My daughter, 15 years of age has been menstruating for around 3 years and, up till recently, all without any abnormalities. Recently she has started to have long periods, exceeding 10 days in some cases. Then for the past two periods she she started having long periods then a break of say 5-6 days then a continuance but with very dark to black blood and a thick jelly like substance evident. Should I be concerned?
Supatrar
Mother

I would take her to a GYN, not as an emergency. There could be concerns about the various endometrial conditions (even though they usually are accompanied by pain), about hyperthyroid, about too much iron... or nothing, a few months of hormone fluctuation. Black color can also just mean that air has hit it - it's 'old.' Many women say it's brown or dark brown.
And of course she doesn't want periods that are too long for too many months or years, just because of blood loss.
Sometimes women are prescribed birth control pills to see if that works before trying more expensive tests.

The jelly is a normal secretion in many women, and often appears mid month as totally clear, or other times mixed with menstrual blood.

First I want to say, it is great that your daughter can come and talk to you. And that she does. So many young girls come here too scared to talk to their parents.

I will agree, she needs to see the doctor, I would call and make her a standard apointment

Thank you for your response, which was helpful. Due to our location (at least 120 km from the nearest real hospital) and the fact the only doctor (who is located in a closer community) is considered by most locals to be 'less than competent' (and by a fair percentage of local women to be, quote: "a dirty old man") - not someone I would want my daughter to be spread out in front of [even if she would agree to such an invasion - which she wouldn't] - I thought I would try to get some information from other mothers and/or young women who might have experienced something similar. There is no pain or other adverse conditions (not already mentioned) that accompany my daughter's discharge.

I have no recollection of going through anything similar during my own transition at that age, but if it is not uncommon and is in some cases part and parcel of growing up for girls passing through their puberty stages then a hospital visit would be fruitless with nothing really achieved. Also, there is no chance of my husband, or I, agreeing to her taking contraceptive pills simply to test if they help, and drugs of any kind are considered a no-go zone in our home and a detriment to overall well-being regardless of what they are.

On the other hand, if this appearance of black/brown blood is abnormal or unusual and could be an indication of a more complicated situation, then a hospital visit would be the only sensible avenue to take.
Thanks again

Is your daughter sexually active? Is she honest with you about that?

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drugs of any kind are considered a no-go zone in our home and a detriment to overall well-being regardless of what they are.

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So you choose to potentially lose the life of your child should there be a life-threatening infection? This does indeed sound like an infection.

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drugs of any kind are considered a no-go zone in our home and a detriment to overall well-being regardless of what they are.

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I would like to give my condolences in advance should this be a bacterial infection and you refuse medication. I will pray for her, or anyone in your family's, soul should there be an infection that you refuse to treat. In some areas of the world this would be construed as neglect and could lead you to having your child(ren) taken away and for you and your husband to be jailed.

Are you a Jehovah Witness? Is that why you're against medication?

It's time to make the 120 km trip to find out what's going on. I know you want advice, and I can sympathize. Wouldn't it be nice if we could go online and get all the answers? But there's no way, none at all, to diagnose online. Test have to be run, a doctor needs to look at her and decipher the tests that are done. Even then it's not as easy as one two three.

There are no doctors on this site. No doctor would ever risk their license by diagnosing someone online. So any site you find that claims to diagnose, is a bunch of bull.

Take your child to a real doctor. If it is an infection, you may have to choose between your hatred of medication, and your love for your daughter.

Good luck.

120 km shouldn't deter you from getting her the care she needs.
There are plenty of female doctors in the world. Ultrasound might reveal one of several conditions that cause abnormally long periods.
In a few years your daughter will be able to make her own decisions about medications.
I happen to not like many of them myself, and don't just take what any doctor tells me to take, but I will take some. Blanket refusal to accept all of them just sounds like people unwilling to be informed about what is good about modern medicine.