Consider this a TMI-free zone. Do I have a heavy period? According to the CDC, the amount of blood lost during an average period is tablespoons. What causes a heavy period?

We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Though period sex can be a bit messy, it is safe. Orgasms may relieve menstrual cramps. Menstrual cramps are a result of your uterus contracting to release its lining. When you have an orgasm, the muscles of your uterus also contract.

Subscriber Account active since. If you've ever started bleeding after sex, you may have chalked it up to getting your period. And it turns out, there may be some logic to that thought. Of course, there's a catch. Lauren Streicher , an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University, told INSIDER that it only occurs if you're within a day or two of getting your period.

Heavy or excessive menstrual bleeding can be a distressing problem, and is one of the most common reasons for women to visit their GP. In more than half of cases heavy menstrual bleeding has no obvious cause. However, it is sometimes related to the presence of organic disease. Known common causes include:.