Period red flags will include issues related to how long or frequent between periods. The quality and amount of blood flow. The severity of PMS symptoms and cramps experienced.
If you notice your periods are coming frequently, less than 21 days or lasting longer than 7 days, for more than 3 months this would be considered abnormal. Heavy bleeding with big blood clots, like the size of grapes or apricot’s, would be an abnormal amount of blood flow. Normal blood flow requires 3-6 pads or tampons per day. In general, an abnormal period or menstrual bleeding is when you are changing a pad or tampon every 30 to 60 minutes for 3 to 4hours.

You may also have irregular bleeding that looks like a few spots of reddish brown blood at unexpected times of the cycle. Some women can have spotting that lasts a couple of days then stops and restarts again during the middle of the month. Brown spotting can also happen mid-cycle or during ovulating.

If irregular bleeding or brown spotting continues for more than 2 to 3 months this is a reason to contact your health care provider to discuss reasons why this might be happening. You can download a period tracker on your smart phone or use a calendar to keep track of your periods.

Other signs to contact your health care provider include debilitating cramps, migraine headaches, disruptive emotional changes such as mood swings, depression and crying spells that prevent you from doing your normal daily activities.