During menstruation, the uterus is cleansed of the endometrium, which was formed throughout the cycle. If small clots are found during the release of blood, this is considered a normal physiological process. But if they are large, it is necessary to make an appointment with a gynecologist and undergo an examination, as this condition has many causes.
Pathologies of the structure of the uterus
Almost all women with an abnormally developed organ that performs a reproductive function suffer from heavy periods with clots. According to statistics, the pathology of the structure of the uterus of a congenital nature is diagnosed in 2% of patients.
She could be:
- Bicorn.
- Saddle.
- With baffle.
- Fully doubled.
- One-horned.
Rarely during the study, agenesis is detected - the absence of an organ or any part of it.
However, most women cannot bear a child. It also happens that conception still occurs, but withabnormalities in the development of the uterus, pregnancy and the process of delivery are more difficult.
Menstruation with blood clots in the pathology of the structure of the organ indicates that its contractility is impaired. Against this background, stagnation of liquid connective tissue occurs, which hardly comes out of the uterus.
Endometriosis
This is a gynecological disease that affects one in three women. The disease is characterized by the growth of cells of the mucous membrane of the uterus beyond its borders. At the same time, pathologically formed areas of the endometrium undergo the same changes during menstruation as he althy ones. Cells can grow not only on the organs of the reproductive system, but also on the intestines, lungs, and bladder.
Currently, the mechanism of development of pathology has not been fully studied. Doctors believe that blood clots get to other organs during menstruation and are fixed on them. In addition, they can move through vessels.
In this regard, there are 3 main provoking factors for the development of the disease:
- Surgical intervention in the organs of the reproductive system.
- Induced abortion.
- Complicated delivery.
In addition, pathology can occur due to hereditary predisposition, against the background of a weakening of the body's defenses and hormonal imbalance. The triggering factor for the development of the disease can also be unfavorable environmental conditions, prolonged exposure to stress andoverwork.
In addition to heavy periods with clots, pathology has the following symptoms:
- pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the lower back (if the lesions are located on the cervix, this symptom is absent);
- Brown discharge can be found before and after menstrual bleeding.
Endometriosis is a disease with a high risk of developing numerous complications. This is due to the fact that part of the menstrual blood is not brought out, but accumulates in various zones, forming foci of pathology. The danger lies in the attachment of all kinds of infections to them. In addition, the inflammatory process can lead to the formation of adhesions. The most severe complication of endometriosis is infertility. According to statistics, half of the patients cannot conceive and bear a child on their own.
If menstruation with clots is regular, you should contact a gynecologist who will prescribe a thorough examination and, upon confirmation of the diagnosis, draw up a treatment regimen. Currently, endometriosis can be eliminated using conservative and surgical methods. Often, doctors in practice combine several methods. With timely access to a doctor, it is possible to stop the progression of the disease.
Uterine fibroids
Until recently, it was believed that this diagnosis is understood as a benign neoplasm, which, under the influence of various adverse factors, degenerates into a cancerous tumor. Now doctors prefer to comparemyomatous nodes rather with wen or atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, the diagnosis is not a sentence and an absolute indication for surgical intervention.
The formation of fibroids comes from the smallest rudiments located in the muscular membrane of the reproductive organ. Against the background of constant changes in the hormonal balance with numerous periods, they begin to grow. This is due to the fact that nature has laid down several dozen menstrual bleeding and many pregnancies, while in a modern woman the number of cycles reaches 400 in a lifetime. Due to the wear and tear of the reproductive system, all sorts of disturbances occur in its work.
The rapid growth of nodes occurs in the presence of the following provoking factors:
- Induced abortion.
- Endometriosis.
- Inflammatory processes in the organs of the reproductive system.
- Surgical interventions.
The severity of symptoms of uterine fibroids is individual for each woman. Common signs of pathology include the following conditions:
- bleeding profusely;
- late period;
- menstruation comes with clots.
Some patients are asymptomatic. The only sign of pathology can only be strong periods with clots. If they are large, you should consult a doctor. Despite the fact that a woman with fibroids can conceive and bear a child, it is necessary to treat the nodes.
Currently, embolization is the most effective technique(blockage) of the vessels that feed the uterus. Since the nodes receive oxygen and nutrients from the organ, in the absence of blood flow, they die. At the same time, liquid connective tissue continues to flow into the uterus from small vessels and arteries of the ovaries. 3 months after the procedure, the fibroids are almost halved in size, and a year later - by 70%. The advantage of the method is that there is no need to take medications. After embolization, relapses occur only in isolated cases.
Endometrial hyperplasia
During menstruation, the body removes old cells with blood. But if their division is too active, some of them remain inside the body. Due to this, the thickening of the uterine layer occurs. This pathological process is called "endometrial hyperplasia".
