Gynecologists and obstetricians talk about period

Gynecologists and obstetricians say it’s normal for period blood to be another color that isn’t red. And even black period blood isn’t atypical or necessarily a cause for alarm. But it’s understandable if you freak out a little, because uh, black liquid coming out of your body in any context is wild. Here’s everything you need to know about the most metal of all period blood. Rock on.

Why blood looks black

Gynecologists and obstetricians mention that black period blood isn’t a sign that you’re pregnant with demon spawn, though that would maybe be cool? Black-looking period blood almost always comes at the tail end of your period and is just the result of blood that’s been in your body longer.

Periods are your body’s way of clearing out the uterine lining in the absence of pregnancy and involve sloughing off the thickened lining and shedding it about once a month (hence the bleeding). Do you ever notice how your blood is bright red at the beginning of your period? That’s because that blood is fresher, and the result of active bleeding.

But as the sloughing of your uterine lining stops and your period lightens, blood leaves the body more slowly. And because of that, blood has had time to oxidize, which can make it turn wild colors like dark brown or black. So, when you look down and see dark brown or black blood, it’s just a sign that it’s older and has been in the body a bit longer.

What if it isn’t at the end of your period?

When some women see dark brown or black blood at the beginning of their period, because, well, everyone is different. It could just be a sign that your uterine lining is starting to break down, and some women notice this eerie spotting a few days before the start of a period. If you notice this more than a few days before, you should talk to your doctor (but shouldn’t feel panicked), just to make sure there’s nothing funky going on with your uterus (like polyps).

Also, talk to your doctor if you’re on hormonal birth control and notice dark spotting in the middle of your cycle.

Gynecologists and obstetricians expert in Atlanta

So, different shades of period blood are fine and normal and usually nothing to call your doctor about. Don’t be scared, we are here to help! Book a consultation with your top Alpharetta and Atlanta OBGYN for your obstetrics and gynaecology care.