How much menstrual clotting is normal

Your flow is considered normal if menstrual bleeding lasts 4 to 5 days and produces 2 to 3 tablespoons of blood or less. For women with heavier flows, excessive bleeding and clot formation can be prolonged. One-third of women have flows so heavy they soak through a pad or tampon every hour for several hours.

Physical and hormonal factors can impact your menstrual cycle and create a heavy flow. Heavy flows increase your chances of developing menstrual clots. Conditions that enlarge or engorge the uterus can put extra pressure on the uterine wall. That can increase menstrual bleeding and clots. Fibroids are typically noncancerous, muscular tumors that grow in the uterine wall.

Besides heavy menstrual bleeding, they can also produce:. The cause is unknown, but genetics and the female hormones estrogen and progesterone likely play a role in their development. Endometriosis is a condition in which cells that resemble the uterus lining, called endometrial cells, grow outside the uterus and into the reproductive tract.

Around the time of your menstrual period, it can produce:. Adenomyosis occurs when the uterine lining, for unknown reasons, grows into the uterine wall. That causes the uterus to enlarge and thicken.

In addition to prolonged, heavy bleeding, this common condition can cause the uterus to grow two to three times its normal size. In order to grow and thicken properly, the uterine lining relies on a balance of estrogen and progesterone.

The main symptom of a hormonal imbalance is irregular menstruation. For example, your periods may be later or longer than usual or you may miss them entirely. According to the March of Dimes, as many as half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. A heavy menstrual flow could also be caused by von Willebrand disease VWD.

While VWD is rare, between 5 and 24 percent of women with chronic heavy menstrual bleeding are affected by it. VWD might be the cause of your heavy menstrual cycle if it occurs regularly and you bleed easily after a minor cut or your gums bleed too easily.

See your doctor if you suspect this is the cause of your heavy bleeding. They should be able to help get you a diagnosis. See your doctor if you regularly have large clots. One of the major complications of heavy menstrual bleeding is iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms include:. To determine the underlying cause of your menstrual clots, your doctor will likely ask you about things that impact menstruation. Additionally, your doctor may use blood tests to look for hormonal imbalances.

Imaging tests, such as an MRI or ultrasound , can be used to check for fibroids, endometriosis, or other obstructions. But if you believe you have menorrhagia, your periods are irregular, or you are concerned about painful cramps or other symptoms, go ahead and schedule a visit with your healthcare provider.

You know your body better than anyone else; if something feels off, give your healthcare provider or gynecologist a call. Unless you are new to having periods, you are probably used to the changes your body goes through during your monthly cycle. Your PMS symptoms and the heaviness of your menstrual flow can vary from month to month, too. To help you keep track of these changes, you may find it helpful to take notes about your period in a journal or a smartphone app. This information will be useful for your healthcare provider in determining the cause of your heavy period and what kind of treatment is best for you.

Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Shoupe D. The progestin revolution: Progestins are arising as the dominant players in the tight interlink between contraceptives and bleeding control. Contracept Reprod Med. Diagnosis of heavy menstrual bleeding. Womens Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heavy menstrual bleeding. Reviewed December Uterine fibroids: current perspectives.

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