Having a light period is not usually a cause for concern. However, if someone has consistently light periods or starts skipping periods altogether, they should talk with a doctor. A person should also contact a doctor if a light period coincides with other symptoms that are causing concern, such as pelvic pain.
“On average, it's somewhere between 5 and 80 ml, but the majority of women lose between 30 and 40 ml,” she explains. That's about three to four tablespoons, for reference. According to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, a “light” bleed is anything less than 5 ml, which is less than a tablespoon.
Light periods do not usually mean that you are less fertile, but it can make it more difficult for you to get pregnant.
Many conditions and occurrences can cause a short period of bleeding. Pregnancy, pregnancy loss, endometriosis, anovulatory bleeding, and PCOS can all cause short spells of bleeding that people may mistake for a period.
“Normal” menstruation can differ widely from woman to woman — anywhere from three to seven days of bleeding is considered normal, and each full menstrual cycle can last anywhere from 21 to 35 days. Three days of bleeding, which may seem short, is still considered normal as long as you're menstruating regularly.
If your period only lasts one or two days, your body may not be making enough oestrogen, which is required to build the endometrium, which is lost during periods when there isn't a pregnancy. “If there is a lack of estrogen in your body, the endometrium would not be thick enough and hence the blood flow would be scant.
Short menstrual cycle lengths and early or late onset of menstruation are associated with reduced fertility, according to a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (SPH) researchers.
Fresh blood at the beginning of your period is usually bright red. A heavy flow could be darker, especially with clots. Rusty brown blood is older; what you'll typically see toward the end of the week because the air has had a chance to react with it. Pinkish is probably just a light period.
“When under stress, your body produces cortisol. Depending on how your body tolerates stress, the cortisol may lead to delayed or light periods — or no period at all (amenorrhea),” says Dr. Kollikonda. “If stress continues, you can go without a period for a long time.”
The length of the menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman, but the average is to have periods every 28 days. Regular cycles that are longer or shorter than this, from 23 to 35 days, are normal. The menstrual cycle is the time from the first day of a woman's period to the day before her next period.
Women who have shorter menstrual cycles tend to be more likely to ovulate closer to Day 11. Women with longer menstrual cycles may ovulate closer to Day 21.
A period is normal if it's anywhere between three and seven days. While on the shorter end of the range, some people have a menstrual period for three days. This is OK.
1-day periods happen for a variety of reasons, from pregnancy and breastfeeding to medications and lifestyle changes. One day of bleeding is not necessarily cause for alarm. A “normal” period is what's normal for you. Regular periods last 2 to 8 days, and regular cycles are between 21 and 45 days long.
Implantation bleeding is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. The main symptom is light bleeding or spotting that lasts a day or two. Sometimes it's accompanied by other early pregnancy symptoms such as: Headache.
Circulating estrogen: A decrease in circulating estrogen can also lead to light periods. “Estrogen plumps up the endometrium, so if estrogen is low, that lining doesn't plump up and results in less bleeding,” says Twogood.
Day 1 of your cycle is the first day of your period, meaning the first day of full flow (spotting doesn't count). During this time, the uterus sheds its lining from the previous cycle. Between days 1 – 5 of your cycle, new follicles (sacs of fluid containing eggs) begin to develop within your ovaries.
Your menstrual cycle might be regular — about the same length every month — or somewhat irregular. Your period might be light or heavy, painful or pain-free, long or short, and still be considered typical.
Why is my period so light? Body weight changes, exercise, and stress can all alter menstrual flow, causing light periods. Periods that are lighter than usual are not normally a cause for concern. People often find that their menstrual flow varies from month to month, and some months are simply lighter than others.
Compared with women with normal menstrual-cycle length (26-34 days), those with short menstrual cycles (<25 days) during their reproductive years had a higher frequency of total menopause symptoms as well as certain menopause symptoms at midlife and reached menopause earlier.
Most people notice spotting as a few drops of blood on their underwear or toilet paper when wiping. In most cases, spotting should not cause concern. Often, hormonal changes due to birth control, pregnancy, or menopause can trigger it.
A shorter menstrual cycle
Mostly occurring in your late 30s, this suggests that your hormone levels have started to decrease which in turn is affecting your cycle. While this is normal, you should speak to your doctor about it to get more clarity.
“The primary reason that period blood could be brown is because it's old blood,” said Dr. Cummings. It usually happens at the beginning or the end of your period, when your flow is lighter. Because the longer blood takes to leave the body, the longer it has to oxidize (read: get exposed to oxygen), which makes it dark.
Unusually heavy bleeding (soaking through a sanitary pad or tampon every hour for two to three hours) or passing large clots (larger than a quarter). Foul-smelling vaginal discharge. A period lasting longer than seven days.