In the middle of the cycle, spotting brown discharge appeared

When is brown leucorrhoea normal?

The so-called brown spot is not always a sign of a problem in the body. Discharges that come from the genitals are not pathological if they appear:

• began (up to 2 days) before menstruation;
• after the end of menstruation (up to 3 days).

The reason for the appearance of brown leucorrhoea in the middle of the cycle may be hormonal changes in the body:

• When taking contraceptives
  . Leucorrhoea occurs during the first months (sometimes up to six months) after starting to take medications. They are not accompanied by additional symptoms and then disappear.
• After using medications
  emergency contraception (Postinor, Escapelle, etc.).

• During adolescence.
  The regularity of menstruation is established within 2 years from the onset of menarche (first menstruation). Therefore, the appearance of a scant bloody smear in the middle of the cycle is a variant of the norm during puberty.
• During menopause
  . Irregular cycles and spotting are common during menopause (from six months to a year after the cessation of menstruation).

Hormonal imbalances and the appearance of brown discharge can be caused by endocrine diseases.

Another non-pathological cause of brown spotting in the middle of the cycle is internal microtraumas that occur:

• During ovulation
  . After maturation, the egg ruptures the follicle and leaves the ovary into the fallopian tube.
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  The rupture may be accompanied by the release of a small amount of blood, which, when oxidized, acquires a brown tint (from light chocolate to dark brown or black).

• After first coitus
  . Brown and even bloody discharge is a consequence of the destruction of the hymen. Sometimes spotting leucorrhoea appears after the first few sexual intercourses.

• After rough vaginal sex
  . If a woman is insufficiently aroused and there is no (or poor secretion of) lubrication in the vagina, microtraumas occur, accompanied by small bloody leucorrhoea.

Leucorrhoea that begins after sex, with an unpleasant odor, itching or pain, may be a symptom of sexually transmitted diseases.

What color is the discharge on the first and subsequent days of menstruation?

As a rule, normal periods last 3–5 days. During this time, the color of menstrual discharge may change significantly. Don't worry! In most cases this is completely normal.

First day.

At the beginning of menstruation, many girls and adult women experience characteristic dark, thick discharge in the form of smears. This is due to the fact that the release of an unfertilized egg during menstruation does not occur immediately, but gradually. As a rule, dark discharge lasts no more than a day.

In the middle of menstruation.

Usually the color of blood during menstruation is red. The shade can vary from quite bright to dark. Often the color depends on the amount of blood lost. With scanty periods, the discharge is often dark; with heavy periods, it is red or burgundy. They may contain mucus and small clots. Bright scarlet menstrual blood in the first 1-3 days (but not longer!) is also considered normal.

In the last days of menstruation.

By the fourth day of your period, your discharge should become darker and thicker. After your period ends, you may notice brown marks appearing on your underwear for 3 days. This way the uterus is completely cleansed of everything “unnecessary”. During this period, you can use panty liners, such as Carefree®.

Discharge from a healthy woman

Normal indicators of the health of the female reproductive system are full discharge from the vagina and uterus. Every qualified gynecologist can explain why they go and visit regularly during an appointment. The mucous membranes of internal organs have their own protective microflora, which provokes the excretion of transparent mucus. Causes of natural discharge:

• microorganisms and epithelial cells of the vagina and uterus;
• vaginal lubrication. Observed after sexual intercourse;

• protective function of the cervical canal.

There is another type - periodic bleeding menstrual flow. Traditionally, bleeding occurs differently for everyone and has an individual character. The daily amount is from 5-6 grams to 15-18 grams of liquid. The duration does not exceed 8 - 9 days. The rest of the menstrual cycle has a creamy or denser consistency of the composition.

The norm for the appearance of brown spotting impurities in vaginal discharge is the period before or after the expected menstruation. The duration should not exceed 2-3 days. Sometimes you can observe these signs during the period of ovulation.

Why does the color of menstrual discharge change?

The color changes because the discharge is a combination of menstrual blood, vaginal secretions, and loose uterine lining (these are the same clots you may have noticed when changing hygiene products). On different days of menstruation, their composition and consistency are not the same. As you already know, in the very first and last days the color of normal menstruation is dark, the rest of the time it is red or brownish. The cause of changes in the color of menstrual discharge can be hormonal fluctuations, taking oral contraceptives, stress, hypothermia, pregnancy, and various diseases.

