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Topics: Periods, Women's Health, Health
Rhianna Benson
Doctors and nurses often use the colour of a person's period blood as a starting reference when determining whether or not they might be battling a particular health condition.
That's because menstruation can be affected by other changes going on inside the body.
With that in mind, medics believe that women and individuals who menstruate should clue themselves up on the colour that a healthy flow would demonstrate, as well as the different shades that period blood might present itself and what this could mean.
According to experts at Medical News Today, this indicates fresh blood, and as such, a steady menstrual flow.
Whilst this colouring might be partial to darkening towards the end of a cycle, in most cases, it'll remain red until it stops.
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If you observe bright red blood between cycles, however, this could either be a sign of an STI - like chlamydia or ghonorrhea - or growths/polyps within the uterus or cervix.
In very rare cases, bright red blood could indicate cervical cancer - though, this usually comes hand-in-hand with a number of other symptoms, like heavier or longer periods, bleeding after intercourse, back/leg/pelvic pain, weight loss or foul-smelling discharge.
Black blood can be common as an individual reaches the end of their period, being that it is an indicator of being older blood, or blood that has taken longer to leave the uterus.
The colour change is caused by oxidisation, in these cases.
That said, however, black blood can sometimes indicate some form of blockage inside the vagina, which usually accompanies other symptoms - like foul-smelling discharge, a fever, urinating issues, or swelling - and requires medical treatment.
Like cases of black blood, this can be common as individuals approach the end of their menstrual cycle.
In a lot of cases, however, spotting with brown blood can serve as an early indicator of pregnancy, and is referred to in the medical community as implantation bleeding.
If this occurs unexpectedly at the later stages of a pregnancy, it could indicate that a miscarriage has occurred, or that the patient is suffering with an ectopic pregnancy - when the fertilised egg implants in the fallopian tubes, as opposed to the uterus.
Dark red/brown blood can also occur following childbirth and is known in these cases as lochia, or postpartum bleeding, which is not a cause for concern being that it usually passes several months after delivery.
A pale, light red coloured period occurs when menstrual matter mixes with cervical fluid, and usually occurs as a result of hormonal birth controls lowering the amount of oestrogen in the body. This can cause a period flow to lighten in colour.
Such is also the case when sexual intercourse results in small tears of the vagina or cervix.
Pink period blood could also serve to indicate that a miscarriage has occurred, especially if tissue is also observed inside it, or it accompanies cramps. As such, it's recommended that pregnant women who experience vaginal bleeding visit a doctor.
In the same way, orange menstrual fluid can also indicate that blood has mixed with cervical discharge.
In some cases, however, this particular variant can indicate infections like bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis.
Sufferers of this particular shade should also watch out for itching within the area, as well as discomfort and foul-smelling discharge, as these support the likelihood of infection.
Arguably the most unnerving shade, grey discharge - either whilst menstruating or otherwise - is considered a sign of bacterial vaginosis.
This common infection is caused by an imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria in the vagina.
Other indicators of this health woe include a foul-smelling odour from the area that could be accurately described as 'fishy', as well as pain when urinating.
It is treatable in the majority of cases with antibiotics.