Period blood indicates you’re…

Everyone knows how periods are a crucial part of a woman's health. However, have you thought about them beyond regular cycles and pain? How often do you observe your period? Well, after reading this blog, you must! Usually, period blood is a mix of complex biological fluid composed of blood, vaginal secretions, and the endometrial cells of the uterine wall. While it's the combination of all these, the shade can differ and the colour of your period blood can tell you about your health! Curious? Let's understand a bit more.

That's how you expect the blood to be, right? Bright red is the most common colour of period blood. It indicates a steady and fresh flow. Some women might have a bright red flow that gradually turns darker during their periods, while others bleed bright red through all the days of their periods. This colour indicates normal bleeding and regular flow.

While brown is not a colour you expect for blood, it is common in menstrual blood, especially at the beginning or end. Brown blood is old blood getting out of your body. At times, blood stays in the uterus for a longer time and leaves after days. Hence, you might notice brown blood. However, in some cases, brown blood also indicates ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. Also, in the early stage of pregnancy, when the fertilised egg attaches itself to the uterine wall, it can lead to brown spotting. Hence, if you're pregnant or believe to be pregnant, check with a doctor if you notice brown discharge.

Did you know blood oxidises in the uterus? That's why you see black blood in your period! Some women experience black blood at the beginning of their period, which later turns brown and red. Sometimes though, black blood comes with a few symptoms such as fever, difficulty in peeing, itching or swelling around the vagina, etc. In such cases, you must consult a healthcare professional.

This is another common colour when it comes to periods. Dark red is a sign of blood getting oxidised when it travels from the uterus. This colour is also common in the postpartum stage where some women experience lochia. Lochia in other words means postpartum bleeding. In this stage, some women experience brown or dark red discharge. While some may experience the heavy flow of red, others will have dark red to brown bleeding. The colour and experience of postpartum bleeding change from person to person and every woman's journey is different.

Pink period or pink spotting occurs when cervical fluids mix with the period blood diluting its colour. Women who use oestrogen-lowering hormonal birth control can also experience a pink flow. However, such discharge during pregnancy can be a sign of miscarriage Hence, if you notice pink spotting or bleeding during pregnancy, discuss with your doctor immediately.

Grey discharge during a period is a sign of an infection called bacterial vaginosis. This occurs when you have more harmful bacteria than good bacteria in your vagina. You may experience pain when you pee along with some odour from the discharge. This is a clear sign, you must be talking to a doctor.

Sounds odd? Isn't though. Just like light pink bleeding, orange bleeding is a sign of menstrual blood getting mixed with your cervical fluids. In some rare cases though, orange blood can be a sign of infection. If you're experiencing discomfort, pain or odour with orange bleeding, seek medical help.

Period blood is not just blood! It is a complex mixture of various fluids, tissues and blood from the uterus. In addition, your protein intake also influences the colour and texture of your period blood. Understood?

Now next time when you get your period, don't forget to check the colour and understand what it's trying to tell you!