Period Clots – A Menstrual Horror?

In one of the articles we wrote about how important the color of menstrual blood is as a source of information about health . In addition, we should pay just as much attention to analyzing its quantity, smell, and consistency. Many menstruating people observe clots during bleeding, which, despite their unpleasant appearance, do not necessarily have to be a sign of an anomaly in the body.

How do blood clots form during your period?

The clot in menstrual blood is a mixture of blood, tissue from the lining of the uterus, and proteins.

Clots during menstruation occur because blood, instead of flowing out continuously, accumulates in the reproductive tract (uterine cavity, cervix, and vagina) and clots. Under the influence of stronger uterine contractions, blood comes out in bulk (so in both fresh and clotted form).

The presence of menstrual blood clots is a natural phenomenon. If they are relatively small and do not appear regularly, there is nothing to worry about. The larger ones, occurring during heavier periods , may cause concern . And it is the increased bleeding from the genital tract that should be diagnosed and treated in this case - not the clots themselves.

Heavy menstrual bleeding and blood clots

Menstrual discharge is not just blood – in addition to blood, its components include cells from the uterine lining and vaginal epithelium. Many sources forget about this fact, giving the volume of standard menstrual blood.

The norm for one period is considered to be 100 ml of menstrual fluid, of which 30 to 50 ml is blood . You may ask: how to measure it? We took up the gauntlet and tried to calculate it using the example of our products. The best tool for measuring the volume of menstrual fluid is, of course, a menstrual cup - which collects blood, not absorbs it.

Excessive loss of menstrual blood may mean menorrhagia, and consequently – cause anemia and disturbances in the proper functioning of the body (anemia, i.e. a decrease in the number of red blood cells).

Remember: if your periods surprise you with their abundance and large blood clots appear in your blood, a gynecological examination may reveal that their cause is a more serious condition. What?

Uterine fibroids

These are benign tumors of the reproductive tract. Uterine fibroids arise from smooth tissue that builds the muscle of the uterus. They usually occur in large numbers. The main cause of their formation is hormonal disorders (both estradiol and progesterone). In some cases, depending on their location, the changes can also be the cause of infertility. Their common symptom is changes in the nature of menstrual bleeding (heavy bleeding, spotting between periods, etc.). There are many methods of combating fibroids - these include hormonal treatment (insertion of a hormonal intrauterine device), enucleation (removal of the fibroid itself), and in more radical cases, hysterectomy .

Uterine polyps

Due to their location, polyps are divided into cervical polyps , i.e. those developing in the cervix, and endometrial polyps , i.e. those growing in the uterine cavity.

Most of them do not cause any symptoms, but if they do appear, they are non-specific and very easy to confuse with other diseases (and as you can see, we are now referring to one issue - a symptom that can be associated with many of the diseases listed below). That is why observation and check-ups are so important!

In uterine polyps, similarly to fibroids, there is an abnormal contraction of the uterine muscle. The changes can lead to abnormal bleeding (heavy periods, spotting, etc.), vaginal discharge and increased mucus production, as well as lower abdominal pain in larger changes.

Cysts

The most common cause of their formation is – as in the case of the above-mentioned changes – hormonal fluctuations. Here, too: the cross-section of changes is diverse, and depending on the nature and location, cysts can cause various symptoms. One of them is heavy bleeding, caused by improper shedding of the uterine lining.

More information about benign uterine cancers can be found in the article dedicated to them on our blog.

Endometriosis

The term "migratory endometrium" - as this condition is sometimes called - is basically a perfect reflection of the course of the disease. The uterine mucosa in people with endometriosis occupies not only the area of ​​the uterine cavity - disease foci can be located almost anywhere, even in the lungs or intestines. There are also changes and damage to the organs of the pelvis.

The most characteristic symptoms of endometriosis include severe abdominal pain, radiating to various parts of the pelvis, and pain during urination. Additionally, endometriosis may be accompanied by retroverted uterus. Excessive curvature of the uterine body towards the spine is not a disease in itself, but its symptom.

If the endometriosis foci are located in the muscle of the uterus, we talk about adenomyosis . It can also be accompanied by prolonged, heavy periods.

And finally, a quick roundup of other potential illnesses and anomalies:

• Endometrial hyperplasia is another potential cause of heavy bleeding and blood clots. This condition can occur without atypia (when normal endometrial cells multiply) or with atypia (development of abnormal cells that pose a potential risk of developing cancer).
• Endometrial cancer or advanced cervical cancer can also cause heavy and abnormal bleeding.
• Heavy genital bleeding may also occur during miscarriage .
• Clots during menstruation can be caused by coagulation disorders (for example, thrombocytopenia or coagulation factor deficiencies in congenital bleeding disorders or occurring in diseases of the liver, kidneys, and hematopoietic system tumors). In people with uteruses, the most common bleeding disorder (which is nevertheless very rarely diagnosed due to the lack or few symptoms - often the only symptom is heavy bleeding with clots) is von Willebrand disease , which affects 1 in 100 people.