Black Period Blood

All girls will get to experience black period blood once in a while. When consistent black period blood occurs in every menstrual cycle then it is perfectly normal. What’s not normal is when the blood color, clotting, or thickness suddenly change.

Menstrual Cycle and Black Period Blood

During a menstrual cycle, the uterus lining thickens to prepare the uterus for the possibility of getting pregnant. When pregnancy is not achieved, the egg will die and get discarded. All the dead materials are washed off from the woman’s body in the form of blood through menstruation period.

Women may experience vaginal discharge which is pretty normal and is part of a menstrual cycle. At the start of the menstrual cycle, the production of mucous is at its peak. These discharges are usually colorless. At the end of the menstrual period some women may experience dark or black period blood. These condition does not usually indicate critical condition and it can happen to just anyone.

Different types of Discharge

• White discharges are common especially at the beginning of menstrual cycle. When white discharge is accompanied with itching it may be an indication of yeast infection

• Clear and stretchy discharge means “fertility” or you are currently ovulating.

• Clear and watery can occur anytime of the cycle and are pretty normal.

• Yellow or green discharge indicates an infection especially when it’s thick and clumpy with foul odor.

• Brown period discharge dark discharge usually occurs at the beginning and end of a menstrual period especially during the cleaning out of the uterus.

• Blood spotting or brownish discharge occurs at mid cycle which may indicate an early sign of pregnancy or a sign that menstrual period is about to come.

Black Period Blood at the end of period

It’s pretty normal to experience black blood near the end of a menstrual cycle. Black blood is old blood which was not expelled from the body as quickly as possible and was already exposed to air or oxygen which caused the change in color.

Black period blood is often normal but in some cases it may be an indication of a more serious complication. If something feels not right, it is better to have it checked by your health care provider right away.

Causes of Black Period Blood

Brown or dark discharge can be due to remnants of old endometrial tissues. This happens when the uterus is cleaning out old tissues and changing into newer ones. While in other cases the blood is exposed to oxygen thus the color change.

Common suspected reasons of blood discoloration are:

• Stress and depression: stress and depression can cause the uterine lining to thin out which may delay shedding of the endometrial wall. This delay causes blood period to be oxidized and change its color.

• Blood Clotting: blood clots are usually characterized by black period blood discharge. Once the clot subsides, the blood color will return to normal. Blood clotting may also occur after miscarriages.

• Medications: medications like birth control pills and injectable steroids can cause blood discoloration.

On some cases, there are instances that changes in blood color might be an indication of damage in one of the internal parts. Some brown or black discharges may be caused by erosion, rupture of a cyst in the uterus, or injury in the surface and mouth of the uterus.

Other reasons can be an indication of a more serious disorder like yeast infection, PID or pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical cancer, bacterial vaginosis, and STD or sexually transmitted disease.

Dark blood can also be an indication of the beginning of menopausal period or premenopausal stage. Or it can also be an indication of an early sign of pregnancy.

Remedies or Treatment for Black Period Blood

When reasons for discoloration are caused by oxidation, doctors will usually advise women to let it be because it’s only normal. Dark blood period should only occur during the menstruation period. When brown or dark discharges still occur after the period, it may indicate a more serious disorder.

When this happens, set an appointment with your gynecologist to examine the root of the problem. Some serious cases are sometimes accompanied by itching, skin rash, vaginal dryness, loss of appetite, pain during sexual intercourse, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, mood swings, and more.

Treatments may range from mild to severe depending on the result of the test. Some treatments may require change in diet and supplements, chemotherapy, surgery, and more Pap smear and medical testing.

What to Do when Black Period Blood Occurs

When black period occurs and if it happens for the first time, first wait and observe your menstrual flow until the end if the black period blood discharge subsides. If not then it may be an indication of a more serious problem. At this time it is better to get an appointment with your doctor and have it checked. Like they all say early detection is the best way of prevention.