A MUM has revealed her periods were so heavy doctors thought she was having a miscarriage.

Hannah Rose, from Teesside, Middlesbrough, sought medical help after bleeding for weeks on end – and was passing blood clots so heavy that doctors thought she could be losing a baby.

The 27-year-old said: “It was still really heavy, with the clots so large that the doctor actually told me to take a pregnancy test, fearing I could be having a miscarriage.

“I had the contraceptive implant in, so didn’t think that could be possible.

“Still, I went to an urgent care centre and took a test.

“I wasn’t pregnant, nor miscarrying – that was just how bad my period was.”

The stay-at-home mum had her implant removed which she says helped to regulate her cycle, although her periods remained heavy and painful.

But Hannah, who's mum to Eleanor, three, with fiancé Adam Lister, 27, a painter, says swapping to reusable sanitary towels has changed her life.

She explained: “I couldn’t wait for my period, so I could try out the reusable pads.

“Before, I’d be in so much pain I’d have to skip things like nights out, and my cycle was really irregular.

“Now I’ll get minor discomfort for a couple of hours on the first day, then be fine. My period is shorter too.

“I have been surprised by the attitude of some women to this, with people saying it’s gross.

“I think it’s gross to have your used, disposable sanitary products festering in a landfill for years.”

Hannah snapped up her pads in a Black Friday sale back in November, bagging 12 for £35.

She said: “When I was using disposable products, I used sanitary towels and I’d go through three to four packs of ultra-sized pads with wings per cycle.

“That would add up to at least £5, not to mention the extra cost of painkillers.

“With reusable pads, though, you make one payment and that’s it. Long term, it will save me money.”

Do reusable pads really reduce work?

Sophia Ferguson, MD and Designer at Tickle Tots, who create reusable nappies, argues there are a range of benefits to her products.

She says: “Disposable sanitary pads can contain up to 90% plastic, along with a cocktail of chemicals and perfumes, which is then disposed of in landfill where they degrade over a very long period of time.

“By switching to reusable sanitary pads, it not only benefits the environment but also our health by removing exposure to elements which could be found in disposable sanitary items.”

But not all experts agree with her claims.

Doctor Sarah Brewer says: “The length, heaviness, discomfort and other features of a period are determined by hormone balance and physiological factors within the body.

“There is no evidence, or indeed any plausible mechanism to support claims that using particular external sanitary wear can affect your periods.

“Any changes noticed will be coincidental only.”

Hannah said the benefits of switching were almost immediate – and credits the lack of chemicals in the pads.

She said: “Switching to reusable pads hasn’t just had hygiene and health benefits, but environmental benefits too.

“I want a better world for my daughter, and I think it’s horrendous how long these plastic products will be festering away for, long after we’ve used them.

“When I tell people what I use, some have even said they’d prefer to stick with disposable products and throw away anything stained, which I find shocking.

“How can it be preferable to throw away something perfectly good, that just needs a wash? It seems so bad for the planet.”

Hannah gives her pads a rinse before sticking them in the wash and carries a small resealable bag with her, in case she needs to change while out and about.

She said: “That’s another thing people have taken issue with – putting the pads in the washing machine.

“But surely that is what a washing machine is for? It kills germs and your clothes come out clean.

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“I’m sure kids traipse in far worse stuff when they come in all covered in mud.

“I honestly don’t have to think about periods now. I know I’ll never be caught short, as I will always have my stash of pads, and they certainly don’t smell or anything like that.”

We previously asked a woman, 21, to try using a Mooncup for a week – here's how she got on.

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