It’s a normal part of being a woman to have the question come up some point during your period of: is this thing that is happening right now normal? Whether it’s the color, the consistency, the pain, or some other difference in your cycle, any change can cause for the alarms inside your head to begin to sound. And while it’s great to be so in touch with your body and know what’s new and different with each cycle, it can also be really scary to discover something new.
So what about when your period blood is thick and almost clotty? Is that normal? Should you be concerned when this happens? Thankfully, for the most part you don’t have to worry, and in this post I’ll give you a little bit more information as to why.
About your bleeding
The color and consistency of your flow can tell you a lot about what’s going on with your cycle. Light pink, bright red, and thin blood means it’s fresh blood that isn’t spend a lot of time in your uterus and is flowing relatively quickly. Dark red or brown blood is blood that has spent more time in the uterus and is considered older. This type of blood is most common at the beginning of the cycle, when remnants of the past cycle are being expelled, or at the end of your bleeding cycle.
What about thicker blood flow? The thickness of your blood flow has to do with how much blood, blood by products, mucus, and tissue (your endometrium) your body is expelling. Yupp. There’s a lot going on during your bleeding. It’s actually very normal for your menstrual blood to be thicker than normal bleeding from a wound.
The color and consistency of bleeding can change from cycle to cycle which is normal for all women. This is why tracking your cycle can help you better understand what is normal for you.
What about passing entire clots?
Sometimes when you’re bleeding you may notice what looks like blood clots being passed. It probably looks to be the consistency of jam or fruit preserves. They’re probably dark in color and although alarming, not extremely large and uncomfortable. But is that normal?
Again, your menstrual blood is made up of many different parts: blood, blood by products, and mucus and tissue from the shedding of your uterus wall. This mixture is expelled from the uterus and through the cervix before being passed out the vagina.
While the uterine lining sheds, it collects in pools at the bottom of the uterus. Here, it waits until the cervix contracts in order to be expelled. While the blood is sitting at the bottom of the uterus, it clots along with all the other mucus and membrane. At this point, to help breakdown all that thick bloody mess, anticoagulants (which thin blood and reduce clots) are sent to work.
During normal blood flow of a period, the blood does not sit at the bottom of the uterus for long before it is sent out of the body. This gives the anticoagulants time to work and allows for the blood to pass clot free.
However, sometimes your blood flow may be too quick and too heavy for the anticoagulants to work in full effect. This results in the pools of uterine wall build up to be passed before or mid way through the breakdown. Thus, what appears to be blood clots are passed. Also if the blood sits for too long at the bottom of the uterus (say at the end of the cycle), it may not be easily broken down by anticoagulants and blood clots may occur.
Are these normal?
Absolutely. Most women experience menstrual clots at some point in their lives and women with heavy flows might experience them regularly, as heavy flow increases the chance for them to occur.
So long as these clots are small (smaller than the size of a quarter) and pass with no pain, they are nothing to be concerned about.
If you have concerns or this is new to you, you may want to consider how you are collecting your blood and determine if there is a better way to evaluate the consistency of your flow. Whereas pads and tampons are the most common form or collection, they soak up most of the period blood and make it difficult to determine the consistency of blood flow. Menstrual cups, which collect the blood however, will make it easy to determine if blood flow is thick, thin, and the color of the blood.
When should I be concerned?
If you begin to pass many thick, large clots (larger than the size of a quarter), you should see your OBGYN. If it is painful to pass these blood clots you should seek help from your doctor or OBGYN. And if you feel especially weak and tired during your period (as if your iron levels are too low) seek medical help.
While most clots are normal, some may cause obstruction and others can be a sign of other serious complications such as fibroids, hormone imbalances, and although rare endometriosis.
If you ever have any concerns about your period, please do not be afraid or embarrassed to seek consultation from a doctor. Menstruation is a natural occurrence and it’s our body’s way of telling us what’s up. It’s our job to listen.
Did you know this before reading this? Have you had this concern before? Are there any other period topic you would like to see covered here? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time,
Kat
Sources and further reading:
Blood Clots During your Period: http://rubycup.com/all-about-your-period/blood-clots-during-your-period/
Menstrual Clots: What do they Mean?: http://centerforendo.com/menstrual-clots-what-do-they-mean/
What Causes Menstrual Clots and Are They Normal? https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/menstrual-clots
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