Five common signs that point to red flags during periods

The human body has a way of alerting that something is wrong, in the form of signs and symptoms, which should always be heeded.

As such, Dr Dhivya R, consultant -- obstetrician and gynecologist -- at Kauvery Hospital Electronic City (Bengaluru) lists five period red flags that one ought to be aware about; read on.

Period cramps

"In case your cramps are so bad that they affect your daily routine, then it is a problem. Even after painkillers, if it is not bearable, you may have conditions like fibroid, adenomyosis or endometriosis, which needs medical attention," the expert says.

The colour and consistency

The colour of your periods indicates a lot of things about your health. The ideal colour, says Dr Dhivya, is cranberry red. "If it is darker, with thicker clotty features or too many clots, you need to watch for a hormonal disturbance, or even uterine fibroids," she said.

Flow of periods

The average flow during periods is approximately 60ml-80ml; if women experience heavy flow (anything more than 80ml, one that lasts for more than 7 days, or both), and if it is consistent, it can cause anemia and fertility issues, says Dr Dhivya.

Frequency of periods

Average periods last about 21 to 35 days; irregular periods past your teens could be due to polycystic ovaries, extreme weight loss, pregnancy, use of certain drugs. Birth control pills can cause light spotting between periods. If you are spotting without taking pills, bleeding after sex or in-between periods, it needs evaluation as it could be symptom of cancer or pre-cancer, infection or hormonal imbalance, says the doctor.

Missed periods

"Missing periods are usually based on the assumption that a woman is pregnant. But, it is not the only reason. Stress, PCOS, athletic activity, sudden weight loss or gain, certain contraceptive pills may sometimes stop periods," she said.