Sis, are you paying attention to the colour in the blood of your period? Here’s why you should:
The color of your period blood may help point to whatever is going on inside your body. From hormonal imbalance to signs of infection to more serious underlying problems like PCOS, paying attention to the colour of your period blood is essential in figuring out how your body is functioning and can save you from dangerous conditions.
It can come in a rainbow of shades from pink and whitish to bright red and even dark brown. The changes in color can tell you a lot about your body and health if you pay attention to it.
(Disclaimer: I got most of this information from research on the internet so if you do notice or feel in your gut that there’s something wrong, please see a doctor AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 😊)
Watery to very low pink colour
You may have a nutritional deficiency or are on a poor diet
You may also be severely anaemic since the iron in our bodies is what makes blood red, this the absence of iron may lead to anaemia
If after monitoring your period for two or three cycles and the colour is almost non-existent, visit your doctor as soon as possible
Pink-ish colours
You may have low estrogen levels. Studies have found that excessive exercise can lower estrogen levels, which can subsequently mess with your period, sometimes causing it to disappear altogether.
For women who are avid athletes, this is not uncommon. This is because playing sports can cause estrogen levels to drop and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but also be careful to not let it get out of hand.
Other potential culprits of a pinkish flow can include poor nutrition, PCOS, or perimenopause, which is when your ovaries start producing less estrogen in preparation for menopause.
Bright red/Cranberry red
You may have a healthy, regular period. Again, everybody’s “normal” will look different, but generally speaking, a consistently bright red flow that looks a little like cranberry juice is a signal that everything is working as it should.
Dark brown to black
I know, black is such a scary colour especially when it’s coming from your very special area lol
Dark brown to black period blood may signal either a miscarriage or you may just have older bits of uterine lining and blood that are just now making their way out of your body. The older blood bit is normal so don’t panic: The miscarriage bit is however alarming so you definitely need to see a doctor.
Sometimes the blood is sitting around for a while and comes out particularly slowly. Because it has a lot of time to oxidize,it comes out looking dark and almost black.
Everyone will shed her uterine lining at a different rate, but for the most part, seeing some dark brown blood at the beginning of your period or toward the end of it is nothing to worry about.
Dark Red and comes in thick clots
You may have low progesterone levels and high estrogen levels. While some clotting is normal, REALLY BIG clots can indicate a serious hormonal imbalance. Fibroids are another possibility. Other signs of this may be bleeding between periods, a greater need to pee (greater meaning higher than usual), a bloated abdomen or painful sex. If at least two of these symptoms match your situation, visit your doctor immediately.
They’re most often benign, but they can be painful, so if you suspect they’re behind your heavy, clot-filled periods, ask your doctor for an ultrasound.
A mix of grey and red
You may have an STD/STI
You’ll probably also experience a really “foul, necrotic stench,”. Get tested so you can get the right treatment.
Women who miscarry sometimes notice gray chunks of tissue that look like “liver,” so if you think there’s a possibility that you’re pregnant or having a miscarriage especially if you’ve already missed at least one period
Orange
Orange blood has pretty much the same meaning as grey-reddish blood. It may come with an odour just like the grey-reddish blood meaning you may have an STD/STI.
On the flip side, some women confess that they have experienced orange spotting 10-14 days after conception
What about blood colour changing throughout the duration of your period? According to health experts, this is perfectly normal. Having different colours from month to month is also okay but keep track of the colours and if or when there’s an odour you’re not used to.
