Just a quick question about periods!

[Tots216]

Hi Scarleteen!
Just a quick question, I'm 19 and after my dry sex experience with my boyfriend, I've noticed that both of my previous periods have been lighter. My flow has pretty much stayed the same ever since I've gotten my period. It's been heavier at times, but I can't recall it ever getting light. It's still the same color, and it clots, but is this happens as you age? There's definitely no way I'm pregnant but I've been noticing some things recently change with my body. Is this something you've seen to be normal amongst women my age?
Thank you!

[Heather]

It's always funny to me when young people say "ever since I first had my period."

Because yep, throughout all of your reproductive lifetime, you will often have many shifts and changes, so periods being a similar way for a handful of years is just that: them being that way for a handful of years. Then they may be some other way for another handful of years, or even some other way for a few months, then a NEW or different way for another few months, and so on...all the way until you're all the way through menopause. If you have any pregnancies or deliveries in there, it'll usually get even more diverse and unpredictable.

(Also, menstrual flow isn't like other blood: it actually doesn't and can't clot. When people think they're seeing clots, what they are instead usually seeing is endometrial tissue that was shed more liquid than solid, menstrual flow combined with very thick discharge, or both. )