FH-ADO-005 · ages 10-19

Is My Period Too Heavy? Bleeding and Iron Checklist

Growing Body & Preventive Health

If something feels unsafe or urgent

You can always get help, whatever your age, without an account.

Heavy periods are common in teenagers, but they can quietly cause iron deficiency. If you are soaking through protection or feeling exhausted, get your iron checked.

What's happening

Heavy menstrual bleeding means losing more blood than your body can comfortably replace. Over months this lowers your iron stores, which causes tiredness, poor concentration, breathlessness and pale skin.

Usually normal

One or two heavier days at the start of your period
Small clots on your heaviest day
Needing to change a pad every 3 to 4 hours on day one

Get checked if

Soaking a pad or tampon every hour for several hours
Clots bigger than a R5 coin
Bleeding longer than 7 days
Dizziness, breathlessness, pounding heart or extreme tiredness
Bleeding through to your clothes or bedding regularly

Your next step

Count your pads on your heaviest day. If it is more than six, ask the clinic for a haemoglobin and ferritin test — treatment for both the bleeding and the iron is straightforward.

Printable packs

My 10-19 Health and Independence Timeline
Organised Me: Weekly Health, School and Life Planner