Many women don't know that the colour and consistency of their menstrual blood can tell them a lot about their health. It is therefore worthwhile to take a closer look at this topic and keep an eye on your menstrual bleeding, not only with regard to its regularity.
What colour your menstrual blood can be, what it means and when you should be concerned about your health is explained below.
The most important facts about the colour of your period blood at a glance
- The colour of menstrual blood can vary from light pink to different shades of red to dark brown.
- In most cases, brown menstrual blood is harmless and is just a sign that the blood has oxidised.
- If the menstrual blood is light red to medium red in colour, it is usually safe to assume that everything is fine and the period is normal.
- Dark red menstrual blood, which may also contain clots, is usually a sign of high oestrogen levels.
- If the menstrual blood is pink, it may indicate low oestrogen levels, which can be caused by stress or dieting, for example.
- Recurrent pink intermenstrual bleeding can be a symptom of cervical cancer and requires medical examination.
- Grey vaginal discharge may indicate infection or miscarriage and should be examined by a doctor.
- Every period is different and changes in the colour of the blood during menstruation are usually quite normal.
- If in doubt, always consult your gynaecologist if you have any abnormalities during your period.
Every period is different
Your period is very individual. It can vary from woman to woman. This applies to both the intensity of the bleeding and the colour of the menstrual blood. One factor that plays a very important role in connection with the colour of the blood is the level of oestrogen.
The female sex hormone oestrogen is responsible for controlling your menstrual cycle. If too much or too little of it is produced, this can quickly have obvious effects on your menstruation. These effects do not always have to be serious. But changes in the colour of menstrual blood are of course easily noticed and quickly cause women concern.
How much blood do you lose during your period?
On average, a woman loses a total of 30 to 70 millilitres of blood during her period. Even though you may occasionally have a different impression, the actual amount of blood lost during your period is actually not that great. A menstrual panty, like the ones you can find in our shop, is therefore in many cases completely sufficient to reliably protect women during their period.
What does brown blood during the period mean?
It is common knowledge that blood is normally red. Therefore, when menstrual blood suddenly turns a brown colour, the shock is often very great. It may be that the menstrual blood is brown every period, only sometimes or never. In most cases, however, worries about this are completely unfounded. Blood oxidises when it comes into contact with oxygen.
This changes its colour from red to brown. A brown period is usually just a sign that your bleeding is slow and the blood is in contact with oxygen for longer. Brown blood usually occurs at the beginning and end of menstruation because bleeding is comparatively light during this time.
Often, dark brown to black menstrual blood is simply parts of your uterine lining. This tissue and the blood that comes out with it take a relatively long time to pass out of your body through the cervix and vagina.
Another possible cause of brown or even black menstrual blood is blood that was not excreted during your last period. If this does not happen regularly, it is usually not a problem. If it happens more often, you should talk to your gynaecologist about it.
What does light red to medium red menstrual blood mean?
If your menstrual blood is bright red, it usually means that the blood is still very fresh. On the second to third day of your period, the lining of the uterus usually comes off very quickly and the bleeding gets heavier. This means that the menstrual blood leaves the body in a relatively short time and therefore has no opportunity to change colour through oxidation.
If the blood is not bright red, but instead has a strong red colour, that is also perfectly fine. So in this case you can relax. If there are no other abnormalities, your period should be normal and there should be no reason to worry.
What does dark red menstrual blood mean?
Dark red menstrual blood can indicate increased oestrogen levels. Often the blood is also a bit thick and lumpy. This is because your uterus builds up a particularly thick layer of mucus, which naturally has to be expelled during your period.
This is perfectly normal for women who are going through menopause. However, if you are still quite young and you often have noticeable dark red or lumpy menstrual blood, we recommend that you contact your gynaecologist for a check-up to be on the safe side.
What does pink menstrual blood mean?
If your menstrual blood is a light pink colour, it can be due to a number of reasons. Often it is a sign of low oestrogen levels. You may have been under a lot of stress recently, or you may not have had enough sleep. Or you may be on a very strict diet which is having a negative effect on your oestrogen levels.
If the noticeable pale colouring is temporary, you can rest easy. However, if your menstrual blood is pink over several cycles, we recommend that you consult your gynaecologist. Keep in mind that light-coloured bleeding could be a sign that you are pregnant. As you know, bleeding is not always absent during pregnancy, even if it is not menstrual bleeding.
Apart from that, light pink menstrual blood can also be so-called ovulation bleeding. Ovulation bleeding can occur in the middle of the period. In this case, the strikingly light colour of the blood is caused by mixing with cervical mucus.
Beware of pink bleeding in between periods
If you have pink, watery bleeding at irregular intervals outside of your period, this may indicate that you have cervical cancer. If this is the case, contact your gynaecologist as soon as possible for an examination and advice.
What does grey menstrual blood mean?
If you have grey vaginal discharge, it could mean that you have an infection. Pieces of grey tissue in combination with heavy bleeding can also be an indication of a possible miscarriage. If you notice grey menstrual blood, contact your gynaecologist.
If you think you have an infection, we recommend that you temporarily stop using tampons. In this case, use sanitary pads or sustainable period underwear. This way you can make sure that you don't upset the vaginal environment any further.
Why does the colour of the blood change during the period?
You will probably notice that the colour of your blood changes during your period, sometimes being a little lighter and sometimes a little darker. This is perfectly normal and has nothing to do with any health problems.
Just keep an eye on your menstrual blood. However, if your blood is abnormally coloured over a long period of time, if it suddenly turns grey, or if anything else seems strange, don't hesitate to contact your gynaecologist as soon as possible. Apart from that, if you are unsure, it can often be helpful to talk to other women.
Do not ignore disturbances of the cycle
It is quite normal that the female cycle and the period do not always run absolutely the same. Nevertheless, you should not ignore any disturbances that occur. After all, there may be underlying health problems that need to be treated. If you have any doubts, contact your gynaecologist and ask for advice to be on the safe side.
A menstrual cup can help you recognise changes
If you feel that the colour and consistency of your menstrual blood has changed and you want to keep a closer eye on it, it can be useful to use a menstrual cup. This is because the blood is collected in it, so that you can easily see changes in the colour as well as the amount.
Similar to our period pants, a menstrual cup is also a reusable product. If you value sustainability and want to avoid unnecessary waste from disposable products, a menstrual cup is also a good choice. For optimal protection during your heavy days, you can also combine it with period knickers.
The colour of menstrual blood and your health - our conclusion ❤️
As you can see, a look at your menstrual blood can actually tell you a lot about your health. In principle, different colours are completely normal and in most cases there is no reason to worry.
However, under certain circumstances, the colour and consistency of your menstrual blood may indicate a health problem. If in doubt, do not hesitate to contact your gynaecologist so that you can take early action if necessary.
