Severe vaginal bleeding
When reviewing the following guidelines, take into account how heavy your normal menstrual flow is. Abnormal vaginal bleeding varies depending on what is normal for a particular woman.
- Severe bleeding: You are passing clots of blood and soaking through your usual pads or tampons every hour for 2 or more hours.
- Moderate bleeding: You soak more than 1 pad or tampon in 3 hours.
- Mild bleeding: You soak less than 1 pad or tampon in more than 3 hours.
- Minimal bleeding: You have "spotting" or just a few drops of blood from the vagina.
Note: Vaginal bleeding refers to bleeding from inside the vagina, not from a cut or scrape near the vagina.
For most women, soaking more than 2 maxi pads, super pads, or super tampons in 2 hours is not normal and is severe bleeding. This is more serious if you have the following symptoms:
- New lightheadedness or feeling as if you may pass out
- Lightheadedness or fainting when you change position
- Passage of several blood clots that are larger than a quarter
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: July 2, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Deborah A. Penava, BA, MD, FRCSC, MPH - Obstetrics and Gynecology William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine | |
 | ||
| |