How much blood is lost in each menstrual cycle?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Pham Thi Yen - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

The normal menstrual cycle lasts from 28 to 35 days, of which the menstrual day lasts about 3-5 days. With menstrual blood loss in each normal cycle, a nutritious diet can make up for it. However, if the amount of blood loss is large, it can affect the health of women. So how much blood is in a normal menstrual period and if it is lost a lot, what are the effects?

When women reach puberty, the ovaries are fully developed to prepare for future pregnancy, and menstruation occurs. A normal menstrual cycle is about 28-35 days, and menstruation lasts about 3-5 days.
At the beginning of each menstrual cycle there is an increase in the secretion of hormones by the ovaries that cause the lining of the uterus to proliferate to prepare for the implantation of a fertilized egg. If there is no phenomenon of the fertilized egg implanting, towards the end of the menstrual cycle, the hormones of the ovaries drop suddenly and cause the uterine lining to shed and to form menstruation.

Calculating the amount of blood during menstruation is not easy because it contains many different components. However, calculating the amount of blood helps to identify if there is too much blood loss than normal.
Calculate the amount of blood in each menstrual period through the products used in the menstrual cycle as follows:
Using a menstrual cup: calculating the amount of blood is quite simple because the menstrual cup can easily calculate the volume, record Repeat after each measurement and calculate the amount of blood lost at the end of the cycle. Use tampons: depending on the type, the volume of the container is different. It can be measured by allowing the tampon to absorb water and the amount of water the tampon can hold when fully soaked. This way can work out the amount of blood that tampons can hold. Normally, blood loss after each menstrual cycle is about 50-80ml. Note that the actual amount of blood in menstruation accounts for about 36%, the remaining 64% is other components such as the lining of the uterus, cervical mucus, and vagina.

When the menstrual cycle lasts for more than 7 days, it is called menorrhagia. Menorrhagia is a menstrual disorder that can have many causes.
Menorrhagia can cause a number of effects such as:
Blood loss for a long time causing anemia The body is tired, pale, can't concentrate or dizzy due to anemia Iron in the body Normally circulating in the blood and being reused, only a very small amount is excreted in the feces. Prolonged menstrual bleeding causes iron loss. During menorrhagia, the increased use of menstrual instruments such as tampons increases the risk of gynecological infections.

Diet full of nutrients, especially foods that contain a lot of iron such as dark green vegetables, beef, animal liver, milk eggs... Treat the cause of heavy blood loss during menstruation. Iron can be supplemented through synthetic tablets, the recommended amount of iron for women of childbearing age is 15-20mg/day. Menstrual cycle is a physiological phenomenon of the body, the amount of blood during menstruation is different for each woman. When a large amount of blood loss affects the health and quality of life of women, it is advisable to seek medical attention to find the cause and receive treatment to avoid affecting health.