Is it normal to pass blood clots during your period or ever? Passing large, golf ball-sized blood clots is not normal. This should be addressed with your doctor to find out the reason why and how best to treat this effectively.
Passing a golf ball-sized blood clot can be alarming, but many women will never ask their doctors or even their friends about unhealthy period blood clots. Many women simply pass off anything they experience during their periods as normal when some things are not.
A clot that large is unusual and should be discussed with a doctor, even if the bleeding has slowed. However, clot size alone cannot tell you whether you have fibroids, a miscarriage, or another condition.
Large blood clots often occur with heavy menstrual bleeding. The rest of the pattern matters too. Note how quickly you are soaking pads or tampons and how long the bleeding lasts. Pregnancy, severe pain, dizziness, weakness, and shortness of breath can change how urgent the situation is.
If you are bleeding heavily right now, feel faint, or have severe pain, the urgent-care guidance below can help you decide what to do next.
What Does the Size of a Period Clot Mean?
A menstrual clot forms when blood and tissue from the uterine lining collect and thicken before leaving the uterus. Period clots often form on the heaviest flow days when blood collects inside the uterus and causes blood clots to form.
Size is one useful clue, but it is not a diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says quarter-sized or larger clots can be a sign of heavy menstrual bleeding.
| Clot size | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller than a quarter | An occasional small clot on a heavy-flow day can occur during a period. | Track it. Medical advice is appropriate if small clots become frequent, the bleeding changes, or other symptoms appear. |
| About the size of a quarter | One or more quarter-sized clots can be a sign of heavy menstrual bleeding, especially when they happen often. | Arrange a medical visit if this is new, repeated, or paired with heavy flow, pain, or symptoms of anemia. |
| About the size of a golf ball | This is unusually large. A golf ball-sized blood clot may occur with very heavy bleeding, but its appearance cannot identify the cause. | Contact a doctor promptly. Seek urgent or emergency care if the bleeding or other symptoms meet the warning signs below. |
For a broader explanation of routine period clots, ATLII has a separate article on when period clots may need medical attention. There is also more information about small clots during or outside a period.
When Large Blood Clots Need Urgent Care
The amount of bleeding and the symptoms around it matter more than the clot alone.
Seek emergency care now if you are:
- Soaking through two or more pads or tampons each hour for two hours or longer;
- Fainting, feeling as though you may faint, or becoming very dizzy or weak;
- Having severe abdominal or pelvic pain;
- Short of breath, having chest pain, or noticing a very fast heartbeat;
- Pregnant or possibly pregnant and having heavy bleeding, one-sided or severe abdominal pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, or fainting.
Bleeding during pregnancy can have several causes. Some are not dangerous. However, an ectopic pregnancy or severe blood loss can require immediate treatment. NHS miscarriage guidance calls for immediate care when pregnancy-related bleeding occurs with severe abdominal pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, fainting, or heavy flow.
Contact your doctor promptly, even if you do not need emergency care, when:
- You pass a golf ball-sized clot;
- You repeatedly pass clots the size of a quarter or larger;
- Your period lasts longer than seven days;
- You bleed between periods, after sex, or after menopause;
- You have new or worsening pelvic pain;
- You feel tired, weak, dizzy, or short of breath, which can be signs of anemia;
- Pregnancy is possible and you have any vaginal bleeding.
What Do Concerning Menstrual Clots Look Like?
Menstrual clots may look dark red, maroon, brownish, thick, or jelly-like. Their color can change as blood is exposed to oxygen. A large clot may also contain tissue from the uterine lining.
Appearance alone is not a reliable way to identify the cause. A clot cannot be labeled a “fibroid clot” based on its color, thickness, or shape. Fibroids can cause heavy bleeding that leads to clotting, but the clot itself does not prove fibroids are present.
The same caution applies when pregnancy is possible. Pregnancy-related bleeding may include clots, fluid, or pink, gray, or white tissue. Menstrual blood and pregnancy tissue can overlap in appearance, so comparing photos online cannot confirm or rule out a miscarriage. A pregnancy test, medical assessment, and sometimes blood tests or ultrasound are needed.
What Causes Large Blood Clots During a Period?
Passing large blood clots during your period usually means blood is collecting and clotting before it leaves your uterus. There are several possible reasons for this heavy flow.
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Heavy menstrual bleeding is a symptom, not one specific disease. The CDC lists several signs. They include bleeding for more than seven days, needing a new pad or tampon in less than two hours, and soaking products hourly for several hours. Quarter-sized or larger clots are another sign.
Repeated heavy bleeding can cause iron-deficiency anemia. Fatigue, weakness, headaches, dizziness, a fast heartbeat, and shortness of breath deserve medical attention, especially when they occur with prolonged or heavy periods.
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths in or around the uterus. Some fibroids cause no symptoms. Others, especially those that affect the uterine cavity, can contribute to heavy or prolonged periods, pelvic pressure, pain, and anemia.
Fibroids are one possible reason for passing large blood clots during your period, but they are not the only reason. A pelvic exam and imaging, usually ultrasound, can help determine whether fibroids are present and whether they fit the bleeding pattern.
Adenomyosis
Adenomyosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows into the muscle wall of the uterus. It can cause heavy or prolonged bleeding, painful periods, pelvic pain, and clotting. Its symptoms can overlap with fibroids, so imaging and a medical evaluation may be needed to distinguish them.
Hormonal Changes and Irregular Ovulation
When ovulation is irregular, the uterine lining may build up and then shed heavily or at an unexpected time. This can happen during puberty or perimenopause. It can also occur with polycystic ovary syndrome or thyroid disease. Changes in hormonal birth control can affect bleeding too.
