavioural problems than ones who are morning larks.
Emerging research also indicates morning larks and night owls have a different brain structure. This includes differences in both the grey and white matter, which have been linked to differences in memory, emotional wellbeing, attention and empathy.
Despite these links, it’s unclear how this relationship might emerge. Does being a night owl increase the risk for later emotional and behavioural problems? Or do emotional and behavioural problems lead to someone becoming more of a night owl?
In our study, we tried to answer these questions, following teenagers for many years.
What we did
We asked over 200 teens and their parents to complete a series of questionnaires about the teens’ sleep preferences, and emotional and behavioural wellbeing. Participants repeated these questionnaires several times over the next seven years.
The teens also had two brain scans, several years apart, to examine their brain development. We focused on mapping changes in the structure of white matter – the brain’s connective tissue that allows our brains to process information and function effectively.
Earlier research shows the structure of white matter of morning larks and night owls differ. However, our study is the first to examine how changes in sleep preferences might affect how white matter grows over time.
Here’s what we found
Teens who shifted to becoming a night owl in early adolescence (around the age of 12-13) were more likely to have behavioural problems several years later. This included greater aggression, rule breaking, and antisocial behaviours.
But they weren’t at increased risk of emotional problems, such as anxiety or low mood.
Importantly, this relationship did not occur in the reverse direction. In other words, we found that earlier emotional and behavioural problems didn’t influence whether a teenager became more of a morning lark or night owl in late adolescence.
Our research also showed that teens who shifted to becoming a night owl had a different rate of brain development than teens who remained morning larks.
We found the white matter of night owls didn’t increase to the same degree as teens who were morning larks.
We know growth of white matter is important in the teenage years to support cognitive, emotional and behavioural development.
What are the implications?
These findings build on previous research showing differences in brain structure between morning larks and night owls. It also builds on earlier research that indicates these changes might emerge in the teenage years.
Importantly, we show that becoming a night owl increases the risk of experiencing behavioural problems and delayed brain development in later adolescence, rather than the other way round.
These findings highlight the importance of focusing on teens’ sleep-wake habits early in adolescence to support their later emotional and behavioural health. We know getting enough sleep is extremely important for both mental and brain health.
Here’s some good news
It’s not all bad news for night owls. As our research shows, morning lark and night owl preferences aren’t set in stone. Research indicates we can modify our sleep preferences and habits.
For example, exposure to light (even artificial light) alters our circadian rhythms, which can influence our sleep preferences. So minimising late-night exposure to bright lights and screens can be one way to modify our preferences and drive for sleep.
Exposure to light first thing in the morning can also help shift our internal clocks to a more morning-oriented rhythm. You could encourage your teen to have their breakfast outside, or go onto a balcony or into the garden before heading to school or work.
Rebecca Cooper, PhD candidate in neuropsychiatry, The University of Melbourne; Maria Di Biase, Senior Research Fellow, Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, and Vanessa Cropley, Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Stranger Awareness Safety Message
This is a reminder to ensure your children and young people understand the importance of stranger awareness safety and information has been included on how to report an incident.
Please support us to keep our children safe by having conversations about moving safely around the community. You may wish to visit the Australian Federal Police website section on Child Safety for tips. In addition, the Safety4Kids is a non-government website that has useful information and links. The Constable Kenny website also has a number of tips for parents for younger children.
If you become aware of an incident or notice anyone acting suspiciously around a school or student, contact police immediately on 131 444 or in the case of an emergency call 000. If you witness an incident or if you have any information that could assist police, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information can be provided anonymously. We would also ask that you notify the school so we can also support the wider school community to be aware of incidents.
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School Calendar
Did you know the school’s calendar of events (excursions and the like) are maintained as a Google Calendar which is accessible from the front page of the school’s website (see below)? Events are maintained weekly.
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Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation
The Australian Federal Police through the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is seeing a concerning global trend of teenage males being targeted to send explicit images of themselves and then blackmailed. This is called sexual extortion, or sextortion.
The AFP is urging families to have important safety conversations ahead of the school holidays to prevent young people from becoming victim. This crime can have serious wellbeing and psychological impacts.
How does sextortion start?
- Unsolicited friend and follow requests on social media
- Direct messages on one app and then being asked to keep chatting on a secondary app
- Conversations suddenly and quickly becoming sexualised
- Requests for sexualised images or content.
What can families do?
- Have open and regular conversations about your child’s online activities and interactions
- Know what platforms, apps and games they are using and who they are interacting with
- Remain open and approachable, victims will be reluctant to come forward if they feel they will be punished or blamed
- Ensure your child knows that it is okay to leave conversations if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe
- Support your child and know how to respond. The Online blackmail and sexual extortion response kit has been created to recognise sextortion and get help.
The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation is here to keep young people safe from online sexual exploitation and abuse.
You can make a report via accce.gov.au/report
For further information, resources and advice visit thinkuknow.org.au
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