What is severe vaginal bleeding?

Severe vaginal bleeding means that you are soaking 1 or 2 pads or tampons in 1 or 2 hours, unless that is normal for you.

For most women, passing clots of blood from the vagina and soaking through their usual pads or tampons every hour for 2 or more hours is not normal and is considered severe.

If you are pregnant, you may have a gush of blood or pass a clot, but if the bleeding stops, it is not considered severe.

Note: Vaginal bleeding refers to bleeding from inside the vagina, not from a cut or scrape near the vagina.