For anyone who menstruates, this is a routine question during any visit to your doctor. Health care providers generally ask this to determine whether their patient is concerned about a menstrual ...

While period pain and heavy menstrual bleeding are common, they’re often dealt with privately. Yet they take a profound toll on a person’s health – and finances.

For most women, menstruation is a friend who arrives every month, but sometimes it may not come on time. Periods are considered irregular if they come much earlier or later than the expected day.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...