Genetics plays a major role in how heavy your menstrual flow is, as well as a few other factors. If you have a very heavy flow, consider the following:

• Talk with a doctor about birth control. Most forms are helpful with either reducing or stopping blood loss altogether. And they’re safe.

• Talk with members of your family about their flow or about bleeding problems. There are some minor bleeding/clotting conditions that are passed on that can cause super heavy flow and uncontrolled bleeding. If there’s a pattern, bring it up with your doc. There may be testing and treatment options.

• Get your iron and hemoglobin levels checked. If you have a lot of blood loss, you may be anemic and need iron replacement. (In these cases, birth control may also be recommended to reduce blood loss.)