Healthy sign 3: your blood is cranberry red

While you might see brownish blood at the start and end of your period, a sign of a healthy period is bright red blood the rest of the time. “Ideally, we’re looking for that cranberry red or maybe a little darker,” Brothers explains.”We want it to be a bright, light red most of the time.”

Coming off the contraceptive pill? You might have a brown bleed as a side effect. “A lot of people aren’t aware that this is not a true period; it’s a withdrawal bleed,” says Brothers.

Red flag: clots bigger than a 10p coin

Consistently brown blood might signpost low progesterone levels. Another giveaway? “Big blood clots are something to investigate,” says Brothers. While some small clotting is normal and can be a sign your body is trying to regulate your flow, if you see “clots bigger than a 10p coin or £2 coin, that can be a sign of something else. We see that with really heavy periods, fibroids and endometriosis.”

Healthy sign 4: life goes on as normal

Not everyone gets cramps but over 81% of women report some kind of pain during their period. So what’s the difference between healthy cramps and a warning sign? Pain should be mild and manageable.

“I was always told pain was a normal part of having your period,” says Brothers. “Cramps and aches are normal, but pain that disrupts your normal way of living, requires painkillers or leaves you bedbound is not. This should not be accepted as part of a normal period.”

“Is my period normal?”: 6 signs of a healthy period and how to tell if there is something wrong with your cycle