Menstruation in case of illness is individual. It can proceed in one of the following ways:
- During the period of bleeding, a small amount of liquid connective tissue is released. A similar condition occurs in patients with a focal form of pathology, characterized by uneven growth of the endometrium. In this case, women may experience bleeding in the middle of the cycle. Their appearance is associated with the fragility of blood vessels.
- Menstruation is always late and very profuse. In addition, there are menstruation with clots, which is accompanied by pronounced painful sensations. The duration of the period is usually several days longer.
Endometrial hyperplasia is one of the common causes of menstruation with large blood clots. Often the consequence of ignoring the problem is infertility. In addition, hyperplasia is rare, but it degenerates into cancer. In order to avoid the development of complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor at the first warning signs. A specialist using special equipment will take the biomaterial (endometrial layer) and send it for a biopsy. Based on the results of the diagnosis, a treatment plan will be drawn up.
Currently, pathology can be eliminated by both conservative and surgical methods. The first are aimed at normalizing the hormonal balance of the patient. If they are ineffective, surgical intervention is indicated, which involves curettage.
Endometrial polyposis
Often the cause of menstruation with clots is this pathology. The disease has the following mechanism of development: during menstruation, under the influence of adverse factors, incomplete rejection of mucous membrane cells occurs. As a result, they remain in a fixed position, and with each cycle there is an increasing accumulation of them. This is how polyps form.
Most often they are formed on the background of hormonal disorders. Pathologies are most susceptible to women with a history of:
- thyroid disease;
- ovarian dysfunction;
- overweight;
- hypertension;
- diabetes mellitus;
- inflammatory processes in the organs of the smallpelvis;
- STD;
- curettage and other surgical interventions.
At the initial stage of development, the disease is asymptomatic. Then the patients note the appearance of the following pathological signs:
- Severe pain during menstruation.
- Menstruation with clots, they are plentiful and long.
- Bleeding mid cycle.
In some cases, polyps reach enormous sizes, they can even fall out of the vagina on their own. Their presence poses a great danger to the he alth of patients. Almost all women with this diagnosis suffer from infertility (but it should be noted that in most cases polyps are found in middle-aged and elderly women). In addition, a benign neoplasm can degenerate into a cancerous tumor.
In this regard, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist as soon as possible if there are heavy periods with clots. What to do and how to treat pathology will be told by a specialist. The most effective method currently is hysteroscopy - a surgical way to get rid of the disease. Also in practice, nitrogen therapy is successfully used, which involves cauterization and separation of irrigation. This procedure is considered more gentle and is offered to nulliparous women.
Hormonal imbalance
Menstruation with clots should be especially alert at the stage of pregnancy planning. Often they indicate a violation of the hormonal background, due towhich conception may not occur.
The main symptoms of imbalance are the following conditions:
- loop failure;
- heavy periods;
- large blood clots during period;
- heavy weight gains;
- breast swelling;
- weakness, fatigue.
There are many reasons for this condition. The following are considered the main ones: the postpartum period, miscarriage, pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, unbalanced nutrition, bad habits, irrational ratio of work and rest time.
Failure in the hemocoagulation system
In other words, a clotting disorder. Normally, with any bleeding, blood clots form, which stop it. Under the influence of unfavorable factors (vascular diseases, pathologies of liquid connective tissue), the hemocoagulation system fails. This ailment is accompanied by the appearance of the following symptoms: bruising even with minor bruises, bleeding that is extremely difficult to stop, heavy periods with clots. What to do? Contact your doctor, who, upon confirmation of the diagnosis, will refer you to a hematologist for treatment.
Postpartum
Every woman bleeds after her baby is born. Its duration is individual and can be up to 30 days. Abundant periods with clots after childbirth are the norm. If they do not stop within a month, you should consult a doctor. In such casessurgery is indicated, which involves the removal of the remaining placenta from the uterus.
Other reasons
In addition to all of the above factors, the trigger for the appearance of clots during menstruation can be:
- intrauterine device;
- psycho-emotional overstrain;
- alcohol abuse;
- smoking.
It is important to understand that this condition does not always indicate the development of a pathological process. It is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own, to confirm the presence of any disease, you need to undergo an examination by a gynecologist and endocrinologist.
In conclusion
Menstruation with clots is also found in he althy women. If their formation occurs in the last days of menstruation, this does not always indicate the presence of any pathological process. This condition is due to the fact that at the end of bleeding, the rate of blood clotting slows down. In addition, menstruation with clots often appears after childbirth. If the blood formations are large, they come out throughout the menstruation and this is accompanied by severe pain, you should consult a doctor. Often, these conditions are symptoms of diseases that can lead to infertility and the formation of malignant tumors.
