While menstruating, many women might pass small blood clots. This is a normal part of menstruation; however passing large, thick blood clots can be a sign of underlying health conditions.

What you need to know:

Understanding blood clots during periods
What causes blood clots In periods?
When to seek medical attention?
Managing blood clots during periods

Understanding Blood Clots During Periods

The hormones in your body cause the lining of your uterus to start shedding. During this process, some small blood vessels start bleeding. This results in your body using plasma and platelets to form blood clots in order to prevent excess loss of blood. Thick blood clots during periods can get collected inside your uterus and just stay there. Typically, blood clots in periods occur when the flow is heavy. Blood clots are defined as ‘abnormal’ when they are regularly bigger than a quarter.

What causes blood clots In periods?

Here are some health conditions that can cause blood clots during periods:

Hormonal changes

A healthy balance of hormones in your body is vital for maintaining uterus health. An imbalance of certain hormones like progesterone can also lead to heavy menstruation and irregular blood clots.

Uterine fibroids

Blockages like uterine polyps and fibroids can stop your uterus from contracting normally. This means that your uterus will not be able to push the blood out as quickly as it normally does, increasing the risk of the formation of blood clots. This blockage can also cause a heavier flow, leading to blood pooling.

Endometriosis

This condition causes the tissues of the uterine lining to grow outside of the uterus. This can lead to several symptoms that can worsen during periods, including:

Dysmenorrhea or excruciating pain during periods
Menorrhagia or heavy bleeding during periods
Pain and cramps in the lower back
Fertility issues

Bleeding disorders

Bleeding disorders can also cause heavy menstrual flow as they disintegrate the coagulation proteins that are required by the uterine lining to stop excessive bleeding. For example, health conditions such as platelet function disorder can lead to heavy menstruation.

When to seek medical attention?

While blood clots in periods are a normal part of a menstrual cycle, you must visit your doctor if you feel a lot of pain. You should know about the following information while speaking with your doctor:

How long your period lasts normally
How heavy your menstruation flow is
If you have been feeling pain
List of medications you take
List of prevalent medical conditions

After proper medical test and analysis, your doctor may prescribe:

Hormonal therapy
Surgery
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Tranexamic acid
Contraceptives
Antifibrinolytic medicines

Managing blood clots during periods

Here are some habits and practises that you can incorporate to manage blood clots during periods.

Medication options

Your doctor may prescribe hormonal medications to regulate and balance your hormone levels to reduce excessive bleeding during periods. You may also be asked to have NSAIDs during periods to reduce cramps, pain and discomfort.

Healthy lifestyle changes

You should also adopt healthy habits in your daily life that may help with abnormal blood clots during periods, including:

Drinking lots of water
Eating a healthy iron-rich diet
Exercising regularly
Avoiding aspirin (It may make bleeding worse)

Period blood clots are normal and are a normal symptom of heavy menstrual flow. However, if you notice a pattern of heavy flow or abnormal blood clotting, then you should immediately visit a medical expert. Following the doctor’s instructions and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help you get back on your feet easily.

Stay tuned to the Activ Living Community. Keep up to date with the latest health tips and trends through expert videos, podcasts, articles, and much more in nutrition, fitness, mindfulness, and lifestyle conditions like Asthma, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Diabetes. Activ Living ke saath sahi sehat ki shuruaat ABHIkaro.

You may also be interested in the following blogs:

Popular Searches