As doctors successfully treat a severely anemic woman with very low levels of hemoglobin, they advise abnormal bleeding during periods should not be ignored and doctors should be consulted immediately.
Panchkula: When a 44-year-old woman, Mrs. Shero Devi, visited Paras Bliss Panchkula due to severe fatigue and weakness, doctors were surprised to find very low levels of hemoglobin in her body. She was anemic and was diagnosed with menorrhagia, which is the medical term for abnormally heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding. The hemoglobin levels were so low that the patient was not fit for receiving any other treatment.
Dr. Monica Agrawal Consultant, Obstetrician, and Gynaecologist explained the risks involved in treating such a patient, “The patient’s hemoglobin levels were as low as 2.6 g/%. In this condition, a patient is not fit to receive any treatment till the hemoglobin levels are improved. Blood transfusion to such patients is highly risky as there are high chances of developing heart failure during transfusion.”
Average blood loss during menstruation is around 30 to 40 milliliters, or 2 to 3 tablespoons, over a period of 4 to 5 days. Reportedly, in menorrhagia, a patient loses over 80 mL of blood in one cycle, or twice the normal amount.
Dr. Monica Agrawal further added “Under careful monitoring in ICU, blood transfusion of packed red blood cells was initiated, and to prevent her from developing a fluid overload, furosemide was administered simultaneously, which helped her heart to tolerate the transfusion. 4 units of blood were transfused and her hemoglobin levels improved.”
As her hemoglobin levels improved, doctors conducted further tests which revealed that the patient was suffering from cervicitis, which is severe inflammation of the cervix, and endometrial hyperplasia which is thickening of the lining of the uterus. After 15 days of blood transfusion, the patient’s health deteriorated due to another episode of severe bleeding.
“Anemia due to severe bleeding was constantly creating life-threatening situations, making her condition unsuitable to receive major treatment. The patient was visibly getting disturbed by severe bleeding, but at the same time, refused medical management. With her permission a surgery was done to remove her uterus.” adds Dr. Monica Agrawal
The patient recovered after that but the disease had a serious impact on her life. Doctors advise that women should not neglect any abnormal bleeding and report to the hospital early in case they experience the same. India has one of the highest numbers of anemic female patients in the world, with 55% of Indian women reportedly suffer from iron deficiency and low red blood cell count. While mild to moderate anemia is easy to treat with oral or injectable iron therapy and diet modification, hemoglobin levels below 8 gm% in non-pregnant women is considered severe anemia and anything below 6 gm% is considered life-threatening and hospital admission is advisable. Women should focus on diet and may take prescribed iron supplements. It is highly advised that they should undergo a blood test twice a year to timely diagnose a case of anemia.