Further Information

Have you ever heard of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (menorrhagia)?

• Menorrhagia is one of the most common reasons for referral to a gynaecologist.

• According to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), about 1 in 20 women aged between 30–49 years consult their GP each year because of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) or menstrual problems.

• However, it is thought that up to 30% of women experience HMB, with many not consulting a healthcare professional.

• Conditions associated with HMB include endometriosis, fibroids, polyps and others.

• According to Wellbeing for Women:

  • Only 1 in 2 women feel comfortable talking with someone they know about whether their periods are heavy or light.

  • Over half (55%) of women and girls have taken time off work in relation to their period.

  • 3 in 5 (60%) of all women and girls have taken time off school/college/university in relation to their period.

• Women with HMB have described feeling anxious, embarrassed, and that their lives were disrupted due to heavy periods.

• Yet, many women aren’t aware of the signs of HMB, as found by Wellbeing for Women:

  • More than 6 in 10 women didn’t know that avoiding daily activities because of bleeding can be a sign of HMB.

  • 49% of women didn’t know that periods lasting more than 7 days are also a sign of HMB.

• At the same time, many girls in the UK face period poverty: two fifths (40%) have had to use toilet roll because they can’t afford proper sanitary products.

• NICE has published an updated Quality Standard for HMB which sets out the priority areas for quality improvement for commissioners, service providers, health practitioners and regulators. Read more here.