​There is no universal standard for assessing what is normal or heavy based on blood loss, but many estimates put normal blood loss during a period at 40-60ml, or about 4 tablespoons, with heavy periods being over 80ml or 6 tablespoons of blood (I’ve used an international average of around 15ml for a tablespoon here). In most countries, when you’re loosing over 80-90ml of blood per period on a regular basis, doctors will look at investigating an underlying cause for excessive menstrual bleeding. As I mentioned, these amounts do vary slightly doctor to doctor and country to country.

A few tablespoons of blood doesn’t sound like a lot of liquid, does it? For those of us with bleeding disorders, especially those with undiagnosed, untreated or under-treated bleeding symptoms, such a small amount of blood may sound laughable, but I promise this is what many women loose. In my research to create this post, I asked some non-bleeder female friends who have healthy, regular cycles and, who like me, use a cup, how much blood they loose. They all estimated loosing around the 40-60ml of blood across their whole period. Yes, it really does happen!
​

Images kindly submitted by some very inspiring and dedicated females of the community..

Meet our youngest community advocate at Women Who Bleed!

Introducing young Rhea who is 9 years old living with Von Willebrand Disease type 2N from Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has kindly put together a how-to self infusion video to share after a rough road of overcoming self infusion with the support of her incredible mother, Tanya.

Head over to our Women Who Bleed page to see her advocating work in the media HERE.

​Enjoy!