When you first got your period you probably experienced a combination of excitement — “I’m a woman!” — and dread — “Ugh, is this going to suck every month?” And if you are lucky, your cycle has been a regular and predictable ever since you wore your first maxi pad, but for many of us, our periods can become an outright problem.

I delivered my daughter via C-section and have had two D&C’s (dilation and curettage) due to miscarriages, and after the last D&C I noticed my periods weren’t the same. While I had always had lighter periods than some of my friends, they had a consistently normal flow lasting around three days and came every 27-28 days. Suddenly, it was as if my period came and went in two days and then only occasionally, and I would spot for days on end afterward. Wondering to myself what the problem could be, I started to go through the three questions a woman might ask if her period was light or absent:

Read More: Beyond Fertility: Why You Need to Pay Attention to Your Period

Be Informed,

Laura