Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAbnormal SignsCausesRisksDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Abnormal Signs
Causes
Risks
Diagnosis
Treatment
Verywell / Laura Porter
Signs Passed Blood Clots Are Abnormal
Spotting, which is when you bleed just a few drops of blood between periods, is not uncommon. Bleeding between periods becomes more worrisome if you regularly pass large blood clots. However, any kind of abnormal bleeding between periods should be brought to the attention of your healthcare provider so that the cause can be determined and treated, if necessary.
What Is Abnormal Uterine Bleeding?
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), abnormal uterine bleeding includes:
The following may be additional signs that vaginal bleeding is too heavy:
Speak to a healthcare professional if you experience any type of abnormal uterine bleeding.
What Causes Abnormal Clots Outside of a Period?
Clot formation can last longer in those with heavy menstrual flow. About 33% of people with a uterus have periods so heavy that they soak through a pad ortamponevery hour for several hours.
Possible medical causes for passing clots when not on your period include:
Risks of Passing Blood Clots
Long-term heavy menstrual bleeding is a common cause ofiron deficiency anemia, a condition where there aren’t enough red blood cells in the body. In fact, one study found that about 63% of those who experienced heavy periods also had anemia.
Symptoms of anemia may include:
Speak to a healthcare provider if you are experiencing any of these.
Diagnosing Conditions That May Cause Blood Clots
Your healthcare provider may ask you questions about your medical history and your period to find out what is causing your irregular clotting. You may be asked to keep a period diary to track the heaviness of your period, if you had clots, and how many period products, like pads or tampons, you used.
Next, your healthcare provider may do a pelvic exam. They may also do some tests including:
To diagnose your condition, your healthcare provider will take your medical history, perform a physical exam, and may also order specific tests to better understand what’s going on.
How Are Blood Clots Treated?
The treatment for your blood clots will depend on the underlying cause and may include medication or surgery.
Medication
Medication options may vary, depending on the reason for passing blood clots and the specific condition. These options include the following:
Surgery
Surgical treatment may be an option for you if you need to have polyps or fibroids removed. Your healthcare provider may also recommend surgery if medication hasn’t remedied the issue. Potential surgeries include:
Summary
Passing blood clots while on your period may not be anything to worry about. However, passing large clots that are larger than a quarter or bleeding that soaks through one or more tampons or pads every hour or any bleeding between periods warrants a call to your healthcare provider.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heavy menstrual bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Abnormal uterine bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Heavy menstrual bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Endometrial hyperplasia.Yale Medicine.Endometrial hyperplasia.MedlinePlus.Polycystic ovary syndrome.MedlinePlus.Pelvic inflammatory disease.French V.What you should know about breakthrough bleeding with birth control.TheAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Kocaoz S, Cirpan R, Degirmencioglu AZ.The prevalence and impacts heavy menstrual bleeding on anemia, fatigue and quality of life in women of reproductive age.Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(2):365-370. doi:10.12669/pjms.35.2.644Penn Medicine.What is anemia.Kaunitz AM.Patient education: Heavy periods (Beyond the Basics).UpToDate.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heavy menstrual bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Abnormal uterine bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Heavy menstrual bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Endometrial hyperplasia.Yale Medicine.Endometrial hyperplasia.MedlinePlus.Polycystic ovary syndrome.MedlinePlus.Pelvic inflammatory disease.French V.What you should know about breakthrough bleeding with birth control.TheAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Kocaoz S, Cirpan R, Degirmencioglu AZ.The prevalence and impacts heavy menstrual bleeding on anemia, fatigue and quality of life in women of reproductive age.Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(2):365-370. doi:10.12669/pjms.35.2.644Penn Medicine.What is anemia.Kaunitz AM.Patient education: Heavy periods (Beyond the Basics).UpToDate.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heavy menstrual bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Abnormal uterine bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Heavy menstrual bleeding.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Endometrial hyperplasia.Yale Medicine.Endometrial hyperplasia.MedlinePlus.Polycystic ovary syndrome.MedlinePlus.Pelvic inflammatory disease.French V.What you should know about breakthrough bleeding with birth control.TheAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Kocaoz S, Cirpan R, Degirmencioglu AZ.The prevalence and impacts heavy menstrual bleeding on anemia, fatigue and quality of life in women of reproductive age.Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(2):365-370. doi:10.12669/pjms.35.2.644Penn Medicine.What is anemia.Kaunitz AM.Patient education: Heavy periods (Beyond the Basics).UpToDate.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heavy menstrual bleeding.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Abnormal uterine bleeding.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Heavy menstrual bleeding.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Endometrial hyperplasia.
Yale Medicine.Endometrial hyperplasia.
MedlinePlus.Polycystic ovary syndrome.
MedlinePlus.Pelvic inflammatory disease.
French V.What you should know about breakthrough bleeding with birth control.TheAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Kocaoz S, Cirpan R, Degirmencioglu AZ.The prevalence and impacts heavy menstrual bleeding on anemia, fatigue and quality of life in women of reproductive age.Pak J Med Sci. 2019;35(2):365-370. doi:10.12669/pjms.35.2.644
Penn Medicine.What is anemia.
Kaunitz AM.Patient education: Heavy periods (Beyond the Basics).UpToDate.
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