Often recommended by doctors are oral contraceptives because it has been proven to help regulate ovulation and reduce episodes of heavy periods. Since this may not go away right away, the doctor may also prescribe NSAID’s or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the heavy period. They are also known to relive painful menstrual cramps.

There are two types namely combination birth control pills and progestin only pills. You should keep in mind that there are certain side effects in using them and if this is a problem, you should ask your doctor to reduce the dosage or recommend something else.

If birth control is not the reason and you are anemic, the answer will be to take iron supplements as part of your daily diet.

Should heavy periods still occur, this is the time that surgery may be the final solution. Some examples of these include Dilation and curettage or D&C, operative hysteroscopy, endometrial ablation, endometrial resection and hysterectomy.

Except for the last one mentioned, the others can be done on an outpatient basis. You can check in the hospital or clinic in the morning and be out by lunch or in the early afternoon.

The different birth control methods are effective in preventing pregnancy but not all of them can protect you from sexually transmitted diseases or STD’s. Two of those mentioned above are directly linked to heavy periods or menorrhagia so if you don’t want this to happen, you should be examined regularly by a doctor and consider other conventional birth control methods.