The medical management of menorrhagia

Abstract Menorrhagia is one of the most common reasons for women to consult their general practitioners and be referred to gynaecologists. This is not surprising since on average Westem women will experience about 400 menstruations between the menarche and the menopause. In a national community survey where 1069 women were interviewed in their own homes, 31 per cent reported heavy periods and 38 per cent painful periods (Corrado 1990). Of these, one third had consulted a doctor within the past four months. It has been estimated that 5 per cent of women aged 30-49 consult their general practitioners for complaints of excessive menstrual bleeding in one year in the UK (Coulter et al. 1995a).