During menstruation, the uterus is cleansed of the endometrium, which formed during the cycle. If small clots are detected during blood secretion, this is considered a normal physiological process. But if they are large, you must make an appointment with a gynecologist and undergo an examination, since this condition has many reasons.
Pathology of the structure of the uterus
Almost all women with an abnormally developed organ performing a genital function suffer from abundant menstruation with clots. According to statistics, pathology of the structure of the uterus of a congenital nature is diagnosed in 2% of patients.
She may be:
- Two-horned.
- Saddle-shaped.
- With a partition.
- Fully doubled.
- One-horned.
Less commonly, agenesis is revealed during the study - the absence of an organ or any part of it.
However, most women can not bear a child. It also happens that conception still occurs, but with abnormalities in the development of the uterus, pregnancy and the delivery process are more complicated.
Menstruation with blood clots with pathology of the structure of the organ indicate that its contractility is impaired. Against this background, stagnation of liquid connective tissue occurs, which hardly leaves the uterus.
Endometriosis
This is a gynecological disease that affects every third woman. The disease is characterized by the proliferation of cells of the uterine mucous membrane beyond. In this case, pathologically formed sections of the endometrium undergo the same changes during menstruation as healthy 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 the development of pathology is not fully understood. 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.
- Artificial abortion.
- Complicated childbirth.
In addition, pathology can occur due to a hereditary predisposition, against the background of a weakening of the body's defenses and a violation of the hormonal background. Adverse environmental conditions, prolonged exposure to stress and overwork can also be a trigger factor for the development of the disease.
In addition to heavy periods with clots, the pathology has the following symptoms:
- pain in the lower abdomen, radiating to the lower back (if the foci are located on the cervix, this symptom is absent);
- Before and after menstrual bleeding, brown discharge can be detected.
Endometriosis is a disease in which there is a high risk of developing numerous complications. This is due to the fact that part of the menstrual blood is not excreted, but accumulates in various zones, forming foci of pathology. The danger lies in joining all kinds of infections. In addition, the inflammatory process can lead to the formation of adhesions. The most serious 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 need to contact a gynecologist who will prescribe a thorough examination and, when confirming the diagnosis, will draw up a treatment regimen. Currently, endometriosis can be eliminated using conservative and surgical methods. Doctors often combine several techniques in practice. 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 refers to a benign neoplasm, which, under the influence of various adverse factors, degenerates into a cancerous tumor. Now, doctors prefer to compare myomatous nodes more likely with wen or atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, the diagnosis is not a sentence and an absolute indication for surgical intervention.
The formation of fibroids occurs 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 several tens of menstrual bleeding and many pregnancies, but in a modern woman, the number of cycles reaches 400 in a lifetime. Due to the wear of the reproductive system, all sorts of violations occur in its work.
The rapid growth of nodes occurs in the presence of the following provoking factors:
- Artificial abortion.
- Endometriosis
- Inflammatory processes in the organs of the reproductive system.
- Surgery.
The severity of symptoms of uterine fibroids is individual for each woman. The following conditions are referred to common signs of pathology:
- heavy bleeding;
- delayed menstruation;
- menstruation comes with clots.
In some patients, the disease is asymptomatic. The only sign of pathology can only be strong periods with clots. If they are large, you must consult a doctor. Despite the fact that with a myoma, a woman can conceive and bear a child, it is necessary to treat the nodes.
Currently, the most effective technique is embolization (clogging) of the vessels that feed the uterus. Since the nodes receive oxygen and nutrients from the organ, they die in the absence of blood flow. At the same time, liquid connective tissue continues to flow into the uterus from the small vessels and arteries of the ovaries. 3 months after the procedure, the fibroids almost halves in size, another year later - by 70%. The advantage of the method is also that there is no need for taking medications. After embolization, relapses occur only in isolated cases.
Endometrial hyperplasia
During menstruation, the body removes old cells with blood. But if their division occurs too actively, their part remains inside the body. Due to this, a thickening of the uterine layer occurs. This pathological process is called "endometrial hyperplasia."
