"What Causes Dark Blood During Menstruation? Understanding the Underlying Factors"

Causes and Solutions for Dark Menstrual Blood

Normally, menstrual blood should be bright red or dark red. However, some women find that their menstrual blood is unexpectedly black, which can be quite alarming. This can cause significant psychological distress and concerns about potential health issues, including whether it could affect fertility. What could be the reasons for dark menstrual blood? How does this happen? It is recommended that anyone experiencing this issue promptly consult with a doctor for relevant examinations to understand the underlying causes and receive targeted treatment to restore the normal color of menstrual blood.

1. Disease Factors

If menstrual blood appears bright red, coffee-colored, light in texture, yellowish in color, or dark like a leaky roof, it could be attributed to qi deficiency, cold, or heat from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. This condition can often be alleviated by maintaining good menstrual hygiene or treated with traditional Chinese medicine. There are numerous potential causes for dark menstrual blood, including bleeding during ovulation, vaginitis, cervical erosion, cervical polyps, early-stage cervical cancer, and submucosal uterine fibroids.

2. Vigorous Exercise

Pelvic congestion during menstruation can be affected by vigorous exercise. Additionally, taking hormonal medications such as contraceptives can cause irregular vaginal bleeding. It is advisable to consult with a gynecologist at a reputable hospital for relevant examinations to identify the cause and receive appropriate treatment promptly. Dark menstrual blood is typically observed in women with normal menstrual cycles but with scant flow. This is more commonly seen during the later stages of menstruation. Certain medications can also cause menstrual blood to be dark and scanty.

3. Medication Influences

Medications such as contraceptives, antipsychotics, anticancer drugs, and treatments for endometriosis can all cause menstrual flow to decrease. Decreased menstrual flow means that menstrual blood remains in the vagina for a longer period, resulting in dark menstrual blood. Multiple abortions or aggressive surgical procedures can damage the basal layer of the uterine lining or cause intrauterine adhesions, leading to decreased menstrual flow. It is also necessary to inquire about abortion surgeries. Postpartum hemorrhage sometimes manifests as dark and scant menstrual blood, followed by amenorrhea. Amenorrhea caused by anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding is relatively rare but not unheard of. It can be a precursor to anovulatory amenorrhea. Polycystic ovary syndrome can also cause decreased menstrual flow, often accompanied by delayed menstruation, weight gain, and subsequent amenorrhea.

4. Miscarriage or Ectopic Pregnancy

Women with ovarian premature aging may initially experience decreased menstrual flow followed by amenorrhea. When dark menstrual blood is accompanied by delayed menstruation, it is necessary to rule out the possibility of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, which can be distinguished through urine and blood pregnancy tests and ultrasound scans. Dark menstrual blood can be caused by various factors such as blood deficiency, qi stagnation and blood stasis, and cold coagulation of blood vessels. However, the pathophysiology of dark menstrual blood can vary, with both deficiency and excess conditions possible. The majority of deficiencies are attributed to physical weakness.