Do you have brownish-colored discharge just before or after your period? This brown discharge, which often marks the beginning and the end of menstruation, can also occur for other reasons. What are they due to? When to worry Answers with Dr Odile Bagot, obstetrician-gynecologist.
Brown discharge occurs at different times in the cycle: just before or after menstruation, or around ovulation. If these losses (like white discharge) are most often normal, they can also be a sign of another gynecological disorder, especially when they are accompanied by other symptoms (irritation, pain, bad odors, etc.) . What are the causes of brown discharge? When to consult? Answers with Dr Odile Bagot, obstetrician-gynecologist.
What are brown losses?
Brown or brown discharge corresponds to the evacuation of old blood through the genital tract. But why do they have this color? Quite simply because it is "old blood". "It is blood in very small quantities, which has stayed in the vagina and is sometimes evacuated late, which gives this brownish appearance", explains Odile Bagot, obstetrician-gynecologist. In women without contraception, or who have a copper IUD, it is normal to see the appearance of brown losses before and after menstruation. "Usually, in women who have a spontaneous natural cycle, the period lasts a week but will not start clearly with red blood and end quite without a single drop of blood the next day", notes the specialist in gyneco-obstetrics. It can also be just one of the symptoms of ovulation. In women using hormonal contraception, this bleeding may appear after a change of pill, with low-dose contraception, or in case of inappropriate hormonal dosage, either too high or too low.
What are the causes of brown discharge?
"Some women who are ovulating may have a little bleeding. Usually the blood is a little red, but if it's scarce and it stays in the vagina, it can turn brown too," Odile Bagot analysis. Brownish discharge may also occur at the very start of the dose of a new pill, or with low dose hormonal contraception. "With a progesterone IUD, especially the less dosed one, such as Kyleena®, periods can last a week, especially the first two years. As they are very scarce, they sometimes look like a brown discharge, says the expert. Likewise with a very low-dose estrogen-progestogen pill, the periods can be limited to small brown losses and disappear ". With a progestin-only pill that you take continuously, bleeding may appear from time to time, outside of your period. "We then speak of spotting", specifies Dr Bagot. On the other hand, smelly brown discharge or which is accompanied by pain should be watched for, as it may be a sign of an infection or an intrauterine pathology such as a uterine fibroid or a polyp.
When should you consult?
- Smelly brown discharge
If the brown discharge is accompanied by other symptoms such as a burning sensation, itching, a bad smell, or pain in the lower abdomen, a doctor should be consulted as this may be a sign of infection (vaginosis, yeast infection …) or inflammation of the cervix. "There are metrorrhagia, bleeding outside of your period or during the ovulatory period. It is necessary to check that there is not a pathology at the level of the cervix, such as cervicitis (inflammation of the cervix) ", explains Odile Bagot.
- Painful brown discharge
If this discharge is accompanied by pelvic pain (any pain that occurs in the area of the pelvis, pelvis – including the lower abdomen and genital area), it requires an urgent medical appointment to rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy. "If there is pain and you have a late period, watch out for ectopic pregnancy", warns the specialist.
- Brown losses that last a long time
"When the discharge lasts long enough before and long enough after, we can see if there is an intrauterine pathology such as a polyp, an ovarian cyst or a uterine fibroid," she continues. In case of doubt, it is imperative to consult a doctor for a pelvic examination.
- Brown discharge and desire for pregnancy
Finally, when a woman wants to get pregnant and she notices brown discharge before her period, you have to be vigilant because "it can be the witness of an insufficiency", says Dr. Bagot. Luteal insufficiency occurs when the ovaries do not make enough progesterone. Progesterone ensures the thickening of the uterine lining intended to accommodate the implantation and growth of the egg. It also contributes to the maintenance of pregnancy. "When there is not enough progesterone or it goes down gradually, the uterus may start to bleed too soon, which can be a barrier to pregnancy.", she says.
Usually, brown discharge occurs before and / or after menstruation. This discharge is a white discharge mixed with old blood which flows together through the vagina. It is this small amount of blood that has stagnated in the uterine cavity that explains the brownish color of these secretions. In women who are not taking hormonal contraceptives, rather pinkish or brown discharge may appear on the time of ovulation. These losses are quite normal and do not necessarily occur every month.
Spotting, on the other hand, occurs outside the period. This is less bleeding than a period, which is painless and usually darker in color. Stress, emotional upheaval, jet-lag … Several causes can explain this phenomenon. Most of the time, the spotting is benign, but if it is prolonged over several months or becomes more and more abundant or even painful, it should lead to a gynecological consultation.
If brown discharge can occur during pregnancy without it being a bad sign for the future, it should be taken seriously because it can be a symptom of an egg detachment, an ectopic pregnancy, or an risk of miscarriage. In the presence of brown discharge during pregnancy, it is therefore best to consult a gynecologist, especially if it is accompanied by pelvic pain.
As long as the brown discharge is not foul-smelling, irritating, or painful, it is normal. To protect your underwear, you can use panty liners. However, if they persist over time, take go to your gynecologist. "If this becomes disturbing, with for example 3 days of losses, then 7 days of menstruation, followed again by losses, do not hesitate to consult", warns Odile Bagot.