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For women: 3 abnormal period signs you shouldn’t ignore

Menstruation is the natural part of the reproductive cycle in which blood from the uterus exits through the vagina.

Girls who start menstruating at age 12 and older may live up to 90 years!

This process is a part of the female reproductive system and prepares her body for a possible pregnancy. As long as the periods are consistent, there’s nothing to worry about.

However, a few women go through abnormal periods too, once or more in their lifetime.

What is an abnormal period?

Most women have menstrual periods that last anything between four to seven days. In fact, a woman’s period cycle can ideally range between 21 days to 35 days. So, in case you experience any changes to your monthly menstrual cycle, it is a clear sign of an abnormal period and you might need to report it to the doctor.

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  • Bleeding less than 2 days or more than 7 days

The usual period cycle is mostly between four to seven days. So, if you experience a shorter blood flow or a lengthy blood flow during a particular menstrual cycle and it happens frequently, it might be a cause of concern.

While menorrhagia means extra heavy periods, hypomenorrhea is a condition that is characterized by light periods and in this case, the menstruation occurs for less than two days with blood volume less than 80ml.

  • The cycle is less than 24 days or more than 38 days

The number of days between periods can vary for each woman, but the normal range falls anywhere between 24–38 days. So a cycle that falls outside this time frame is termed irregular or abnormal. In fact, if it varies for more than 20 days in length and it happens from month to month, it is ideal to see a doctor.

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  • Passing multiple clots

Passing blood clots during your periods is normal. However, passing large blood clots means there is something wrong. If your periods are heavier than usual or you are passing very large blood clots, check with your doctor to determine if there’s an underlying problem causing blood clots to happen.

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