Science Writers at Clue

Science Team

This article was a collaborative effort by members of Clue’s science and content teams and was produced using leading sources in American contemporary midwifery practice.

illustration of the menstrual cycle with various points of spotting

Bleeding

Spotting and bleeding between periods

How, when, and why does spotting happen? Is it different than light bleeding before and after your period?

Diagram showing the phases of the moon from new moon to full moon, and a drop of menstrual blood.

Periods

The myth of moon phases and menstruation

Periods do not sync with the moon: Here’s the science

illustrated figures performing different yoga movements and postures

Diet & Exercise

Go with the flow: yoga for PMS relief

Yoga may help to ease your cramps in a few different ways.

Thermometers with different temperatures, on orange background

Fertility

Basal Body Temperature (BBT): How is it used to estimate ovulation?

Your reproductive hormones have a measurable impact on your temperature.

Bleeding

Uterine fibroids: a common reason for irregular bleeding and pain

Fibroids are abnormal growths of muscle tissue that form in or on the walls of the uterus.

A balance scale with drops of blood dripping into each plate.a

Bleeding

What’s “normal”?: period volume and heaviness

Different birth control methods may affect the heaviness of your period