Decoding Menstruation Color

Your menstrual cycle can tell you a lot about your overall health, including changes in the color of your period blood. "The amount that the endometrium sheds varies throughout the period, which changes the consistency of the flow,” said Jill Purdie, M.D., OBGYN and medical director at Northside Women’s Specialists, part of the Pediatrix® Medical Group. “The period blood changes in color as the amount of shedding changes. Lighter amounts of blood may appear more pink in the beginning and then become red as the bleeding becomes more active," said Dr. Purdie. "The blood then becomes dark red or brown as the period goes on. The longer the blood is exposed to oxygen in the vagina, the darker it becomes.”

View the full story on Scary Mommy