Reading into the Reds

What does the colour of your period blood mean?

Menstruation, although widely despised by women all over the world, can offer us  a very deep insight into our own health. Like our routinely conducted medical tests, the color of our period blood is also an indication of what our body is trying to tell us. Contrary to what many may believe, the colour of period blood isn’t uniform across all women. They vary greatly and can point towards some very important things. Not only is the colour of period blood an indicator of pregnancy, but it can also tell us a lot about our health.

Let us find out, one by one, what the reds mean.

Dark Brown

A dark brown color usually appears at the beginning of the period cycle when the flow of blood is comparatively lighter than the succeeding stages. In some cases of menstruation, the uterus lining sheds at a slower rate. This means that the uterus is not cleaned each month and the leftover uterine lining is then carried onto the next menstrual cycle. So, in the next cycle, when the bleeding starts, it is usually dark brown in color. This is a completely normal and healthy phenomenon.

Bright Red

A bright red blood colour signifies the shedding of the new uterine lining. The flow of menstrual blood can be quite heavy during this time. In such a scenario, there isn’t any leftover blood from your previous menstrual cycle, and it shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. It is an indication of you being in the best of menstrual health. It is a state of sheer over achievement!

Medium Red

A medium red shade of blood is absolutely healthy, and most of us observe it in the middle of our period cycle. Women usually encounter this color of blood if they bleed for 5-7 days.

Gray

When undergoing menstruation, if the colour of your period blood is gray, it is surely a warning sign. Any sort of gray discharge or gray clumps point towards an infection. When the colour of  vaginal discharge is grey, it could be an indication of a miscarriage. Since this isn’t a healthy phenomenon and far from an ordinary situation of menstruation, one must consult to one's gynecologist immediately.

Large Red Clots

Some blood clotting during a period cycle is totally normal, but excessive blood clotting suggests hormonal imbalance, and this can be a very serious condition. In such cases, it is recommended that one reduces one's consumption of dairy, sugar and soy. It could also be an indicator of Uterine Fibroids. This can be very painful as you might face severe clotting in your menstrual blood. Your doctor might recommend an Ultrasound to you.

Watery or Light Pink

If your period flow is watery and slightly whitish, it can be a symptom of anemia. If your last three menstrual cycles were light colored and saw a heavy flow of blood, it means that you could be Iron deficient or severely Anemic.

Orange

At times, orange coloured blood can be a normal thing but it could also be a sign of an infection. It is recommended that you consult your gynecologist immediately if you see this color.

Bluish

You may encounter a bluish colour of blood if your body temperature is extremely low and your blood is frozen  One could experience pain and blood clotting in such a situation, but once the body temperature is back to normal, the pain will go away. In this case, there isn’t any need to consult a doctor.

Blackish

Extreme pain, excessive clotting, and a blackish colour of blood can be the symptoms of severe endometriosis or indicate a history of fibroids. This can also affect the placenta during pregnancy. If you spot this colour, waste no time and contact your doctor immediately.

They say women are good at knowing scarlet from crimson. Let’s put our knowledge to good use!