How much blood is normal?

In this guide, we will delve into the topic of menstrual blood flow, helping you understand what’s considered normal and when to seek support.

What is a normal menstrual blood flow?

Many individuals often wonder how much blood during menstruation is normal. On average, a typical menstrual cycle involves passing anywhere from 20 to 60 millilitres of blood throughout the entire period. To put this into perspective, it’s equivalent to approximately 5 to 12 teaspoons of blood. Anything exceeding 80 millimetres is considered ‘a heavy period’.

Blood flow details

To give you an idea of volumes, a heavy soaked daytime pad can hold around 5ml of blood and an overnight pad around 10-15ml. A fully saturated tampon can hold around 12ml. The body can manage fine with this amount of bleeding comfortably. However, if periods are exceptionally heavy or prolonged, then this can lead to potential problems over time.

Coping with variations

Some individuals may experience heavier or faster bleeding, there may also be some small blood clots, which is quite common. Blood clots often form when the blood has been still for some time, and you may notice them more in the morning when you haven’t been moving around as much.

Other associated symptoms can include general discomfort, pelvic cramping pain, tiredness, breast pain, changes in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhoea) and headaches.

These symptoms are typically considered normal, and are expected to resolve naturally as your period concludes. They should not interfere with your day-to-day life and activities.

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