Uterine or Cervical Polyps
Polyps are growths that can develop in the lining of the uterus or on the cervix. They may cause heavy periods, bleeding between periods, or bleeding after sex. Ultrasound, sonohysterography, or hysteroscopy may be used when a doctor suspects a polyp.
Bleeding Disorders and Medications
A bleeding disorder such as von Willebrand disease can cause heavy periods. The problem may begin with the first menstrual cycle. Tell your doctor about frequent nosebleeds, easy bruising, long bleeding after dental work, or a family history of unusual bleeding.
Blood thinners, aspirin, and some other medications may also increase menstrual bleeding. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own. The doctor who prescribed it can explain the safest next step.
Pregnancy-Related Bleeding
If pregnancy is possible, bleeding with clots may be related to a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, or another cause. It may also occur in a pregnancy that continues. A large clot by itself cannot confirm pregnancy loss.
A home pregnancy test can be a useful first step when a period is late or pregnancy is possible. It does not replace medical care for concerning symptoms. Severe or one-sided pain, shoulder pain, fainting, dizziness, or heavy bleeding can occur with an ectopic pregnancy or major blood loss. These symptoms require emergency care. See the NHS ectopic-pregnancy warning signs.
How Doctors Evaluate Golf Ball-Sized Blood Clots
The goal is to find the cause of the bleeding, check how much blood you have lost, and rule out pregnancy-related problems when needed. Your visit may include:
- A detailed history of your cycle, clot size and frequency, pain, medications, birth control, pregnancy possibility, and family bleeding history;
- A physical and pelvic exam, depending on your symptoms;
- A pregnancy test if pregnancy is possible;
- Blood tests, often including a complete blood count and iron testing to look for anemia. Other tests may check thyroid function or how well your blood clots;
- A pelvic ultrasound to look for fibroids, polyps, adenomyosis, or other changes in the uterus and ovaries;
- Other testing when appropriate, such as sonohysterography, hysteroscopy, an endometrial biopsy, or MRI.
The tests you need depend on your age, symptoms, medical history, and pregnancy status. Not everyone needs every test.
Before the visit, note when the bleeding began and how often you changed menstrual products. Record how many large clots you passed and whether you had pain or dizziness. If you already have a photo, it may help show the size. There is no need to handle or save passed material unless a medical professional asks you to do so.
Treatment Depends on the Confirmed Cause
There is no single treatment for a golf ball-sized blood clot. Treatment is aimed at the condition causing the heavy or abnormal bleeding.
Options depend on the diagnosis. They may include iron for anemia, medicine to reduce bleeding, hormone treatment, care for a bleeding disorder, removal of a polyp, or a procedure for fibroids or adenomyosis. Pregnancy-related bleeding follows a different care path and should be assessed by an obstetric or emergency care team.
If testing confirms that symptomatic fibroids are causing heavy periods and clots, uterine fibroid embolization may be one treatment option. Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a minimally invasive procedure performed by an interventional radiologist. It blocks blood flow to fibroids so they shrink over time. The right choice depends on the diagnosis, the location and size of the fibroids, your symptoms, your health, and your pregnancy goals.
A golf ball-sized blood clot is not something to diagnose by appearance or ignore. Contact a doctor and describe the full bleeding pattern. Urgent care is the safer choice if you have very heavy bleeding, severe pain, fainting, marked dizziness, or shortness of breath. It is also needed when pregnancy is possible and you have concerning symptoms.
Get Help For Fibroids
Once the cause is confirmed, your care can focus on the actual problem rather than the clot alone. If fibroids are responsible, the Atlanta Fibroid Center® can discuss whether UFE or another fibroid treatment fits your diagnosis and goals.
If you are experiencing heavy bleeding or large blood clotting, or have been diagnosed with uterine fibroids or adenomyosis, contact the Atlanta Fibroid Center® today to set up a consultation.
Dr. John Lipman has close to 30 years of experience in performing uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). He has personally helped over 10,000 women find the relief they were looking for without any surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions About Large Menstrual Clots
Is a golf ball-sized blood clot normal during a period?
No. A golf ball-sized blood clot is unusually large and should be discussed with a doctor. It can occur with heavy menstrual bleeding. Size alone does not show whether the cause is fibroids, adenomyosis, hormone changes, pregnancy-related bleeding, or something else.
Can a golf ball-sized blood clot mean miscarriage?
It can occur during a miscarriage, but a clot of this size does not confirm one. If pregnancy is possible, contact a medical professional for assessment. Heavy bleeding, severe or one-sided pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, or fainting require emergency care.
What size menstrual clot should concern me?
Clots the size of a quarter or larger are one sign of heavy menstrual bleeding, especially when they happen more than once. A golf ball-sized clot is much larger and warrants prompt medical advice. The flow rate, pain, pregnancy possibility, and symptoms of blood loss also affect urgency.
Can fibroids cause large blood clots during a period?
Yes, fibroids can cause heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding that leads to large clots. However, a clot cannot diagnose fibroids. Ultrasound or other imaging is used to confirm whether fibroids are present.
Should I go to the emergency room after passing a large clot?
The clot alone does not always require an emergency room visit, but heavy bleeding or other symptoms may. Seek emergency care if you soak through two or more pads or tampons per hour for two hours or longer. The same applies if you feel faint or very dizzy or have severe pain. If you may be pregnant, get emergency care for pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, fainting, or heavy bleeding.
