One of the great things about being a woman and learning about our reproductive systems is that oftentimes, you’ll come across something on social media that’ll remind you that whatever absolutely awful experience you have giving birth or being on your period… it could totally be 100 times worse. And today’s discovery for me is that you can basically get a mega-period. In more ~scientific terms,~ you can have what’s called a decidual cast.
TikTok influencer Madi Swegle (aka @sweglestory) made a video about her experience having a decidual cast, and despite it being originally posted in 2022, it’s making its way around the internet again because it’s kinda terrifying. She described it as the worst cramps in her life — so bad that she went to sit on the toilet with a heating pad and a literal bucket in front of her just in case she vomited.
Decidual casts are super rare, but as Madi experienced, they do happen. So WTF are they?
What Is A Decidual Cast?
You know how during your period, you’re shedding parts of your uterine lining over the course of a few days? Well, a decidual cast is basically when your uterine lining (which is called a “decidua”) basically sheds in one huge piece. Oh, and in case you didn’t know by now, this is super painful.
Madi described the cramp pain she experienced as consistent instead of the usual ebb-and-flow pain she feels during her period. And even though it was super severe, she refused to go to the ER because she thought she was being a “big baby” about the pain. Which, hello, is so common — how often do we see women gaslighting themselves out of seeking help for insane pain? Anyway, after about an hour, she passed something she thought was a blood clot, and the pain was immediately gone. But looking at it closer, she realized it looked more like tissue in the perfect shape of a uterus. Before you panic, no, she didn’t pass her uterus… but she did pass her entire uterine lining.
@sweglestory Google “decidual cast” at your own discretion 😵💫 Honestly debated if I should share this or not but I wish I had known about this before it happened to me. It was so painful and scary 😩 #psa #decidualcast #periodcramps #period #ladies #menstralcycle #fyi #medicaltiktok #womenshealth #ob #obstetrics #obgyn #nursesoftiktok ♬ original sound – madi swegle | motherhood
Sometimes a decidual cast happens because of some sort of big hormonal change, like if you start taking hormonal contraceptives. Or, it could mean that you had some sort of pregnancy loss or an ectopic pregnancy, according to Cleveland Clinic. It’s always a good idea to reach out to a healthcare provider, but a decidual cast isn’t typically a sign of a medical emergency — despite it looking like a horror movie.
