This article is written specially for women and girls, who wonder whether blood clots they are having during menstruations is a normal thing. In reality such a phenomenon to a greater or lesser extent occurs in all menstruating women. If you look through information about blood clotting, available on the Internet, you will see, how highly controversial this topic is. Some authors claim it’s a norm, while others insist it is definitely pathological. You can even come across opinions that thickened blood masses happen during menses due to hormonal imbalance or problems with coagulation. We will try to cover this issue broadly and explain why clotting is normal and in what cases you need to be alarmed. After reading this article you will have a complete clear understanding on how to react to the mentioned specific symptom.
Blood Clotting During Menstruation: The Mechanism of Formation
In the middle of the cycle womb walls are gradually getting thicker, preparing for possible pregnancy. If it doesn’t occur, the formed layer of uterine lining separates with blood during menses. Sometimes a woman spots grumes in her monthly bleeding. They normally range from 0.5 mm. to 3-4 cm. in size and remind liver in consistency. Certainly, you wonder why they occur. Actually, if special ferments, preventing blood clotting, called anticoagulants, fail to deal with the abundant blood flow, a portion of blood can coagulate in your vagina, forming those coagulums you occasionally find on your sanitary pads. This phenomenon needs monitoring, as it can lead towards significant blood losses.
Pay attention! If the amount of blood, excreted during menses, exceeds 80 grams per day, your bleeding is dangerous! How to determine the amount of blood lost during a day? Weigh a clean sanitary pad and then a pad you have just used. Find the difference between two numbers, write it down. Next sum up figures, you’ll get during 24 hours. Contact your gynecologist as soon as possible if your menstruation turns out to be too profuse.
Blood Clots When You Are Planning a Pregnancy
This is the case that should alarm you. Blood clots during period may indicate a miscarriage in the first trimester. Besides, the coagulums in this situation may look specifically. Their color is usually slightly yellowish or grayish – a sign that the fertilized egg has been rejected and discharged along with blood. Unfortunately, it is impossible to save pregnancy under such circumstances. However, if you have blood clotting during your menses and suspect it appeared due to unsuccessful conception, you have a weighty reason to visit your gynecologist. Such problems may occur because of the underlying gynecological condition, which provokes miscarriages.
Causes of Blood Clots
There are numerous causes, which can influence the consistency of menstrual blood flow. Some of them, which are banal and insignificant, can be ignored, while others urgently need special medical treatment. Below we present comprehensive information about the main causes of blood clots formation during period.
1. Iron deficiency anemia.There are researches, proving that iron deficiency sometimes may cause clotting. At the same time, if deficiency anemia hasn’t been diagnosed yet, it doesn’t mean you should start taking supplements, containing iron, immediately. First, make a blood test to determine your hemoglobin level. If it is low, go to your doctor for prescription.
2. Deficiency of biologically active substances and minerals.Those one, which regulate the processes of thrombogenesis, i.e., the formation of clots. It is, for instance, the deficiency of vitamins C, P, K and others. If a level of the amino-acid, called homocysteine, is raised, clots may form even if you have a low blood clotting factor.
3. Intrauterine manipulations.After a miscarriage, labor complications, abortions and some treatment procedures clotting may happen as a residual effect.
4. Endometriosis (adenomyosis).This disease is commonly diagnosed in women after 40-50. It is triggered usually by womb traumas due to uterine manipulations. As a result, endometrial lesions increase in number and evoke muscle hyperplasia and uterine growth. Adenomyosis is characterized by profuse, painful menses with coagulums and menstrual disorders along with the mid-cycle abdominal pains.
5. Myoma.Myoma belongs to the group of the benign hormone-dependent tumors. Its knots increase the womb in size and enlarge the endometrium area. Myoma`s main symptoms include menstrual disorders, profuse periods with thickened masses and lower abdominal pains during urination.
6. Diseases, affecting endometrium.These include endometrial hyperplasia and polyposis. Hyperplasia is associated with the excessive endometrial growth. Polyposis is the formation of polyps in the endometrium. Both conditions need special treatment. As these diseases are characterized by the growth of endometrium, they can trigger profuse periods with clots which are nothing more than pieces of proliferated uterine cells.
7. Abnormalities in the uterine development.They are associated with hereditary chromosomal abnormalities, for instance, with the uterine septum. Such disorders can also develop in fetus if a pregnant woman is smoking, abusing alcohol or using medications, forbidden during pregnancy. Uterine abnormalities inhibit the menstrual discharge and it begins to coagulate in the womb.
Masses of Thickened Blood in Menstrual Bleeding: Conclusions
If your periods are regular, moderately painful, but occasionally you have clots in your menstrual discharge, it’s not a reason to panic. However, in order to make sure there are no hidden inflammatory processes in your reproductive tract or other serious diseases, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids or others, have a blood test of coagulation after your period and do the ultrasound check.
As you see, there are at least 7 explanations why coagulums may occur in your discharge during menstruation. Besides, very often the main culprit of woman’s “sorrows” is the hormonal imbalance. Normal body functioning in females relies on a fragile balance between 2 hormones – estrogen and progesterone. They regulate production and separation processes in endometrium. When this balance is impaired, endometrial lining can become thickened, which in its turn causes more abundant monthly bleeding as well as clots formation.