A senior health professional and clinician, Jenni first experienced HMB in her teens and was subsequently diagnosed with anaemia and prescribed iron tablets.

 The heavy bleeding continued throughout Jenni’s reproductive years, with each of her 3 childbirths requiring transfusions. She also had a number of haematomas, yet no attending clinician expressed concern or requested follow up.

 Jenni finally had a hysterectomy to deal with the monthly blood loss. However, subsequent minor surgeries resulted in excessive bleeding, with a tooth extraction resulting in blood loss that could not be stopped.

 Jenni was finally referred to a haematologist who diagnosed von Willebrand Disease, a common underlying cause of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding.

 She now manages risk with knowledge and medication - carrying a blood coagulant and taking medication 10 days before the most minor of medical procedures to mitigate the risk of bleeding.

 Jenni’s bleeding disorder impacted her quality of life. Despite being a health practitioner herself, Jenni accepted HMB as ‘just part of being a woman’ and thought she just had to ‘get on with it’.