Menstrual Blood Problems: Clots, Color, and Thickness If your menstrual blood varies in color and consistency throughout your monthly period, its likely that its perfectly normal. There are times, though, when changes in color, thickness, or clotting may indicate a problem. You might feel embarrassed asking your health care provider about menstrual blood problems, but it is important. Recommended Related to Women Feed Your Soul By Geneen Roth Do you secretly believe its selfish to put yourself ahead of others? If so, you may never stop packing on pounds. There are some things in life you take for granted: Your children will outlive you. No matter how tough it gets, you wont poison your spouse with arsenic-laced toothpaste. And if you have a best friend, you will attend her wedding. But life sometimes upsets our most basic assumptions. And although I havent resorted to the arsenic (yet), I did have... Read the Feed Your Soul article > > What happens during a menstrual period, and how long does it last? During your menstrual cycle, the lining of your uterus thickens to get ready for pregnancy. Then, during your period, your body sheds the uterus lining along with blood. The amount of blood and fluid lost is usually between 4 and 12 teaspoons each cycle. The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. For some women, though, cycles can be as short as 21 days. For others, they can be as long as 35 days. A normal period lasts between two and seven days. The average length of time for a period is three to five days. Are clots and thicker menstrual blood unusual during a period? Many women have clots in their menstrual blood from time to time. The clots may be bright red or dark in color. Often, these clots are shed on the heaviest days of bleeding. The presence of multiple clots in your flow may make your menstrual blood seem thick or denser than usual. Your body typically releases anticoagulants to keep menstrual blood from clotting as its being released. But when your period is heavy and blood is being rapidly expelled, theres not enough time for anticoagulants to work. That enables clots to form. If you have excessive clotting or clots larger than a quarter, you should see your health care provider to rule out any conditions that might be causing an abnormal period. Are darker colors and thicker flows normal in menstrual blood? Someties you may notice that your menstrual blood becomes dark brown or almost black as you near the end of your period. This is a normal color change. It happens when the blood is older and not being expelled from the body quickly. Temporary thick, heavy flow isnt necessarily cause for concern. However, regular heavy periods justify a trip to the doctor to check your blood counts. Many women become accustomed to heavy periods, considering them to be normal. Over time, though, the excess monthly blood loss leads to anemia, potentially causing weakness or fatigue. If you ever feel somethings not right with your period, see your health care provider. What causes menstrual blood problems? Changes in the color and thickness of menstrual blood are often normal. But there are a number of problems that might cause abnormal clots to form in your menstrual blood or lead to the changes in color or thickness during your period. Remember, its important to discuss any concerns you have with your doctor. Problems that can cause changes include: Miscarriage. Women who have miscarried may pass blood clots or gray clumps of tissue from the vagina. If there is a chance you are pregnant, be sure to check with your doctor immediately if you notice excessive bleeding or clotting. Fibroids. Uterine fibroids are also called leiomyomas. These are noncancerous tumors that form in the uterus. Fibroids do not always cause symptoms. In fact, increasing research information suggests that most women with small fibroid tumors have no symptoms at all. But women with fibroids may notice greater than usual amounts of menstrual blood. If you have fibroids, you may have more clots in your period than you had in the past. Hormonal changes. Your body relies on a delicate balance of progesterone and estrogen. These hormones regulate the production and shedding of the uterine lining. When this balance is disturbed, it can lead to the development of an excessively thick uterine lining. This thickness can contribute to more bleeding than usual. It can also cause clots in the menstrual blood when the lining is shed. Hormone changes may occur for many reasons, including: Menopause Recent dramatic weight change Side effects from some medications, including steroids Large uterus. If your uterus has been stretched during pregnancy and does not return to its original size, it may be permanently enlarged. With an enlarged uterus, menstrual blood may have time to collect and clot before its released from the body. This could also result in a dark color or thickening of your menstrual flow. Obstruction of menstrual blood. Anything that hinders or blocks the flow of menstrual blood from the uterus through the cervix and out of the vagina may lead to problems with clots, color, or thickness of menstrual blood. Benign polyps in the uterus may change the flow of blood during your period. The flow can also be slowed around the time of menopause when the cervical canal may become smaller as estrogen levels drop. Adenomyosis or endometriosis. These related conditions occur when the tissue that forms the uterine lining is found in the wrong place. In endometriosis, this tissue develops outside of the uterus. In adenomyosis it grows in the muscle that makes up the uterine walls. Both of these conditions can lead to abnormal periods and heavy flow. This can increase the likelihood of menstrual blood problems such as clotting or thickness.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 12:43:53 +0000