Experts say heavy periods are driving anaemia in young women.
Heavy menstrual bleeding is emerging as one of the leading causes of iron deficiency and anaemia among young women.
The World Health Organisation reports that 43% of women of reproductive age in Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from iron-deficiency anaemia. For many, abnormal bleeding and irregular menstrual cycles are to blame.
Health experts warn the problem is growing. Girls are starting menstruation earlier than previous generations, which means longer exposure to monthly blood loss.
“This earlier onset, combined with limited health awareness, insufficient iron replacement and poor management, creates the perfect conditions for chronic iron deficiency,” says sister Karin Davidson of the Cape Town Infusion Centre.
Davidson says there is a rise in women needing intervention.
“The statistics reveal a health emergency hiding in plain sight. When one in three women globally lives with anaemia, we cannot continue treating abnormal bleeding as OK.”
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Normalising the abnormal
The belief that heavy or irregular periods are simply part of womanhood is adding to the crisis. The normalisation of excessive bleeding discourages women from seeking help.
“The idea that menstruation must involve suffering is outdated,” says Davidson.
“Suffering in silence is not just about discomfort, it allows anaemia to worsen unchecked.”
She says on average, women lose 30-40ml of blood during a normal period. Heavy menstrual bleeding, however, can mean losses of more than 80ml a month.
Left untreated, this depletes iron stores faster than the body can replace them.
Warning signs include bleeding longer than seven days, changing sanitary products every two hours or less, soaking through clothing or bedding, passing large clots or experiencing sudden “flooding”.
The cost of ignoring the signs
Anaemia symptoms range from constant fatigue, weakness and breathlessness to cold hands and feet, anxiety, insomnia and even unusual cravings for non-food substances.
The consequences extend beyond everyday health. According to Davidson, Anaemia can affect fertility by disrupting hormone balance and ovulation. During pregnancy it raises the risk of premature birth, low birth weight and postpartum depression.
For women approaching menopause, the risks are also significant. Heavier, more frequent periods during perimenopause can worsen iron deficiency, intensifying symptoms such as depression, anxiety, hair loss, fatigue and even heart and cognitive problems.
“We are so conditioned to think ‘that’s life’. But when bleeding becomes abnormal, your body is asking for help. Your periods should not control your life. There is treatment,” says Davidson.
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