You might notice that when you’re having your period, you’re also passing blood clots at the same time. But what’s the meaning behind them? Why do we get period blood clots during our time of the month? Are they anything to be worried about?
Below, we’ve set out some useful info on everything you need to know about period blood clots, what’s normal and what isn’t, and what you can do if you think something might be wrong. Spoiler alert: it’s time to go and speak to your doctor!
For most of us, passing blood clots occasionally during a period will be completely normal. They’re made up of blood and the lining that builds up in your uterus in preparation for pregnancy, and the body is simply getting rid of it when you have your period and don’t get pregnant.
Blood clots will normally happen when you’re having a particularly heavy menstrual flow, and are more common in the first two days of your cycle. These are usually the heaviest days of every month, so you’ll be more likely to pass them then.
Like your actual period, blood clots can also vary in colour from bright red to darker and closer to brown. This is because the blood passed later in your period is older and is leaving the body more slowly than it would’ve done at the start.
On occasion, the clots closer to the end of your period might also be bright red, but this doesn’t mean that anything is wrong ‒ it just means this blood hasn’t had time to darken because it’s flowing quickly.
If you’re more likely to have a heavy flow, excessive bleeding and clots forming can last for a bit longer than normal. If they’re small (no larger than a 10p coin) and only happen occasionally, there’s no need to worry about it.
Period blood clots are not life threatening, but if you’re passing clots larger than a 10p coin during a period, then you might want to have a chat with your doctor about what this could mean. Having consistently heavy menstrual bleeding and frequently passing big blood clots could be a symptom of an underlying problem.
Some indications that you go through heavy periods include:
If you’re passing blood clots (typically with pain or cramping) and think you could be pregnant, please speak with a doctor or another medical professional right away. This could be a sign of a miscarriage.
Your period starts when hormones are triggered that make your body shed the lining of the uterus. When this lining sheds, small blood vessels will bleed as well.
To protect your body and to prevent too much blood from being lost, your body forms blood clots. These are made up of a combination of plasma (meaning the liquid part of your blood) and platelets (tiny blood cells that bind together to form the clot). You’ll also find bits of tissue from the uterine lining mixed in more often than not.
You’ll usually find that you’re passing big blood clots when you’re on your heavier days because there’s a larger amount of blood sitting in the uterus. This might also mean that your period will come with pain and cramping that you might not get on your lighter days, as the cervix needs to dilate more to pass large clots.
The causes behind particularly heavy periods and getting more period blood clots can change, depending on your age and medical history. Some of the reasons you may be getting big period blood clots more often include:
You might spot signs of blood clots or bleeding after a period, and there are many things that could be causing this. Not all of them will be something to worry about, either. For example, it’s completely natural to have some irregular bleeding or spotting between periods if you’ve just started new hormonal contraception, if you miss taking your contraceptive pill, or if you’ve recently had an injury to your vagina (including from penetrative sex).
If you are worried that blood clots after a period have already been and gone might be something else, the best thing that you can do is talk to your doctor. They’ll be able to talk to you about your symptoms and may set up a test for diagnosis.
If you’re called to see your doctor about your blood clots, they might start by asking you a few simple questions such as:
The doctor might also recommend a pelvic exam, and want to do some tests that could help them to work out what is causing your blood clots. These tests include:
Treatment for large period blood clots can vary, depending on a number of different factors. These might include:
The usual routes for treating period blood clots and heavy periods are based on medication or surgery, especially if they’re having a knock-on effect.
For example, if your periods are making you anaemic, your doctor may decide to put you on iron supplements to help manage the symptoms. They might also decide that you’ll benefit from going on the Pill, having hormonal therapy, or taking medicines that help to reduce your bleeding.
Different types of surgeries might also be offered if medication doesn’t work, or if you need polyps or fibroids removed.
You know how best to manage your own period, and taking care of yourself while you’re on your more delicate days should (of course) be your priority. That’s why it’s important to make sure you’re handling your symptoms even on your heaviest days, by doing things such as:
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