Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

By Dr. David Clark 

Awareness and Diagnosis of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding among Physicians and Patients

8/20/24 

An international group of researchers looked at the awareness and perception of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) in women and girls in the US, UK, China, France, Germany, Oman and Saudia Arabia.  HMB accounts for 18 – 30% of outpatient gynecological visits, and approximately one in five women with HMB have underlying bleeding disorders.  They found that a major barrier to care is a lack of awareness and understanding of HMB by healthcare professionals (HCPs). 

They found that many HCPs do not conduct investigations for women/girls complaining of HMB, and 22% of general practitioners (GPs) lack confidence in the management of HMB. Only 8% of GPs use screening tools to evaluate menstrual blood loss, and only 13% of GPs and 15% of OB/GYNs look for underlying bleeding disorders.  In contrast, 76% of menstruating women/girls believed they could recognize HMB symptoms “well.”  However, 23% of these women/girls would not seek medical advice for abnormal/prolonged menstruation even though it disrupts their lives.  The authors conclude that “There is a need for standardized clinical criteria to promote efficient diagnosis and management.”  [Kadir RA et al., Haemophilia, online ahead of print 8/20/24]