When a woman has a period, she is not actually bleeding in the way that we normally expect bleeding to be. What is happening is that the lining of the uterus thickens each month in expectation of being implanted with a fertilised egg, and for a pregnancy to occur. If this does not happen, the thickened uttering wall sloughs away, and menstruation takes place.
Ordinarily, this ‘bleeding’ lasts for around four or five days, and even though it can be very heavy, you cannot bleed to death as a result of it.
It is possible though for some medical conditions to make it appear as if you are having a period when in fact there is something far more serious going on, and you could be having a haemorrhage. This is potentially very dangerous because the loss of blood means that your body is becoming depleted of red blood cells, and, therefore oxygen, which is vital for survival.
If you have any suspicion that your period is not usual, for example, it is much heavier than it normally is, or it is lasting far longer than normal, then you should not hesitate, but seek medical help so the reason for this abnormal bleeding can be discovered and rectified. If you are unable to get an appointment with your GP immediately, you should go to the hospital to get checked.
If you are haemorrhaging, it will not stop on its own and you must get help. You will become seriously anaemic, which can lead to many other serious health problems.
The other concern besides the effects of the extensive bleeding is what is causing it in the first place; this really needs to be checked out and you can’t afford to hang around to see what will happen next.
Ordinarily, this ‘bleeding’ lasts for around four or five days, and even though it can be very heavy, you cannot bleed to death as a result of it.
It is possible though for some medical conditions to make it appear as if you are having a period when in fact there is something far more serious going on, and you could be having a haemorrhage. This is potentially very dangerous because the loss of blood means that your body is becoming depleted of red blood cells, and, therefore oxygen, which is vital for survival.
If you have any suspicion that your period is not usual, for example, it is much heavier than it normally is, or it is lasting far longer than normal, then you should not hesitate, but seek medical help so the reason for this abnormal bleeding can be discovered and rectified. If you are unable to get an appointment with your GP immediately, you should go to the hospital to get checked.
If you are haemorrhaging, it will not stop on its own and you must get help. You will become seriously anaemic, which can lead to many other serious health problems.
The other concern besides the effects of the extensive bleeding is what is causing it in the first place; this really needs to be checked out and you can’t afford to hang around to see what will happen next.