Menstruation is a normal thing, but it can often surprise us. The color of menstrual blood can vary from light red to dark brown. This is largely dependent on individual conditions, but some symptoms occurring during the period can be alarming.
The color of your blood during your period depends on where you are in your menstrual cycle. The bright red color appears at the beginning of the cycle, comes in various shades, even pink and orange (worry if it is bright red throughout the period). In the middle of the period, the color changes to darker – burgundy or raspberry. It happens to take on a dark brown color, but this should not be a cause for concern, because in most people it is nothing to worry about. The blood turns darker as it leaves the body more slowly, so it begins to darken “on the way”.
Much more important are the other things you should pay attention to during your period:
- Its length and abundance – if it lasts too long or too short, there is an unusually large amount of blood, be sure to consult your gynecologist. Too much or too little blood can mean various problems in the genital system, e.g. erosion, fibroids, endometriosis, polyps, infections, ovarian problems, thyroid diseases.
- Number of clots – if you have large amounts of clots in your blood, you should also see your doctor. Sometimes it can be a signal of problems, such as blood clotting disorders or uterine fibroids.
The gray color of blood is the only shade that should cause serious concern, as it usually means infection. Sometimes it also appears in pregnant women, which means that in this case it is necessary to visit a gynecologist.
Other disturbing symptoms. What should you pay attention to during your period?
In addition to menstrual irregularity and spotting, which always need to be reported to the gynecologist, there are also other symptoms that can be puzzling. If your period lasts too long, i.e. three to five/seven days. If after a week the amount of menstrual blood does not decrease much, you should consult a gynecologist. A period that lasts too long can mean the presence of inflammation, polyps, fibroids, and sometimes hormonal changes or be the result of taking certain medications.
Menstruation that is too short is also a cause for concern (less than 3 days), because it can also indicate hormonal disorders, thyroid problems, or excess androgens, prolactin or disorders in the production of progesterone.
Sometimes there is also an unpleasant smell of menstrual blood, which usually should not give off any unpleasant odor. In a woman who cares about hygiene and health, the blood will have only a slightly metallic, brackish smell, but as you know – when you forget to replace the sanitary napkin, the smell of blood can become unpleasant. The use of too thin, disposable pads can cause the blood to not dry out and chemical reactions with other substances occur, resulting in an unpleasant odor. You should only be concerned if, despite proper hygiene, menstrual blood still smells bad.