Menstrual Clots During Period : Normal Or Not ?


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It might be surprising to see thick clots of blood that look nothing like the tidy splashes of fluid in most of those menstrual pad commercials. Moreover, menstrual clots tend to form when you have a heavy menstrual flow. 

 

What Are Blood Clots ?

 

When you think about clots, you probably think of the kind that come together when you have a cut. Your body springs into action, combining enough platelets (blood cells that adhere to each other) and proteins from plasma (the liquid part of your blood) to plug the injured blood vessel, the Mayo Clinic says. This is how clots help to stop bleeding.

Blood can also clot in your veins, especially if you have risk factors like being pregnant, which causes hormone changes that increase your blood clot risk, or recent surgery, because moving less also contributes to this hazard. These clots can dissipate without harm, but sometimes they can be life-threatening.

 

How  Menstrual Clots Form 

 

Although, the blood clots that can emerge from your vagina during your period are a bit different than these other types. Period clots are comprised of the endometrial lining that builds up in your uterus in preparation for pregnancy, then sloughs off during your period when you don’t conceive.

 

In part, these thick, jelly-like clots are one of the body’s protective mechanisms. Menstrual clots occur particularly during heavy flows because of an increased amount of  coagulative factors released along with blood. Furthermore, blood tends to pool because the opening of your cervix (the narrow passage at the lower end of your uterus) is pretty small. If you have a substantial flow, that allows the blood to build up in your uterus, giving coagulative factors time to work it’s coagulative magic. 

 

When To See Your Doctor ?

 

While menstrual clots are thought to be a normal, there are times when it indicates something more insidious. It is advisable to reach out to your healthcare provider if you encounter one of these issues: 

 

  • You’re soaking through one or more tampons or pads every hour for multiple hours in a row.
  • Use two pads at a time.
  • You your pad or tampon during the night.
  •  Menstruating for more than seven days.
  • Your flow is so heavy that it sometimes prevents you from living your normal life.
  • You regularly experience pelvic pain (especially in your lower abdomen) during your period.
  • You’re constantly fatigued.

 

Possible Health Conditions 

 

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

One major possibility is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that can cause incredibly heavy periods, according to the Mayo Clinic. This is because the hormone imbalance involved can prevent you from menstruating for some time. When your period does finally arrive, you may have accumulated many months’ worth of blood.

Read more here: https://www.getdoc.com/pcos-infertility-pregnancy/

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is another potential reason behind huge period clots. It  occurs when the tissue that lines your uterus (endometrium) begins to grow on other organs. While the cause of endometriosis is still unknown, there are many theories as to how it comes to be. No matter the cause, heavy bleeding is one possible symptom. It is also notorious for its’ debilitating period cramp .

Read more here: https://www.getdoc.com/period-pain-infertility-endometriosis/

 

 

Uterine Polyps/Fibroids

A condition whereby a blockage occurs in the uterus. This in return, renders the uterus unable to contract as it normally hence blood is then unable to quickly leave the body. This delay results in more blood pooling and clumps. While these growths may not be cancerous it can cause other health issues. 

 

Period Or Miscarriage ?

 

Since both periods and miscarriages can cause bleeding and cramping, it may be hard to tell the difference between the two, depending on your situation. Your doctor should be able to help determine if what you thought were period clots are actually a sign of miscarriage. It’s important to give them any relevant information. Also, if you think there’s a chance a clot could be tissue you’ve miscarried, the Mayo Clinic recommends putting it into a clean container and taking it to your doctor’s office to know for sure.

 

While there may be many pathological indications behind heavy bleeding and menstrual clots, your healthcare provider can help you in identifying and effectively treating the underlying medical condition. 



Yashwini Ravindranath

by Yashwini Ravindranath

Born & raised in Malaysia, Yashwini earned her M.D. studying in Moscow's Russian National Research Medical University. With an affiliation towards research, all things coffee and the startup ecosystem, she now contributes articles to GetDocSays View all articles by Yashwini Ravindranath.




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