Menstruation with the disease is individual. It can proceed according to one of the following options:
- During bleeding, a small amount of liquid connective tissue is released. A similar condition occurs in patients with a focal form of pathology, characterized by an uneven proliferation 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 always comes with a delay, they are very plentiful. In addition, there are periods with clots, which is accompanied by pronounced painful sensations. The duration of menstruation is usually longer for several days.
Endometrial hyperplasia is one of the common causes of menstruation with large blood clots. Often the consequence of ignoring the problem becomes infertility. In addition, hyperplasia is rare, but degenerates into cancer. In order to avoid the development of complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor if the first alarming signs occur. Using special equipment, a specialist will take biomaterial (endometrial layer) and send him to a biopsy. Based on the diagnostic results, a treatment regimen 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. With their ineffectiveness, surgical intervention is indicated, implying a curettage.
Endometrial polyposis
Often the cause of menstruation with clots is this pathology. The disease has the following developmental mechanism: during menstruation, under the influence of adverse factors, incomplete rejection of the mucous membrane cells occurs. As a result, they remain in a fixed position, and with each cycle there is an ever greater accumulation of them. Thus polyps are formed.
Most often, they are formed against a background of hormonal imbalance. Pathologies are most susceptible to women who have a history of:
- thyroid disease;
- ovarian dysfunction;
- overweight;
- hypertension
- diabetes;
- inflammatory processes in the pelvic organs;
- STDs
- curettage and other surgical interventions.
At the initial stage of development, the disease is asymptomatic. Then patients note the appearance of the following pathological signs:
- Pronounced pain during menstruation.
- Monthly with clots, they are plentiful and long.
- Spotting in the middle of the cycle.
In some cases, polyps reach huge sizes, they can even fall out of the vagina on their own. Their presence is a great danger to the health of patients. Almost all women with this diagnosis suffer from infertility (but it is worth noting 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 abundant periods with clots are observed. What to do and how to treat a pathology will tell a specialist. The most effective method at present is hysteroscopy - a surgical way to get rid of the disease. Also in practice, nitrogen therapy has been successfully applied, involving cauterization and separation of irrigation. This procedure is considered more sparing and is offered to nulliparous women.
Hormonal imbalance
Menstruation with clots should especially alert at the stage of pregnancy planning. Often they indicate a hormonal imbalance, due to which conception may not occur.
The main symptoms of an imbalance are the following conditions:
- cycle failure;
- heavy periods;
- large blood clots during menstruation;
- sudden jumps in weight;
- breast swelling;
- weakness, fatigue.
The reasons for this condition are many. The following are considered the main ones: postpartum period, miscarriage, pregnancy, breast-feeding, menopause, unbalanced diet, bad habits, irrational ratio of work and rest time.
Hemocoagulation system failure
In other words, a coagulation disorder. Normally, with any bleeding, blood clots form that stop it. Under the influence of adverse factors (vascular diseases, pathologies of liquid connective tissue) , a malfunction occurs in the hemocoagulation system. This ailment is accompanied by the appearance of the following symptoms: bruises even with minor bruises, bleeding that is extremely difficult to stop, heavy periods with clots. What to do? Contact your doctor, who, when confirming the diagnosis, will refer to a hematologist for treatment.
Postpartum period
Every woman after the birth of her child develops bleeding. 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 must consult a doctor. In such cases, surgical intervention is indicated, involving the removal of the remaining placenta from the uterus.
Other reasons
In addition to all of the above factors, the impetus 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 a disease, you need to be examined by a gynecologist and endocrinologist.
Finally
Menstruation with clots is also found in healthy 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 when bleeding is completed, the rate of blood coagulation slows down. In addition, menstruation often occurs with clots after childbirth. If the blood masses are large, they go out throughout the menstruation and this is accompanied by severe pain, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Often these conditions are symptoms of diseases that can lead to infertility and the formation of malignant tumors.