Period Changes and What They Might Mean for Your Health

Period changes might let you know if something is amiss. Irregular periods that are lighter than usual or longer than usual, for example, might be a sign of a hormonal disorder or uterine fibroids or polyps. A hormone imbalance might also cause jelly-like blood clots. Light brown spotting might be a sign of pregnancy.

Keep in mind that period symptoms often vary from person to person. You might contact a healthcare provider if your period suddenly changes. Read on to learn about period changes and possible causes.

1. Heavy Periods That Last Longer Than Usual

Some people have periods that only last three days, while others have periods that last six or seven days. Menorrhagia (heavy periods) are periods that last longer than one week.

Contact a healthcare provider if your periods are coming frequently (i.e., less than 21 days apart) or lasting longer than seven days for several menstrual cycles. They can help figure out the cause of your heavy periods.

Possible causes might include:

• Endometrial cancer
  
• Endometriosis, which causes tissue that resembles the inside of the uterus to grow outside of the uterus
• Certain medications (e.g., aspirin and blood thinners)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or an infection of the reproductive organs
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or a hormonal disorder that causes acne, excess hair growth, and irregular periods
• An underactive thyroid, or the butterfly-shaped gland in the center of your neck
• Uterine fibroids and polyps, or benign growths in the uterus
• Weight gain

Age is another potential cause of heavy periods. Hormone changes during your late 30s and 40s as you hit perimenopause, or the transitional period to menopause, cause periods to become shorter or longer. More menstrual bleeding could occur if the body has high estrogen levels.

2. Jelly-Like Blood Clots

Blood clots on your pad or tampon or in the toilet are normal when you have your period. These masses usually show up when your flow is very heavy. The natural anticoagulants, which normally break down blood clots before they leave your body, cannot keep up with how fast you are shedding your uterine lining.

Blood clots tend to be dark or bright red and come in irregular shapes and sizes. Small clots the size of raisins are usually nothing to worry about. Larger, thicker jelly-like blood clots that are greater than the size of a quarter may be cause for concern.

Potential causes may include:

• Hormone imbalance 
• Infection
• Menorrhagia 
• Miscarriage

Let a healthcare provider know as soon as possible if you have large clots for at least a few menstrual cycles in a row. They can take a closer look at what's happening.

3. No Periods

Amenorrhea (no periods) most often occurs during pregnancy. Some people who are not pregnant might skip periods due to hormone changes. Talk to a healthcare provider if you notice your period is absent for longer than three months and you are sure you are not pregnant.

Possible causes might include:

• Brain tumors
• Certain medications (e.g., those that treat cancer, psychosis, and schizophrenia)
• Hormone changes that occur when breastfeeding and during perimenopause
• Obesity
• Overactive or underactive thyroid
• PCOS
• Stress
• Sudden weight loss
• Too much physical activity
• Very low body fat

4. Spotting

Spotting, or light bleeding, at any other time of the month than your period can be alarming. It's probably nothing to worry about if it happens occasionally and is pretty light, like a few drops of blood. Spotting could result from fluctuating hormone levels.

Notify a healthcare provider if spotting is somewhat heavy, causing you to soak through a pad or tampon daily, or if it happens month after month. Potential causes may include:

• Cervical or uterine cancer
  
• Hormonal birth control
• Hormone changes
• Infection
• Stress
• An underactive thyroid
• Uterine fibroids or polyps
• Vaginal dryness

5. Watery or Grayish Menstrual Blood

Menstrual blood tends to be bright red at the start of your period. The color will appear brown or black as the bleeding comes to an end. The longer blood takes to leave the body, the darker red it will be. That's the effect oxygen has on blood.

Some color changes are worth taking note of. Blood that appears watery might be mixed with vaginal discharge, which can happen when you are pregnant. Watery or grayish blood could signal an infection, such as a sexually transmitted infection (STI), especially if it has a foul, strong odor.

6. Worsening Cramps

Cramps are a common period symptom. Your uterus is basically one big muscle that contracts (squeezes). Cramps happen when the uterine muscles contract to help shed their lining during your period.

Worsening cramps might be a sign of:

• Anxiety and stress
• Copper intrauterine device (IUD), a type of birth control
• Endometriosis
• PID
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• STIs
• Uterine fibroids

See a healthcare provider if you have intense cramps that sideline you from your usual routine, do not get better with pain relievers, or bother you at other times of the month. They might recommend birth control pills or other medications that can bring relief.

A Quick Review

Period changes might be a sign of an underlying health condition. Irregular periods, for example, might be a sign of uterine fibroids or a hormonal disorder like PCOS. Jelly-like blood clots could mean an infection or hormone imbalance. Talk to a healthcare provider if your period suddenly changes. They could administer diagnostic tests to help figure out what's causing these changes.