Dysmenorrhea and frequent menstrual bleeding affect a significant number of women in their reproductive years. There are several different types of menstrual disorders. Some of them, on the other hand, can cause serious problems and even be considered major causes of infertility. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB) means losing excessive blood during one’s menstrual cycle which affects a woman’s quality of life. It is said that HMB affects one out of three women during their reproductive age. Obesity plays another factor in women of reproductive to suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding. Therefore, the two main factors fr heavy menstrual bleeding are age and obesity. The main features of heavy menstrual bleeding are bleeding during menstruation deemed to be excessive for the individual woman, fatigue, shortness of breath (if associated with anemia).
There’s a good chance that obesity and overweight play a part in the etiology of certain menstrual issues. Increased adipose tissue, particularly in the central region of the body, may disrupt the balance of steroid hormones including androgens, estrogen, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). The production of androgens and estrogens in the target tissues is also affected by changes in SHBG. Obesity form also plays a significant role. The least amount of menstrual bleeding is correlated with an android body fat distribution. Obesity may also cause a rise in estrogen production, which is linked to body weight and fat content.
According to a study published in the Journal of Endocrinology, “The number of women of reproductive age who have obesity is also increasing, with levels in England of 24% in 2009, 30% in 2018 and 33% in 2019. Researching how obesity impacts menstrual blood loss is important to improve the ways we prevent and treat the debilitating symptom of heavy menstrual bleeding.” Data from 121 women of reproductive age attending gynecologic clinics at NHS Lothian in Scotland was analyzed by Jacqueline Maybin, MBChB, Ph.D., a senior research fellow, and honorary consultant gynecologist at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh, and colleagues. A completely completed pictorial blood loss assessment map (PBAC) with pictorial representation of graded staining through various absorbencies of menstrual towels and tampons was obtained, as well as the height and weight measurements.
Heavy menstrual bleeding was reported by 63% of the study’s participants. In regression analysis, a weak, but statistically significant association was observed between menstrual PBAC score and BMI (P = .02). The presence of fibroids was the only factor that added significantly to BMI in predicting menstrual PBAC score (P = .004). “This research did not look at therapies for obese women who have heavy cycles, so it’s unclear if weight loss or anti-inflammatory drugs may help reduce menstrual blood loss,” Maybin said. “While anti-inflammatory drugs are already used to treat heavy periods, the answers to these questions can aid doctors in prescribing customized treatments for individual women.”
