The “lived” experience of menstruating women commencing anticoagulants

BACKGROUND: Although there is increased recognition that many menstruating women commenced on anticoagulants experience heavy menstrual bleeding, little research has been published describing what women go through and actually experience. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to understand the “lived” experience of menstruating women commencing anticoagulants. METHODS: We undertook a qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Women who had taken part in the parent PERIOD study and expressed an interest in an in-depth interview were recruited. Interviews were conducted online, and transcripts were generated through MS Teams. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Ethics committee approval: REC reference: 19/SW/0211. RESULTS: A total of 15 participants were interviewed. The median age of the participants was 36 years (range, 20-49 years). The following 7 primary themes emerged from the interviews: (1) information received when commencing anticoagulation, (2) mood, (3) strategies used to manage heavy bleeding, (4) social/family life, (5) work life, (6) finances, and (7) multiple health issues—with saturation of themes achieved following 9 interviews. Women affected by heavy menstrual bleeding experienced a negative change in their work/social life and mood. CONCLUSION: Heavy menstrual bleeding experienced by women commencing anticoagulants has a significant impact on their lives. Recognized measures should be employed to support and minimize the problem for menstruating people.