Complications of Severe Menstrual Cramps

Many women dismiss menstrual cramps as a slight inconvenience.  For women suffering from severe menstrual cramps, however, the pain is debilitating, preventing them from even getting out of bed.

Persistent, severe menstrual cramps also severely damage a woman's fertility and reproductive system.  It can also cause other severe, sometimes life threatening complications.  So what are the complications of severe menstrual cramps?

Complications of Severe Menstrual Cramps: Endometriosis
Severe menstrual cramps can cause endometriosis, a painful complication that causes the uterine lining to grow outside the uterus.  This causes extreme and often debilitating pain.

Endometriosis also limits the functioning of a woman's reproductive system.  Severe menstrual bleeding, vomiting during cramping, and painful sexual intercourse are common complications.  Left untreated, endometriosis can damage the reproductive system, leaving a woman infertile.  It is vitally important to treat endometriosis early when severe menstrual cramping is first detectable.

Complications of Severe Menstrual Cramps: Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Severe menstrual cramps can also lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a painful complication caused by a bacterial infection in the vagina.  Once it infects the vagina, PID moves up to the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and finally the uterus, infecting her entire reproductive system.

Severe menstrual cramps is not the most severe side effect, however.  It can also cause fallopian tube scarring, leading to a severe pregnancy complication called ectopic pregnancy.  This means the fetus grows in the fallopian tube instead, which can cause death for the fetus and the mother.

Complications of Severe Menstrual Cramps: Anemia
Anemia is a common complication of severe menstrual cramps because of the excessive blood loss.  Anemia can cause severe fatigue, irregular heartbeat, mental impairment, and in severe cases, death.  Ignoring severe menstrual cramps paired with anemia is extremely dangerous.

As you can see, complications of severe menstrual cramps are extremely serious.  If you suspect you have severe menstrual cramps, seek medical attention as soon as possible.  A simple case of the cramps could be something more deadly.