(spoiler alert: 'normal’ is always subjective—you know your body best.) | Q: Is it normal to have vaginal bleeding between periods? | Vaginal bleeding between periods might happen once or twice without a cause for concern, but generally, if it’s a regular occurrence, it should be checked. Sure, some birth control methods might cause vaginal bleeding between periods. As abnormal as it feels, it’s a common side effect to experience and should resolve over time as the body gets used to the hormones. But other causes could include issues with your cervix, like polyps or ectropion. And then there’s conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Endometriosis which are known to cause abnormal bleeding between periods. While these are chronic conditions, there are treatment options available to help you manage them. Best to know for sure. | Q: Extra discharge that’s runny; is this normal? When is it not? | Vaginal discharge is our body’s miraculous way of keeping the vagina in perfect equilibrium. Our vagina is self-sustaining and self-cleaning—and discharge is a perfect example of this. Made up of cells and bacteria, it aids the cleaning and lubrication of the vagina to fight off bad bacteria and infections. And depending on where you’re at in your cycle, its consistency will look and feel different. It’s absolutely normal for discharge to appear extra runny, clear, and stretchy near the time of ovulation (around days 10-16 of your cycle). Just as after ovulation, discharge tends to reduce and become dry/thick. Most of the time, there’s nothing wrong, still you should always pay attention to your discharge. If it changes color or starts to smell foul, it might be your vagina's way of telling you something's not quite right. | Q: Since I’ve started on birth control pills, I swear I have more headaches and mood swings. Is it a side effect or all in my head? | No, it’s not all in your head! Hormonal birth control methods come with many side effects—headaches and mood swings included. Progesterone-containing contraceptives are often behind worsening moods (thanks to the rise in the progesterone levels in the body). And we can usually thank the combined oral contraception pill (COCP) for headaches and migraines. Still, just because they’re part of the standard side effect profile doesn’t mean they should be readily accepted as the norm. What we really need is more research into personalized contraceptives where we can provide alternatives that do not reduce quality of life. | |
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