It might sound surprising to you, but your period blood is one of your health indicators.

Whether the discharge is bright red, pink or brown and black, it doesn’t only provide information about your reproductive health but also general health. In addition to your period blood color, the signs like period duration, heavy and light blood flow or any other symptoms that follow your menstruation cycle, says a lot about your general health that may need medical assistance.

That is to say, the color of menstrual blood can change depending on your hormones and general health. Knowing what each hue of menstrual blood indicates is important to identify the warning signs that your body might be experiencing.

In this article, we share an overview of what each shade of period blood color indicates.

What does the color of my period blood mean?

Below, we'll break down the 4 common colors of period blood colors you may be seeing and more information as to why they occur.

Factors That May Affect Menstrual Color

There is a plethora of factors that may affect the color of your period blood. The common ones include the age of the menstrual blood, hormonal activity, irregular periods and uterus infection.  Each blood hue gives vital information about your health.

The Colors of Period Blood and What They Mean

Bright Red Menstrual Blood

The color of period blood is generally bright red as it is the first phase of your menstrual cycle. The uterus shed blood lining at a relatively faster phase. It is the time when you may feel menstrual cramps. The pain is the result of high prostaglandins production that causes a contraction in the uterus muscles.

If the flow of bright red menstrual blood is intensive, it may be the sign of ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, cervical polyp, and cervical cancer ovarian cancer. Make sure you seek advice from your health professional if you notice any of these menstrual symptoms.

Dark Red Menstrual Blood

Your menstrual cycle goes through many phases in which causes hormone to rise and fall. When blood changes its color from bright red t dark red, it means your menstrual cycle is normal. The change of color is due to the rise in estrogen level in your blood.  It is not the fresh blood and is mostly happens when thick uterine lining sheds.

 Pink Menstrual Blood

If you often noticed pink or light red color shedding on your panty lining just before your period date is due, it is a mixture of period blood and cervical mucus. The pink color spotting is a sign that you have low estrogen levels in the blood. If the condition is frequent, it is better to consult with your health care professional.

Brown and Black Menstrual Blood 

As mentioned earlier, the appearance of your period blood keeps changing throughout your cycle. Brown and black menstrual discharge is part of the cycle.  Your period blood changes color from bright red to dark red and then keep getting darker the longer as it stays in the uterus.  Brown or Black Blood is usually old blood that’s had time to oxidize. It can be associated with a few things:

The beginning or end of your period

Since the beginning and the end of your period tends to be slower, the blood stays longer in your body. The longer the blood stays in your body, the more time it has to turn brown from oxidation. In some cases, you may even see brown blood leftover from your previous period.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

If you have PCOS, your ovulation may be irregular or even nonexistent. This can cause your uterine lining to build up without being shed properly, leading to light or missed periods with brown blood or discharge in between.

Pregnancy

Brown blood or spotting can be a sign of implantation bleeding, which is an early sign of pregnancy. It usually occurs around 10 to 14 days after conception.

Which blood color is good in periods?

A "regular" period is normally colored by pink and red blood. Shades have various meanings as outlined above. However, Pink blood is usually found during your menstrual cycle. During your period, some fresh blood can mix with vaginal discharge and cause color change that appears pink.

Is it normal for the color to be different at the beginning and end of my period?

Your period may change colors, from the beginning to the middle to the end as well as in different stages of your life.

When to See a Doctor

Overall, change in period blood color is considered normal, but if you notice some persistent symptoms like heavy flow, long duration of pain, consult your doctor. You might be recommended supplements, or healthy diet plan to improve your menstrual health. 

Some examples of when to make an appointment:

Other reasons to make an appointment:

• Irregular Cycles every month

• Short Cycles (Shorter than 24 days or longer than 38 days)

• Absent Period (For over 3 months)

• Period Symptoms such as cramps and pain

• Bleeding in between periods

• Post Menopause Bleeding

• If you are pregnant, and starting to bleed or spot.

• Experiencing gray discharge

Supplements to Regulate Your Period

If you are looking for a natural way to regulate your period, Ovary Good by S'moo has helped thousands of women regulate their period naturally and manage common symptoms.

Learn more here.

Final Thoughts

There are many different factors that can affect the color and texture of your period blood, but most of them are nothing to worry about. For example, your period may be lighter or darker than usual, or a different consistency from one cycle to the next. This is normal, especially during certain stages of life, like when you’ve just started menstruating or are approaching menopause. If you have any concerns about your menstrual cycle, don’t hesitate to talk with a healthcare professional.

** Medical Disclaimer

This content is strictly the opinion of S’moo and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician.

All readers/viewers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither S’moo nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content.

All viewers of this content, especially those taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement or lifestyle program.