A general or biochemical blood test or some other test must be taken periodically. This is necessary in order to keep all blood parameters under control. Most often, the number of red blood cells, platelets and leukocytes is monitored. Plasma, which also contains a very large number of indicators important for the body’s vital functions, also comes under control.
Before taking a blood test, you need to remember some existing warnings or even prohibitions. In this article we will talk directly about examination during menstruation. At this time, the body itself experiences significant discomfort and one might even say shock. Some indicators rise and fall, and naturally the blood test will no longer show reliable information. There is no special prohibition on undergoing this procedure, it’s just that the permissible limits will be slightly different.
Correct cycle
The cycle plays a big role in a woman’s reproductive function. It is needed for fertilization, gestation and the birth of a child. This period is usually set one or two years after the first menstruation.
There are two cyclic phases:
- Folliculin. At this time, the follicle in the ovaries grows and matures. An egg is later released from it for fertilization. All this occurs under the influence of hormones from the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.
- Luteal. During this period, the yellow body of the follicle matures. This happens thanks to brain hormones.
According to the rules, the cycle is counted from the day the menstruation appears until the first day of the next menstruation. This period normally varies from three to five weeks. If the period is longer or shorter, this may indicate the development of pathology. In this case, you should consult a gynecologist for advice.
The duration of menstruation should be from 2 to 7 days, and the amount of blood released should be from 40 to 60 ml. If a woman experiences irregularities in blood volume, irregular cycles and pain during menstruation, she should consult a specialist.
It is recommended to note all data about the start and end dates of menstruation. Every woman should know the characteristics of her menstrual cycle.
About 60 ml of blood should be released in one cycle
What should a normal period be like?
When assessing the nature of the regulation, attention is paid to the following parameters: duration, abundance, color, smell, presence of foreign impurities in the discharge. Knowing what menstrual bleeding should be like normally, a woman can independently monitor whether everything is in order with the organs of the reproductive system
Is red blood normal during menstruation, or should I go to the hospital?
Discharge color
The main component of menstrual flow is blood. The color of your period changes depending on the day of your cycle. On days 1-2 of menstruation, the discharge may be bright scarlet in color - this is what fresh blood that has not yet coagulated looks like. There is a slight smell of iron and dampness. You can see what a normal red period looks like in the photo above.
Starting from the 3rd day of menstruation, the discharge darkens. They become dark red, beet-colored, and brownish. This is what clotted blood normally looks like. Towards the end of the regimen, on days 5-6, the discharge darkens and acquires a brown tint.
Blood consistency
In addition to blood, menstruation includes the remains of a dead egg and endometrial tissue, which are rejected at the end of the cycle. If you figure out what menstruation is and why they appear, it will become clear that normally their consistency should not be uniform.
After ovulation, the endometrium actively grows under the influence of progesterone. If fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone, regresses, the endometriotic tissue dies and is rejected - this is menstruation.
Do not worry if the discharge contains dense, dark red, scarlet or burgundy clots. Firstly, these could be particles of coagulated blood, and secondly, perhaps this is endometrial tissue.
Other characteristics
Also, when assessing menstruation, the following characteristics are considered:
- Duration. Normally, menstrual bleeding lasts from 4 to 8 days.
- Abundance. There is a gradation into spotting, scanty, medium, heavy and very heavy discharge. The amount of blood is individual for each woman; it can vary and depends on external circumstances, the use of oral contraceptives, and the emotional state. On average, a woman loses 50-200 ml of blood in one cycle.
- Regularity. Menstruation should occur every menstrual cycle, the average duration of which is 28 days; individual range can be from 23 to 35 days. A delay or the onset of menstruation 3-4 days earlier is not considered a pathology by gynecologists.
Menstrual irregularities
There are several reasons why the cycle is disrupted. The main ones include:
- stress;
- regular overwork;
- climate change;
- poor nutrition;
- ovarian pathologies;
- abortions;
- oncological diseases;
- kidney and liver diseases;
- effect of medications.
Treatment is carried out after a complete examination of the patient. It includes the following procedures:
- examination on a gynecological chair;
- ultrasonography;
- taking smears;
- obtaining anamnesis;
- blood analysis.
Sometimes the doctor prescribes hysteroscopy, MRI, and hormonal examination. Remember that self-medication poses a threat to a woman’s health. If you turn to a specialist too late, this can lead to inflammation, anemia, infertility and even death.