Discharge after sex

Normally, after intimate relations, the discharge should be mucous, without any foreign odor. Blood after sex, a feeling of discomfort and pain should be a reason to contact a gynecologist, especially if they appear repeatedly. Unpleasant symptoms can be physiological in nature (if it is the beginning of menstruation, first sexual intercourse, insufficient vaginal moisture), and in this case the woman’s condition can be easily corrected in accordance with the doctor’s recommendations.

In emergency cases, urgent hospitalization is necessary, but more often you can visit a doctor as planned, after which the specialist will prescribe treatment based on the identified pathology.

However, the reason may also be the development of gynecological pathology (inflammation, cancerous tumors, benign neoplasms, cervical erosion), which needs to be diagnosed (examination by a doctor, pelvic ultrasound, smears for flora and oncocytology) and timely treatment.

It is important to pay attention not only to the presence of blood during intimate contact, but also to other warning signs, so that you know what to do if there is blood during sex - relax or urgently consult a doctor for consultation and treatment. To clarify the reasons, the woman is prescribed several types of examination:

• examination on a gynecological chair;
• colposcopy to determine the condition of the cervix;
• performing an analysis of vaginal smears to exclude sexually transmitted diseases;
• pipel biopsy;
• Ultrasound to determine the condition of the endometrium;

• hysteroscopy (for regularly recurring bleeding).

If you suspect a precancerous condition of the tissues of the cervix, endometrium, or external genitalia, consultation with an oncologist is required.

What to do if you have brown discharge instead of your period?

If you are faced with spotting and it does not go away in two or three days, and is also not a sign of the first menstruation or the upcoming menopause, then this is a reason to contact a gynecologist. First, the doctor will interview you, then examine you and, most likely, refer you for an ultrasound or other examinations. The most reliable option is microbiological tests, namely a smear. It is taken from the vagina and cervix to understand what caused the spotting. In severe cases of the disease, women are referred for laparoscopy to make an accurate diagnosis. Here's what experts recommend:

• use white pads or underwear during pregnancy to see discharge in time;
• refuse tight artificial underwear;
• try not to disturb the vaginal microflora when washing and not to cause infections;
• Save the drainage pad to ask your doctor for advice.

And remember that only a gynecologist will say for sure whether spotting is a sign of pregnancy or is caused by other reasons.

Causes of bleeding

When bleeding appears in the middle of the cycle without pain or itching, and the discharge does not smell unpleasant, the symptom is almost always provoked by physiological factors:

1. Ovulation
   . The release of a mature egg is accompanied by a change in hormonal levels due to increased estrogen synthesis. On the 13th day of the cycle, spotting, if there are no gynecological diseases, is almost always caused by ovulation.

2. Current pregnancy
   . At the time of implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterus, there is often a little bleeding from the vagina. Bloody discharge in the middle of the cycle without pain can occur any day after menstruation, but more often it occurs on the 15th day of the cycle if there was unprotected intimate contact before that.

3. Microdamage to the vagina
   . Active sex, accompanied by damage to the mucous membrane. Reasons: inappropriate or large size of the partner's organ. One-time minor bleeding in the middle of the cycle after sex is not dangerous. If the situation repeats and the peeing is not associated with coitus, then you should look for another reason.
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4. Taking oral contraceptives
   . On the 16th day of the cycle, bleeding often occurs when hormonal contraceptives are taken.

5. Precursors of menstruation
   . Bloody discharge that appears on the 18th day of the cycle can signal that menstruation will begin soon.

The causes of bleeding in the middle of the cycle, even if there are no other signs of deterioration in health, are not always physiological in nature. If blood is released for several days or bleeding appears regularly, you need to undergo an examination and find out the cause.

Discharge associated with pregnancy

Brownish leucorrhoea in the middle of the cycle may indicate the beginning or end of pregnancy (miscarriage). Why is this happening?

When a fertilized egg attaches to the uterus, the endometrial vessels may be slightly damaged. The released blood stains the mucus. Sometimes mild spasms may occur.

Heavy discharge, which is accompanied by severe pain, nausea and cycle disruption, can be a symptom of an ectopic pregnancy.

