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Colors of menstrual flow: what is normal and when to consult a gynecologist.

How much could you tell about your menstrual cycle? Are you able to describe the smell of your menstrual flow, the color of the blood from your period, or whether the texture is more liquid or clotted? 

If you've wrinkled your nose and thought these questions were unpleasant: that's normal. 

It is normal for you to put on a bad face when thinking about all these details because society has led us to hide certain things, to think that they are taboo, or that they cannot be discussed out loud. 

Menstrual health is one of these things that isn't talked about. And yes, we are improving, it is increasingly normalized to talk about a painful period, mention that you have your period, or that girls do not hide pads when they go to the bathroom. 

But despite this, there are certain things about our menstrual cycle that are still very unknown. In most cases, our knowledge of female physiology is limited to knowing whether we have our period regularly or not, and how long it usually lasts. 

It would be very convenient if sexual education, both at home and in schools, included much more specific attention to the female menstrual cycle and all its cyclical nature. 

Why is it so important to know female menstruation? 

Because this cyclical process offers Lots of information about women's health. The menstrual cycle is the result of the general functioning of the body. It is not a process unrelated to it, but a result of it. And, therefore, alterations in the characteristics of the cycle - its color, its intensity, its smell - can offer clues about what is happening in the body as a whole. 

Furthermore, the fact of not knowing all the possibilities and the functioning of female cyclicity generates doubts and concern.

Sometimes a change in the amount, smell or texture of vaginal discharge can worry you unnecessarily: there are a wide variety of characteristics that are considered normal and that, in fact, follow a cyclical pattern. 

This much-needed knowledge would also allow us to be alert to any changes that do not fall within what is considered normal. 

Why does menstruation change color?

The menstrual cycle has its own color chart. From pink to purple, through intense red. And there is a physiological explanation for each of them.

In most cases, it is something normal and physiological, in response to a specific hormonal or physical situation. But it is true that other times not. What is certain is that it is a good scale to know how well a woman's body functions. 

In general, a crimson red period would be a good sign of health.

Different shades of menstrual blood and their causes 

As we have seen, period blood can have many different shades, and the vast majority are physiological. We detail them and let you know when you should visit your gynecologist.

Bright red blood

Menstrual blood is usually not as bright in color as a cut on a finger, for example. This is because it is mixed with endometrial shedding tissue. The color ends up being slightly darker overall. 

The bright red color tells us about correct and recent peeling of the endometrium. This color corresponds to the moment of maximum menstrual flow.

This means that the blood is fresh and flows quickly. When too much blood is released it does not have time to clot, therefore it takes on a brighter color. Any clot that may be seen in it may be due to endometrial particles or elements of a disrupted egg.

The blood It may remain that way throughout the period or may darken as the flow decreases.

Dark red blood

The blood darkens because it oxidizes. This occurs both when there is a not very large volume of blood, and when the blood expulsion process is slowed down. 

In fact, if there is little bleeding it will tend to come out more slowly, making it easier for it to rust. If this color corresponds to not very abundant bleeding or to bleeding at the end of the cycle, it could be considered physiological.

It is also possible to observe this color when waking up in the morning. Lack of gravity when sleeping can cause blood to condense and appear darker. 

Pink blood

Seeing light red or pink blood can occur when your period is lighter than usual.

As there is little blood and it mixes with other fluids, it remains diluted, with a paler color. 

Causes of a pink menstruation: 

• moments of stress, 
• excessive exercise, 
• a very limited fat diet, 
• a significant weight loss. 
• Some hormonal contraceptives that do not contain estrogen, 
• ovulation itself, 
• the beginning of the climacteric.

But if your period becomes lighter month after month it could be an indicator of a vitamin or nutrient deficiency, or low estrogen levels, so you should consult a specialist. 

Ruler in brown or black tones

Any blood that may remain adhered to the uterus can remain there until the next menstruation. This is the main reason why dark brown bleeding may appear at the beginning of menstruation. It is due to incorrect peeling of the endometrium in the previous cycle. 

Sometimes, a cervical opening that is too narrow can hinder menstrual flow in some way and favor extraordinary remnants. Or situations like endometriosis can also generate darker fluids.

The color black, on the other hand, is no longer so physiological. If you experience This black color of menstruation should also be consulted with a gynecologist, since it may be the result of an infection or a sexually transmitted disease.

Blood in orange or rust hue

If your period blood has an orange tint, but the consistency and scent doesn't seem different from regular period blood, chances are it's nothing to worry about. 

It may be the result, as in the previous case, of a mixture with cervical fluid. However, if the texture or aroma has also changed, it may have to do with a sexually transmitted disease or infection. 

On the other hand, some women agree to identify slight orange or pink spotting when they suspect that implantation has occurred, between 10 and 14 days after conception. It would be called implantation spotting and not all women experience it, but it is true that it can have this color. 

Blue or purple blood

Although it may seem surprising, menstrual flow with this color can also appear. It is clotted blood and the explanation will be similar to that of brown discharge that we have already talked about. 

Purple menstrual flow is often related to excess estrogen in the system. A diet rich in fiber, reducing refined grains and taking a detox infusion may be enough to reverse this situation. Consult a specialist to promote the correct metabolization of sex hormones.

Grayish ruler 

Here things no longer seem to be so physiological. Grayish blood is associated with infections such as bacterial vaginosis. Pay attention to the appearance of this color, especially if it is accompanied by changes in the smell of menstruation, pain, itching or even fever. 

In addition to the color of the blood, it is very important to also analyze the smell and the texture and amount of flow in each menstruation. 

It may interest you: 

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1. Geller, S.E., et al. Differences in Menstrual Bleeding Characteristics, Functional Status, and Attitudes toward Menstruation in Three Groups of Women. Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine VOL. 8, NO. 4. May 2009.

2. Dasharathy, S.E. et al. Menstrual Bleeding Patterns Among Regularly Menstruating Women. American Journal of Epidemiology Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 2012. Vol. 175, No. 6