Iron Supplements Improve Anemia and Quality of Life Among Women with Heavy Periods

Women with heavy menstrual bleeding can benefit from intake of iron supplements, a Finnish study finds.

Women with heavy or prolonged periods, called menorrhagia, often develop anemia that further leads to fatigue. Researchers at Hyvinkaa Hospital, Finland, found that diagnosis and treatment of anemia is necessary to boost the quality of life among those with heavy periods. 

Heavy bleeding during menstruation is one is one the major causes of iron deficiency and anemia. Without proper intake of iron supplements, the iron stores in the body will reduce drastically with monthly menstrual iron loss.  Studies conducted earlier have found that anemia due to deficiency of iron not just impacts women's physical performance but also cognitive function, mood and overall quality of life.

The study, led by Dr. Pirkko Peuranpaa, assessed the impact of anemia as well as deficiency of iron on the quality of life of 236 women with menorrhagia. As a part of the study the participants were randomly divided for hysterectomy or treatment with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system.

The women were divided into two groups. Women whose hemoglobin levels were less than 120 g/L were called anemic and those with levels more than 120 g/L were called non-anemic.  The women's level of ferritin in the blood was also measured to assess the iron stores in both the groups.

The researchers noticed that 27 percent of the women were anemic and 60 percent of them were diagnosed with severe iron deficiency with ferritin levels less than 15 µg/L. The women who were anemic, just 8 percent of them took iron supplements. After a year's treatment hemoglobin levels increased in both the groups.

"The quality of life of women with heavy periods is plural, but the treatment of anemia is important to get good results," concludes Dr. Peuranpaa. "Our findings suggest that clinicians should screen for anemia in women with heavy menstrual bleeding and recommend early iron supplementation as part of the treatment process."

The study is documented in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandibavica.