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 have continuous bleeding that soaks 1 or 2 pads or tampons in 1 or 2 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 or more than eight pads or super tampons in an 8-hour time period is not normal and is severe bleeding. This is more serious if you have the following symptoms:
- New light-headedness or feeling as if you may pass out
- Light-headedness or fainting when you change position
- Passage of several blood clots that are larger than a quarter
Severe abnormal vaginal bleeding usually requires a visit to a health professional. The more bleeding there is, the more urgent the need for medical attention.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: August 29, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Donald Sproule, MD, CM, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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