A blood test will clarify the reasons for the failure of the monthly cycle
Treatment tactics
Treatment is prescribed after diagnosis. A woman must undergo an ultrasound or MRI, donate blood and urine for general analysis and hormones, smears for flora, and, on the recommendation of a gynecologist, visit other specialists. Therapeutic tactics will depend on the identified problems:
- exposure to harmful factors is excluded;
- if the reason for the change in the abundance or color of menstruation is associated with hormonal imbalance, the woman is prescribed gestagens and oral contraceptives;
- for polyps, the uterus is curetted;
- in case of severe bleeding, the patient is prescribed hemostatic medications, aminocaproic acid;
- Antibiotics are used for infectious diseases;
- if stress is the cause of the disorder, sedatives are required.
Women should be especially sensitive to their health and regularly undergo preventive examinations with a gynecologist. This will help avoid the development of many pathologies of the genitourinary system.
Types of discharge during menstruation
The nature of the discharge during menstruation and a few days before its onset may indicate some pathologies occurring in a woman’s body. Every representative of the fairer sex should know which types of discharge are considered normal and which are a sign of disease. The allocations are as follows:
- Spotting. Usually observed a few days before the onset of menstruation. Sometimes they have a brownish tint. The cause may be adenomyosis, cervical erosion, polyps, tumors, ovarian wasting syndrome, pregnancy or hormonal contraception.
- Brown. 5–7 days before your period, thick, brown blood may be released. This occurs in cases of inflammation, hormonal imbalance, or trauma to the vaginal mucosa.
- Clots. Blood that has clotted does not pose a danger to the body. If your periods are painful, the cause of the clots may be endometriosis, anemia, or recent childbirth.
- Abundant. If the discharge bothers a woman for more than 7 days, and she often has to change the pad, this brings not only constant discomfort. The reason for heavy periods can be anemia, ectopic pregnancy, cancer, fibroids and polyps, endometriosis.
- Scarce. Very small discharge usually occurs due to hormonal imbalances. The cause may also be stress, infection, anemia, or sudden weight loss.
- Pink. Pink blood resembles menstruation diluted with water. Such discharge indicates problems with the genital organs. This could be inflammation of the appendages, fibroids, endometritis.
Yellow, greenish, foamy discharge is not considered normal. A sign of inflammatory diseases and thrush is white or curdled discharge, which is accompanied by redness and itching.
Each type of period has many causes. Only a doctor can determine a specific pathology. He will tell you whether this case is normal or not.
Pink periods may indicate inflammatory processes
Mucus during menstrual flow
Menstrual discharge contains blood, mucus, and the endometrial layer. Mucus comes out of the cervix throughout the entire cycle. It is the cervical glands and has different thickness at different times. This mucus protects the uterus from infections and prevents the passage of sperm. The presence of mucus in menstrual flow does not always indicate pathology.
Usually, mucous discharge bothers a woman before her period. They are transparent in color and odorless. If they do not cause discomfort, then they are considered normal. If the mucus is white, yellow or green, this indicates the development of inflammation in the appendages. The presence of itching, irritation and redness may be a sign of infection.
Sometimes menstruation with mucus is a consequence of serious diseases:
- polyps;
- inflammation of the uterus;
- ovarian cyst.
Brown mucus indicates a hormonal imbalance or that the egg is fertilized. Menstruation with mucus may occur in women who use an intrauterine device as a contraceptive. If the discharge is accompanied by mucus with blood clots and pain, you should consult a doctor.
One of the diseases that is characterized by inflammation in the genital organs is endometriosis. During this, a hormonal imbalance occurs. It usually affects women over 45 years of age. With endometriosis, menstrual flow contains mucus and is painful. Bleeding may continue for more than 7 days, and then resemble a scanty period. A gynecologist will help cure the disease. Special medications are prescribed for treatment, and operations are performed in rare cases.
Uterine polyps provoke mucus secretion
Why there was scanty discharge during menstruation, reasons
It is believed that the reasons for the appearance of scanty vaginal discharge can be both physiological and pathological. Most often, scanty discharge during menstruation appears in those women whose build can be called slender. Also, scanty discharge is the norm for teenagers, girls and women of tall stature with an oblong and thin build. In adult women, scanty bleeding from the vagina can be a sign of the imminent onset of menopause or menopause. The reasons for scanty discharge during menstruation can be the following: the use of hormonal birth control pills, a hormonal IUD (intrauterine device) and other hormonal OCs as contraception. other reasons that there is little or scanty discharge are obesity or excessive exhaustion of the body, diseases of the endometrium (mucous membrane), diseases of the endocrine system. Also, such a problem as very scanty vaginal discharge may appear due to the fact that the ovaries are not functioning properly or an abnormality of the reproductive system has appeared.
