Quick Answer
10 ml of menstrual blood loss per period is within the normal range for most women. The average amount of blood loss during a normal period is usually between 10-80 ml. However, losing 80 ml or more of blood during your period may be considered heavy menstrual bleeding, also called menorrhagia. If you regularly lose more than 80 ml per cycle, see your doctor to determine if a condition like uterine fibroids or endometriosis may be causing heavier flows. With very heavy flows, anemia from too much blood loss can occur over time.
What’s Considered a Normal or Average Amount of Period Blood?
During a normal menstrual cycle, the average amount of blood lost is usually between 10 and 80 ml over the entire period. But because menstrual flow varies so much between individuals, a normal or average amount can cover a wide range.
Here’s an overview of the typical ranges:
- Light: Less than 20 ml per period
- Moderate: 20-80 ml per period
- Heavy: More than 80 ml per period
So while losing 10 ml of blood throughout your period is on the lighter side of normal, it’s still common for many women.
When looking at daily flow on heavier days, normal can be:
- Light: Less than 10 ml per day
- Moderate: 10-30 ml per day
- Heavy: 30-60 ml per day
Again, up to 80 ml over the whole period is still considered an average or normal amount. The range varies so widely because menstrual flow is different for each woman.
Factors like genetics, age, whether you’ve had children, and birth control use can all impact your flow amount. Keep in mind that it’s very common for flow to fluctuate between months as well.
When Is Period Blood Loss Excessive or Heavy?
If you’re regularly losing more than 80 ml of blood per period, it’s considered heavy menstrual bleeding, or menorrhagia. The condition is defined as exceeding 80 ml of blood loss per cycle.
Possible symptoms of heavy periods include:
- Bleeding that lasts more than 7 days
- Needing to change pads or tampons frequently, like every 1-2 hours
- Passing large blood clots, larger than a quarter
- Waking up to change protection during the night
- Anemia from excessive blood loss
See your doctor if you experience heavy flows to rule out any underlying problems. They can run tests to check for issues like:
- Uterine fibroids
- Endometriosis
- Polyps in the uterus
- Adenomyosis
- Blood clotting disorders
- Hormonal imbalances
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Cancer of the reproductive organs
Your doctor may recommend treatment options based on the cause, which can range from an IUD that releases hormones to endometrial ablation that destroys the uterine lining.
What Causes Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?
A number of disorders and factors can lead to abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding, including:
- Uterine fibroids: Noncancerous growths in the wall of the uterus that can grow quite large.
- Endometriosis: When tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside of it.
- Adenomyosis: The inner uterine lining grows into the muscular wall of the uterus.
- Polyps: Small, benign growths attached to the inner uterine wall by a thin stalk.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease: Often caused by chlamydia or gonorrhea infection, it can damage reproductive organs.
- Hormonal imbalances: Such as low progesterone relative to estrogen.
- Pregnancy complications: Like ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, or miscarriage.
- Medications: Such as blood thinners or birth control methods.
- Cancers: Like endometrial, uterine, or cervical cancer.
- Blood clotting disorders: Such as Von Willebrand’s disease.
- Intrauterine devices (IUDs): Uncommon, but some develop heavier bleeding with nonhormonal copper IUDs.
If bleeding is irregular or excessive, see your gynecologist for an evaluation. They can help determine if any issues like fibroids or polyps may be causing heavier flows.
Is It Possible to Lose Too Much Blood During Your Period?
Yes, it’s possible to lose too much blood during your menstrual cycle, a condition called menorrhagia. Losing over 80 ml per cycle is considered excessive.
The average woman has between 4,000-5,000 ml of blood in her body. Normal blood loss during a period is usually around 30 ml total or less than 1% of total blood volume. So even heavy flows over 80 ml don’t drastically impact the normal blood supply.
However:
- If you have very heavy bleeding each month, over time it can add up and lead to anemia.
- Losing over 300 ml of blood during a single period is rare and requires prompt medical treatment.
- Very heavy bleeding that causes low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, fainting, or other symptoms of shock means emergency care is needed.
See a doctor right away if you show signs of losing too much blood via your menstrual cycle. They’ll want to pinpoint the cause and discuss treatment options, which may range from medication to stop bleeding to surgical procedures that destroy or remove problematic uterine tissue.
Can You Become Anemic from Heavy Periods?
Yes, it’s possible to develop iron-deficiency anemia from consistently heavy monthly periods. This happens when:
- You lose more than the normal amount of blood (over 80 ml per cycle).
- The blood loss happens repeatedly each month.
- Iron levels become too depleted to make healthy new red blood cells.
Anemia can cause symptoms like:
- Fatigue, weakness, dizziness
- Pale skin, lips, nails
- Rapid heart rate or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Headaches, mental fog
- Strange food cravings
- Difficulty regulating body temperature
Your doctor can run blood tests to check your red blood cell count and iron levels if needed. Treatment for anemia involves iron supplements, diet changes, underlying health condition treatment, and sometimes blood transfusions for more severe cases.
Tips to Reduce Heavy Period Flow
If you suffer from heavy periods, here are some tips that may help reduce flow:
- Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen to reduce menstrual bleeding.
- Limit physical activity and rest more during your period.
- Apply heating pads or hot water bottles to the lower abdomen.
- Maintain an optimal weight – obesity can worsen heavy flows.
- Reduce alcohol intake, which can contribute to heavy bleeding.
- Eat more vitamin C foods to improve progesterone levels.
- Try supplements like vitamin B6, calcium, omega-3s, and turmeric.
- Consider a hormonal IUD, which typically makes periods lighter over time.
See your gynecologist if you continue to have very heavy flows each month for an evaluation and treatment options.
When to See a Doctor for Heavy Periods
You should make an appointment to see your doctor if:
- Your period lasts longer than 7 days.
- You regularly need to change pads or tampons more frequently than every 2 hours.
- You pass blood clots larger than a quarter.
- You experience symptoms of anemia like fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath.
- You have severe pain that doesn’t improve with over-the-counter medication.
- You soak through pads or tampons overnight frequently.
- Your periods are impacting your work, school, or other parts of life.
- You suddenly experience much heavier bleeding than is typical for you.
Evaluation and treatment can provide relief from the symptoms and complications of heavy menstrual bleeding. Don’t hesitate to see a doctor if your periods suddenly become excessively heavy.
When to Go to The ER for Period Issues
In most cases, it’s not necessary to go to the emergency room for heavy periods. However, seek emergency medical treatment if you experience:
- Fainting or feeling like you may faint
- Extreme lightheadedness, rapid heart rate or palpitations
- Vaginal bleeding that completely soaks 1 pad or tampon per hour for multiple hours in a row
- Sudden, severe abdominal pain, especially with nausea/vomiting
- Signs of possible internal bleeding like black, tarry stool or red/pink urine
- Feeling cold, clammy, confused with very pale skin from blood loss
Symptoms like these could mean you are losing too much blood and may require emergency treatment like IV fluids or blood transfusions. Don’t try to tough it out if you are experiencing any signs of going into shock from heavy bleeding.
Conclusion
Losing around 10 ml of blood during your period is considered light flow and is within the normal range for most women. However, consistently losing over 80 ml each cycle is defined as heavy menstrual bleeding.
See a gynecologist if you soak through multiple pads or tampons hourly, or experience symptoms like weakness and fainting. They can determine if any issues like uterine fibroids may be causing very heavy flows. Treatment options can help reduce bleeding and prevent complications like anemia.
While 10 ml is not abnormal, don’t hesitate to have excessive bleeding evaluated. Getting heavy periods under control can help improve your comfort, prevent complications, and safeguard your health over the long term.
