Blood coagulation, fibrinolysis and plasma proteins in women with normal and with excessive menstrual blood loss.

A group of women with excessive menstrual blood loss (menorrhagia) without any known local or general underlying disease was studied and compared to a group of women with normal menstrual blood loss. Blood coagulation, platelet function and fibrinolysis as well as a variety of plasma proteins were analyzed on six occasions during one menstrual cycle. Women with menorrhagia were found to have a slightly higher concentration of fibrinogen--fibrin degradation products, a higher factor V and VIII activity, higher antithrombin III, alpha 1-antitrypsin concentrations and higher antifibrinolytic activity than the normal women. The concentration of albumin, beta IE-globulin, orosomucoid, ceruloplasmin and IgG were lower in women with memorrhagia than in normals. The capillary fragility did not differ significantly between the groups. The observed differences in clotting factors between the groups could not have caused the differences in blood losses.