Why do I get periods with clots?

What you need to know:

  • There are different reasons as to why one can get clots during their periods

Dear doctor: I bleed with clots these days. My bleeding has even turned out to be heavy and painful. I really need a solution. —Achaye Monica

Dear Achaye Monica: To some women, a period may have clots as a common occurrence that may not indicate any medical problems. But for those who normally have light clot-less bleeding, clots can be scary.
A period is due to the shedding of the inner lining of the womb that normally happens every month in women of childbearing age.

The womb produces enough substances that prevent clotting but if bleeding is excessive these substances may be stripped leading to clots. The womb then has to contract strongly to expel the clots leading to painful periods.

Any woman can bleed excessively without health issues but when it happens often or for a longer duration (more than seven days)it may lead to anaemia.

Although bleeding with clots may be harmless, it requires medical check-up because there are conditions like sex hormone imbalances.

Some of these are due to using contraceptives such as Depo Provera (injectaplan), fibroids, womb infection, and a contraceptive coil or a miscarriage (where some parts of the baby or membranes remain in the womb called incomplete miscarriage). Also as a general routine, women of childbearing age (or older) require checks to rule out cancer of the cervix especially when they get changes in their bleeding.