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Relationships June 21, 2017
Been wondering what that bloody glob was, haven't you?
Lots of women will experience it at least once in their lifetime: a period blood clot.
That’s the goopy, bright red and slimy glob that appears every so often during menstruation.
No need to freak out. Having a period blood clot is perfectly normal. Your uterus is just trying to tell you something.
A period blood clot is made up of the same ingredients as the period blood you see normally. But the difference is, it hasn’t been broken down completely. When the body performs as it should, the lining is transformed into regular period blood.
When the anticoagulants (blood thinners) that break down the uterus lining aren’t given enough time to transform the glob into period blood, you get a clot. But it’s not always that simple.
But it’s not always that simple.
This is where it gets a little tricky. There are a few health issues related to having large clots (think the size of a quarter) and for too many days. If that’s the case, then you should speak with your doctor.
It’s possible that you may have miscarried if you notice more blood clots or grayish tissue. You should see your doctor as soon as possible if you suspect a miscarriage.
Uterine fibroids are often associated with increased menstrual blood flow and clotting. Also called fibromyomas, fibroids are non-cancerous tumors of the womb.
Meet progesterone and oestrogen. These are the hormones that regulate the uterine lining’s monthly release (menstruation). If these two hormones go out of balance, you can experience increased blood flow and clotting.
Changes in hormones can be caused by menopause, birth control and interactions with some drugs.
Though the two aren’t exactly the same, they’re definitely similar. These conditions happen when the uterine lining tissue ends up in the wrong place. In endometriosis, the lining forms outside the uterus. On the other hand, in adenomyosis, it develops within the uterine wall muscle.
Your body will not be the same – for better and for worse – after pregnancy. After having children, the uterus can get enlarged allowing for more places to collect menstrual blood.
In general, there are many reasons that something could be blocking the release of menstrual blood or causing it to collect. Don’t worry, it’s very common. And if it lasts longer than usual it’s always recommended to see a doctor.