When is a period “too heavy”? What exactly is a heavy period?

Have you ever been concerned about how much blood you’re losing each period? You’re not alone.

Heavy periods can look like (at some time during your period):

• Using 2 tampons at a time

• Needing to wear a tampon + a pad and still fearing you may bleed through

• Changing your cup/disc multiple times a day to prevent it from overflowing

• Changing your super tampons every couple hours to prevent leaking 

• Keeping an extra pair of pants on hand “just in case” for the heavy days

Losing more than 81mL over the course of your entire period is considered a “heavy period”.

Here’s a quick visual to help!

There are many things that can cause heavy periods. If you’re having heavy periods, it’s something to absolutely chat about (with your healthcare provider of choice) for a thorough investigation to figure out what’s going on for you!

Heavy periods are one of the most common causes of low iron I see in practice. There is help & support when you’re ready! 

Dr. Stacy Burke, ND