Key Takeaways
- Black-period blood can signify hormonal changes during PCOS, postpartum, menopause, retained blood condition, leftover oxidized blood from previous or continuous periods, post-miscarriage bleeding, or severe health condition.
- Black blood can also signify that you are pregnant in rare stances as it indicates implantation and fertilization, but not every female experiences this.
- Therefore, it is better to consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Overview
The change in colour of the Period can shock you but it is not something to be worried about in most cases. There are many reasons your period can be black; for example, Blood oxidization due to delayed discharge can also cause a color change. Color changes can occur during the same cycle or there can be variations can vary even in a single period or change from months to months from light to dark due to hormonal changes a female body undergoes with age and is closely linked to other factors such as the environment, diet, and health conditions. Therefore, color changes can indicate reproductive well-being as it is responding to changes in the environment. We have discussed eight reasons for a dark-colored period in the following article.
Why Is My Period Blood Black?
Black blood in period does look scary or out of the blue but in most cases, the reason is not concerning. Here is the list of all the possible causes behind black period blood:
PCOS or Hormonal Changes
If you are experiencing black period blood, PCOS can be the culprit. During premenopause or polycystic ovary syndrome, changes in color from light pink to red to dark brown are common. These hormonal changes can be triggered by stress and depression affecting the uterus structure and reducing its wall thickness and delaying the cell peeling process in which the uterine layer sheds, removing dead cells. The longer this process takes to complete, the darker the color of period blood becomes due to oxidation. Hormonal changes due to thyroid problems are another challenge women face, which causes a delay in their period and black discharge.
Hematocolpos
It is another term for retained periods that cause black blood and occurs due to the failure of blood to pass through the vaginal canal. The blood then stays in the vagina and accumulates, turning darker due to oxidization. There are various reasons behind hematocolpos blockages, including amenorrhea (lack of periods), cervical atresia (surgical complications), or cervical agenesis (lack of cervix).
Oxidized Period at the Start or Last
You might have questions like “Why is my period blood black and thick?” or “Why is my period blood black on the first day?” popping into your mind. During the start or by the end your blood can be delayed due to hormonal or bodily changes thus the longer time it sits inside the body, the higher the chances that it will react with oxygen and turn dark in color. Thus, if you experience this change in color during the start or by the end, oxidation is the cause. So, you can sit back and relax while your vagina is cleaning it out.
Something Stuck Inside
Some object pieces from sex toys or tampons could be the reason that is causing black blood in your period. In this condition, the color change is likely due to the infection caused by the irritation of the vaginal lining by foreign objects like condoms, contraceptives, sponges, tampons, etc. This can also trigger other symptoms like itching or discomfort, lousy odor, swelling, slow urination, or abdominal pain. In rare cases it can be life-threatening, so check with your doctor immediately if you suspect something like that.
Post Implant Bleeding
The black blood period can be disturbing but it can be a sign that fertilization has happened and you have conceived. Dark brown-colored bleeding can sometimes happen in early pregnancy as a part of the implantation process as the egg takes time to embed itself in the uterus and thus old blood takes some time to leave the body which then turns black.
Postpartum Bleeding
You might experience post-delivery, black-colored blood after childbirth as a part of a process called Lochia which is the normal process of removing leftover blood and clots. The color turns dark once the blood is oxidized and is almost black, however, it returns to normal once the internal vaginal lining is cleaned of black heavy flow and clots in about four days, but the light-colored bleeding continues until 6-8 weeks post-delivery, changing color to beige yellow before stopping completely.
Post Miscarriage Bleeding
Post-miscarriage bleeding is often accompanied by blood with clots releasing thick black discharge instead of a normal period. Miscarriage bleeding can change in color and the flow can change from light to heavy and can continue in intervals for some time after the miscarriage. This can happen in the first 5 months of pregnancy and can be a sign that embryo development has stopped so make sure to contact your healthcare provider if you experience anything similar.
Serious Health Condition
In rare stances, it can indicate an underlying health condition, including cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections (STI), or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). In the case of cervical cancer, black-colored irregular bleeding can be released post-sex or during periods. It is accompanied by other symptoms, including fatigue, pain during sex, foul smell, pelvic pain, longer and heavier periods, weight loss, and difficulty in urination. However, these symptoms occur in the advanced stages of cervical cancer, not during the early stages as in early stages discharge can be white or clear in color which turns dark with time. In the case of STIs, like gonorrhea or chlamydia, black blood can be released which is accompanied by other symptoms like itching, discharge, and foul smell.
When to Consult a Doctor
Black blood in a period can be a sign of an underlying health condition like endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or ectropic pregnancy if other symptoms accompany black blood like pain, foul smell, itching, etc. Therefore, it is advised to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis.
FAQs
Black period blood can have a foul metallic smell as post-oxidization blood smells metallic due to the presence of iron, which is an indication of the oxidization process and nothing to worry about. But it goes away once the period has ended.
It can be a sign of pregnancy in rare cases as it can indicate that implantation has occurred but not everybody experiences post-implantation bleeding. It usually occurs 10-14 days after conception and thus, blood takes some time to leave the body post-conception. This delay causes the blood color to change from dark brown to black.
In healthy period blood, with a slight smell of blood, the metallic smell is also present due to the presence of bacteria and iron.
During heavy period days, blood flow with clots is normal and most women experience this at some point in their lives and it indicates older and oxidized blood. However, in some cases, it can be a matter of concern, so getting a consultation from your healthcare provider on your next visit is a safe option.
The post Why Is My Period Blood Black? 8 Causes Of Black Discharge appeared first on Free Online Doctor Chat 24/7.
This post first appeared on Online Doctor Free 24/7 | Online Prescription, please read the originial post: here
