A woman can experience anemia due to menstruation if there is quite a lot of blood coming out of her vagina every time she has menstruation. If not treated immediately, the anemia experienced can get worse and cause various complications.
Every woman can experience bleeding and menstrual patterns are different. There are those who experience regular menstruation with only a little bleeding, but there are also those who experience menstruation for a long time and bleed quite a lot.
In medical terms, the condition of the amount of blood that comes out of the vagina during menstruation is called menorrhagia. Women who have this condition are more at risk of developing anemia or lack of blood.
The link between excessive menstruation and anemia
Most women have their period for 3–7 days. During menstruation, the amount of blood that comes out normally is about 30-40 ml per cycle. Bleeding during menstruation is also fairly normal if a woman only changes her pads 2 or 3 times per day.
Meanwhile, abnormal menstruation can last for more than 7 days with bleeding more than usual. This excessive bleeding can make you change pads more often.
If you often experience heavy bleeding during menstruation, this condition over time can lead to anemia or lack of blood. Excessive bleeding can also make you prone to iron deficiency.
Iron is needed for the production of red blood cells. If you have iron deficiency, the supply of red blood cells will also decrease. This condition can reduce the supply of oxygen to the body's organs.
When you have anemia, you may experience the following symptoms:
- Tired easily
- pale skin
- pounding chest
- Chest pain
- Headache
- Dizzy eyes
- Hard to breathe
- Cold hands and feet
- brittle nails
- Decreased appetite
How to Overcome Iron Deficiency Anemia Due to Excessive Menstruation
To confirm the diagnosis of anemia due to excessive menstruation, you need to see a doctor. To diagnose and evaluate your condition, your doctor will perform a physical examination and supporting tests such as a complete blood count.
If the results of the doctor's examination show that you have anemia due to excessive menstruation, the doctor can provide the following treatment steps:
Improve diet
In order to meet the needs of iron, doctors will recommend eating foods that contain lots of iron. Some types of foods rich in iron are:
- Red meat
- Fish
- Seafood (seafood)
- Legumes, such as peas
- Green vegetables, such as spinach
- Egg
- Whole grains or iron-fortified cereals
Provides additional vitamin C intake
So that iron can be absorbed better in the body, you also need to get enough vitamin C by eating fruits and vegetables that are good sources of vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, kiwi, pineapple, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, and potatoes. .
If you rarely eat foods rich in vitamin C, your doctor may prescribe a vitamin C supplement.
Using birth control pills
Birth control pills can be used to regulate the balance of hormones in the body, so that heavy menstruation can be stopped. In addition, there are several birth control pills that have added iron content, so they are good for dealing with anemia due to excessive menstruation.
If you often experience heavy bleeding during menstruation, especially if it has made you experience the symptoms of anemia mentioned above, you should immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.
