MENSTRUAL BLEEDING VS. BLEEDING FROM A CUT_sandbox

MENSTRUAL FLUID IS NOT JUST BLOOD

Menstrual fluid is the lining from the uterus, made up of blood, water, tissue and mucus.

Sometimes people just it “blood.”

  • Blood from a cut is thinner and flows faster because it doesn’t have tissue in it — menstrual blood has clumps mixed in.
  • The menstrual fluid of a first period can look dark brown instead of red because it has been sitting in the uterus for a while — this is completely normal.

PERIODS DON’T HAVE VERY MUCH BLOOD! 

Period bleeding lasts a 3-7 days and most of the time there’s not that much blood lost.

  • Only about 3-4 Tablespoons of bloody tissue total leaves the body.
  • Some people have heavy periods and bleed more.
  • Some people have longer periods lasting more than 1 week.
  • And some people have light periods or short periods or both.
  • If you’re not sure if there’s too much bleeding, ask a healthcare provider or trusted adult.

If you have an extra minute, watch this short video from The OBGYN Mum to visualize how much menstrual fluid is lost throughout the period.