It is not uncommon for a woman to see blood clots in her menstrual blood at some point in her reproductive years. According to Mayo Clinic Internist Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, passing blood clots during menstruation can be perfectly normal, and the amount and frequency differ per individual. A woman's body goes through many changes that may directly affect her menstrual cycle. Even though blood clots can be normal, it is important to know when they may indicate a problem.
Definition
A menstrual blood clot is a red to purple gelatinous mass that is passed with the menstrual blood. Although some women with light or medium flows pass these clots, it is more common for women with heavy menstrual cycles to pass clots. A woman may not have blood clots during every cycle and may only experience them every once in awhile. Blood clots are formed when the body doesn't have enough time to produce anticoagulants, so if a woman has a quick flow or a heavy flow it is very likely that she will also pass blood clots.
Identification
Although passing blood clots can be perfectly normal, there are some instances when blood clots are considered abnormal. These include blood clots larger than a quarter, large amounts of blood clots, passing blood clots after menstruation or between periods and passing large blood clots accompanied with pain. It is also abnormal to pass any amount of clots during pregnancy--with or without pain--especially large clots.
Causes
Uterine fibroids, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome are conditions that can cause abnormal blood clotting during menstruation.
Uterine fibroids are small growths within the uterine muscle, lining or cavity. These growths are estrogen sensitive, so the uterine fibroids will continue to grow for as long as a woman menstruates. The growth of these fibroids may cause extremely heavy menstrual bleeding and blood clots.
Endometriosis is a condition that causes the cells that form uterine tissue to grow outside of the womb. This means during menstruation the tissue will bleed wherever it's located. This causes pain and abnormally heavy bleeding, which can cause blood clots.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that causes a woman to have irregular hormone levels, which results in irregular menstrual cycles. Women with this condition often have prolong menstruation or heavy menstruation accompanied with blood clots.
Treatment
Treatments for blood clots passed during menstruation will depend on the cause of the blood clots. If the blood clots are formed due to a condition that causes a hormonal imbalance, the doctor will likely prescribe oral contraceptives or replacement hormones to correct hormone levels. These contraceptives will be taken daily by mouth. If the abnormally heavy bleeding and blood clots are caused by abnormal growths, such as ovarian cysts or uterine fibroids, the growths may have to be removed to stop the heavy bleeding. This in turn will stop the blood clots from forming. In serious but rare cases, the doctor may have to perform a hysterectomy, which is a procedure that removes the uterus completely.
Warning
Call a physician if you are passing blood clots regularly, if they are larger than a quarter or if they are accompanied by pain or a fever. Also, seek medical attention immediately if you are passing blood clots at any time during pregnancy.
References
- MayoClinc.com: Blood Clots During Menstruation
- Women's Health Zone: Are Blood Clots During Menstruation Normal
- "American Medical Association Complete Medical Encyclopedia"; AMA Press; 2003
