Brown discharge during the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and with contraception – the main causes

In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.

Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.

Brown vaginal discharge is an unpleasant ailment that is often a source of concern for many women. Vaginal discharge with an admixture of blood clots can have various causes and only the determination of the exact causes of this symptom allows for the implementation of effective treatment. What do brown vaginal discharge mean at different times in the menstrual cycle? How does contraception and pregnancy affect vaginal discharge?

Brown discharge before period

The brown discharge that appears before menstruation may be hormonal. Endocrine disruptions are one of the most common causes of brown pre-period discharge. The disorder may be progesterone deficiency caused by a failure of the corpus luteum, i.e. the residue of a ruptured Graaf vesicle.

  1. What is the role of a Graaf bubble?

The corpus luteum is responsible for the production of progesterone and if there is not enough of it in the menstrual cycle, brown vaginal discharge can occur. The cycle with brown vaginal discharge is usually a non-ovulatory cycle.

Brown discharge after period

The brown discharge that appears after menstruation may indicate various disorders in the reproductive organs. Specialists most often indicate that the causes of brown vaginal discharge are infections, sexually transmitted diseases and developing venereal diseases.

Brown discharge after the period can also be caused by erosion of the cervix, polyps in the uterine cavity or fibroids. Brown vaginal discharge is also a consequence of genital tract injuries and abrasions on the labia.

Brown vaginal discharge in pregnancy

Brown vaginal discharge may also appear during pregnancy, especially in the first days of pregnancy. The brown vaginal discharge that occurs then is the so-called implantation bleeding caused by the implantation of the embryo in the mucosa of the uterine cavity.

Worth knowing

Bleeding may occur 7-12 days after conception, and then should not be alarming.

Krwawienie implantacyjne i brązowe upławy powinny samoistnie minąć po około 3 dniach. Jeżeli brązowe upławy nie ustępują, należy koniecznie skonsultować się z ginekologiem.

Brązowe upławy przy antykoncepcji

Brown vaginal discharge can also be a scanty period that is caused by hormonal contraception. Women who choose to use hormonal contraception have short and meager periods, which often appear as brown spotting. This situation applies especially to the so-called mini-pills, the composition of which is based on the progestogen only. With this type of contraception, brown vaginal discharge may appear during the course of the cycle.

Brown vaginal discharge and diseases of the reproductive organs

Brown vaginal discharge may also indicate diseases of the genital tract. Most often they are a symptom of venereal diseases. In the case of venereal diseases, brown vaginal discharge is accompanied by an unpleasant odor from the vagina, vaginal itching, burning of the labia, pain during intercourse, as well as ulcerations and pustules on the genitals.

  1. Symptoms of HPV (human papillomavirus) infection

Brown discharge can also appear in polyps or fibroids. These conditions are diagnosed by ultrasound and hiteroscopy. The brown vaginal discharge will disappear with surgical removal or pharmacological treatment of the disease.

In order to protect your underwear against vaginal discharge, it is worth buying Bio Sanitary Liners Normal made of organic cotton Vuokkoset, which are gentle to the skin, and at the same time absorbent and completely biodegradable.

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website.

Leave a Reply