Does it hurt you like someone’s pricking with needles during periods? Know Why

Edinburgh, January 29: Hey girls, here is the secret which might tell you what gives you so much pain down there during periods! Do you bleed heavy? Does it hurt you like someone’s pricking you with needles? Yes, yes every girl can relate herself to this. 

Scientists have revealed that the main cause of heavy blessing revolves around key protein ‘HIF-1’ and oxygen levels in our body. Scientists from the University of Edinburgh have published their study in Nature journal.

They studied the womb lining, known as the endometrium. This is shed during menstruation, leaving behind a wound-like surface that must heal to limit blood loss. The team discovered that lowered levels of oxygen - stimulates the production of HIF-1, which drives repair of the womb lining. Women with heavy periods had reduced levels of HIF-1 compared with those with normal blood loss, researchers said.

Tests on mice using a drug to boost levels of HIF-1 led to improved tissue repair and reduced blood loss. The results offer hope for therapies, they said.

"Our findings reveal for the first time that HIF-1 and reduced levels of oxygen in the womb are required during a period to optimize repair of the womb lining," said Jackie Maybin from the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh.

"Excitingly, increasing levels of the HIF-1 protein in mice shows real promise as a novel, non-hormonal medical treatment," said Maybin, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature Communications.

Heavy menstrual bleeding is one of the most common reasons for visiting the gynaecologist - about 20 to 30 per cent of pre-menopausal women deal with heavy bleeding, according to the researchers.

Diagnosing heavy menstrual bleeding can be subjective, but the medical community defines it as blood loss of more than 80 millilitres per menstrual cycle. The condition can lead to severe anaemia - where there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. It can lead to severe abdominal pain and disrupt daily life, as well as giving rise to other symptoms, such as bloating, unscheduled bleeding, and fatigue.

Current therapies to ease heavy bleeding are hormone- based and often prevent pregnancy.

"This research lays the much needed groundwork to developing new treatment options for women grappling with this condition," said Neha Issar-Brown, Head of Population and Systems Medicine at the MRC. "The fact that preliminary results suggest no interference with fertility makes it even more promising," she said.