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

Credits

By	Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer	William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised	June 20, 2011