title: Menstrual bleeding patterns: A community-based cross-sectional study among women aged 18-45 years in Southern Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Population variation in the duration and amount of menstrual bleeding has received little attention in the literature. This study describes these characteristics and investigates the distribution of self-perceived amount of menstrual bleeding according to socio-demographic, behavioral, and reproductive characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 18-45 years old women users of the 31 primary health care (PHC) facilities in Pelotas city (Brazil). Interviews with structured questionnaire were carried out in the waiting rooms during two work shifts. Heaviness of menstrual bleeding was determined through the answer to the question: "Usually how much blood do you lose in every period?" Crude and adjusted analyses through Poisson regression took into account the aggregation per PHC facility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 865 women were enrolled. Prevalence of heavy menstrual flow was 35.3% (95% CI 32.1-38.6%). In adjusted analyses, heavy menstrual bleeding was higher among the older, less educated and obese women, with higher number of pregnancies and who reported longer menstrual periods, extra-menstrual bleeding and clots in the flow. Use of hormonal contraceptive methods was protective against heavy menses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heavy menstrual bleeding is highly prevalent at the community level, and is associated with socio-demographic and anthropometric women's characteristics, as well as with duration of menstruation, extra-bleeding and presence of clots.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil. inasantos@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Iná S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Gicele C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Minten
authors.forename: Neiva Cj
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Giovana C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Tuerlinckx
authors.forename: Alessandra B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Guilherme Ar
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Joaquim F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Carriconde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil; D018672:Community Health Planning; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008598:Menstruation / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D017584:Reproductive History; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult