Having clots or thickness during your period isn't necessarily something to be concerned about. Sometimes your periods can be thick, and they may even appear clotted. It's not just blood that you're shedding, but small portions of tissue — your endometrium, or the lining or your uterus — as well. Thicker periods are a normal variation, depending on the day and the heaviness of your flow.

However, if your period has changed in some way recently, you should talk to your doctor. Also, if there's any chance you could have become pregnant, you should get checked out as well, as it's possible to become pregnant and then have a (very early) miscarriage without even realizing it. For anyone who's sexually active, it is important to have a yearly pap smear and examination by your gynecologist. This is both a way to make sure you're sexually healthy, and an excellent way to detect any problems early on.

— Kate Forest, MSW