This is uncomfortable and often painful, and many women suffer from the debilitating symptoms that come from heavy periods. Here are seven reasons why you may be passing big blood clots and experiencing heavier-than-normal periods:. Your thyroid is the gland in your neck responsible for hormone production and distribution. Conditions like hypothyroid producing too little thyroid hormone or hyperthyroid producing too much thyroid hormone can impact the flow and severity of your menstrual cycle.
Growths like polyps and fibroids can settle in the uterus and its lining and can cause your period to become heavier and longer than usual. There are many types of benign fibroids, but submucosal fibroids fibroids that grow inside the uterine cavity are the most likely to cause heavy bleeding and large clotting.
Uterine polyps that grow on the cervix or in the lining of the uterus can also be a factor in heavy clotting. If you recently started a new form of birth control and are passing large blood clots during periods, your method of birth control could be a contributing factor.
Some forms of birth control, like non-hormonal IUDs, can cause heavier-than-normal periods and clots in some women. If you have an IUD and are experiencing heavy clotting and bleeding, talk to your doctor about your symptoms to find out if this is the right form of birth control for you. Like birth control, there are many over-the-counter and prescribed medications that can contribute to heavy periods with clots.
A blockage in the uterus may stop it from contracting as it should, meaning that it cannot force the blood out as quickly as usual. The blood will leave the body more slowly so it will have more time to pool and form clumps.
Blockages may occur as a result of growths in the uterus. These include uterine polyps and fibroids , which are not cancerous but can cause other health issues without proper management. Uterine polyps and fibroids consist of either endometrial or muscular tissue that grows in the uterine wall. They can cause symptoms such as:. Endometriosis is a condition that causes the tissues of the uterine lining to grow outside of the uterus.
This abnormality can lead to several symptoms, which may be worse around the time of menstruation. This can make the endometrial lining and uterine wall much thicker, which can lead to a much heavier flow during a period. If the levels of specific hormones become unbalanced, many issues can occur, including heavy menstruation or clotting. During a miscarriage, or pregnancy loss, a person will usually pass a number of large clots, depending on the stage of the pregnancy.
Pregnancy loss can sometimes occur before a person knows that they are pregnant, so they may mistake an early miscarriage for a regular menstrual cycle. An enlarged uterus can also be due to structural issues, such as fibroids. There will be additional space for the blood to pool in, which could lead to further clotting before it exits the body. Some bleeding disorders may be responsible for heavy menstrual flow, as they can affect the coagulation proteins that the uterine lining needs to stop menstrual bleeding.
People who are experiencing very heavy menstrual bleeding or have clots larger than a quarter in their menstrual blood should see a doctor, especially if they have any of the signs or symptoms of the conditions mentioned above. A person with heavy menstruation may have to change their pad, tampon, or menstrual cup more than once every 2 hours for part of their period.
They may also need two pads at a time and may miss out on everyday activities due to their menstrual flow. People with very heavy periods have a higher risk of iron-deficiency anemia. Anemia occurs when there are fewer red blood cells in the body than usual. Low iron levels can cause this because the body needs iron to make new healthy blood cells. To diagnose the cause of abnormal menstrual clots, a doctor may ask about signs and symptoms, order blood or imaging tests, carry out a physical examination, or a combination of these.
Doctors may advise taking an iron supplement if they believe that someone is losing too much blood or may be at risk of anemia.
Doctors may prescribe hormonal medications to help balance the hormones and control heavy bleeding. They may suggest using or changing a birth control method. Intrauterine devices IUDs containing progestin may reduce blood flow, and some birth control pills may also help. Doctors may recommend taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs during the period to help reduce symptoms, such as cramping, pain, and discomfort.
People who prefer not to use hormone treatments may wish to try medications that control blood clotting instead. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors.
For most women, occasional clots in period blood are normal and nothing to be concerned about. That said, it's also possible that another condition is causing abnormal blood clots to appear in your period blood. This article is a guide to menstrual blood clots—what they're made of, how they form in your period blood, and possible signs that something else could be causing them. Your menstrual period starts when hormones trigger your body to shed the lining of the uterus endometrium.
As the lining sheds, small blood vessels bleed. To prevent too much blood from being lost, your body forms blood clots using a combination of plasma the liquid part of blood and platelets tiny blood cells that bind together to form clots. Mixed into the menstrual blood are also bits of tissue from the uterine lining. Thus, what appears to be a blood clot may actually be a clump of endometrial cells.
Or, it can be a mixture of both endometrial cells and blood clots. Dark red or blackish clots may appear during the first few days of your period when the flow is heaviest. Your period may start or end with bright red blood clots, too. This means the blood is flowing quickly and doesn't have time to darken.
When your menstrual flow is heavier, blood clots tend to be bigger because there's a larger amount of blood sitting in the uterus. In order to pass larger blood clots, the cervix has to dilate a bit, causing pain that can be quite intense.
This partially explains why, if you have a heavy flow, you're more likely to have cramping. Menorrhagia refers to heavy menstrual bleeding and menstrual bleeding that lasts more than seven days. Your flow is considered heavy when you have to change your pad or tampon after less than two hours, or you are passing blood clots that are the size of a quarter or larger.
Some of these conditions include:. If you're pregnant and passing clots, see your healthcare provider or go to the nearest emergency room. This may be a sign of a miscarriage or a potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, in which the fetus has implanted outside of the uterus.
Blood clots in and of themselves aren't a medical condition, but rather a possible symptom of another underlying condition. Your healthcare provider may start trying to diagnose the cause of your blood clots by asking you some questions, such as:.
Next, your healthcare provider will do a pelvic exam. They may also want to do some tests to figure out what might be causing your blood clots. These tests may include:. Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider's appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Your treatment will depend on a number of factors, including:. Prolonged, heavy menstrual bleeding is a common cause of anemia in women of reproductive age. In fact, one study found that Anemia can make you feel tired, weak, dizzy, and lightheaded, among other symptoms. To treat the condition, your healthcare provider may prescribe iron tablets or supplements to restore iron levels in your blood. Iron supplementation will not make your period lighter.
However, it can remedy the symptoms of anemia and help you replace healthy red blood cells. Certain contraceptives may reduce your menstrual blood flow and control irregular bleeding.
In particular, healthcare providers may suggest hormonal IUDs or birth control pills. Two forms of oral contraceptives are used to control heavy bleeding: combination birth control and progesterone-only birth control. Norethindrone is considered the most commonly used progesterone-only oral contraceptive.
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