If the fertilized egg detaches from the endometrium (due to the non-viability of the fetus or the presence of scars and adhesions in the uterus), a miscarriage occurs, which is accompanied by slight bleeding (duration - up to 48-72 hours).

When to worry: signs of illness

Mid-cycle spotting, the causes of which are not related to normal physiological secretions, may be a sign of a gynecological disease. You should pay special attention to your health if leucorrhoea is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• unpleasant odor or heavy discharge;
• pain or cramping in the lower abdomen (moderate to severe);
• itching and burning;

• painful sexual intercourse;
• general intoxication (fever, weakness);
• long period of discharge (from several days);
• the appearance of blood clots;
• regular discharge (appears over several cycles).

Many serious gynecological diseases (cancer, polyps, fibroids, etc.) can be asymptomatic in the early stages, so delay in diagnosis and treatment is deadly

Spotting for threatened miscarriage

With an incomplete miscarriage, brown discharge also occurs, but in this case it becomes bloody and includes clots. You will also feel cramps in the lower abdomen and pain.

In the case of a frozen pregnancy, menstruation is delayed and bleeding occurs, accompanied by abdominal pain. It is enough to donate blood for hCG and do an ultrasound to confirm or refute the death of the fetus in the womb. Here are the reasons why threats of miscarriage may arise:

• there is not enough progesterone in the body;
• there are diseases of the endocrine system;
• there are problems with the pituitary gland;
• the body is exposed to stress;
• excess physical activity;
• bad habits (smoking, alcohol and drugs).

If you do not consult a doctor in time if there is a threat of miscarriage, you will lose your baby and also risk having to have a curettage.

Brown spotting as a symptom of the disease

Brown leucorrhoea can be one of the symptoms of gynecological diseases. Often the appearance of spotting is caused by damage as a result of injury or infection of the mucous membrane of the reproductive organs.

The consequences of these diseases are very serious: from infertility to disability and death.

Therefore, it is necessary to carry out diagnosis as early as possible.

Treatment

Help before diagnosis

To reduce vaginal itching and stench, it is recommended to change panty liners several times a day and take local baths with herbal decoctions (oak bark, yarrow, chamomile). Douching is undesirable because it can cause the spread of bacteria through the genital tract. The appearance of discharge with a specific odor is an indication to contact a specialist to clarify the cause of the symptom and select treatment tactics. Until the diagnosis is verified, patients are advised to abstain from sexual intercourse.

Conservative therapy

To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, it is necessary to influence the etiological factor in the formation of gray discharge with a noticeably unpleasant odor, as well as to ensure the restoration of beneficial bacterial flora. To do this, local therapy is combined with oral medications. The following pharmaceutical groups are considered the most effective:

• Local action agents
  . Suppositories with antiseptics and antibacterial drugs are designed to effectively cleanse the vagina of pathogenic microorganisms. Vaginal suppositories with lactobacilli allow you to normalize the composition of the microflora.
• Antibiotics
  . With massive bacterial inflammation, systemic medications are required that act on the causative agents of genital infections. The treatment regimen is supplemented with anti-inflammatory drugs from the NSAID group to speed up recovery.
• Antihistamines
  . They reduce the amount of allergy mediators and pro-inflammatory cytokines, relieve itching and discomfort in the genital area. Preference is given to new generation drugs without side effects of sedation.

Complete sanitation of the vagina with restoration of normal microflora is possible only if the terms of antibiotic therapy are observed. Premature refusal to take antimicrobial agents contributes to the formation of treatment-resistant forms of microorganisms, the resumption of gray discharge, and the need for longer and more serious therapy. After the condition improves, it is necessary to carefully observe personal hygiene and use barrier contraception during sexual contacts with unfamiliar partners.

What is the danger?

There are cases when it is simply necessary to seek help from a specialist after detecting brown discharge, since spotting is a clear sign of abnormalities. For example, bleeding after sex is the first sign of diseases of the reproductive system. However, if the spotting is not accompanied by additional symptoms, for example, an increase in body temperature, then discharge after sexual intercourse may indicate the approach of menstrual bleeding.

The strength of the discharge also matters.

So, with an ectopic pregnancy, the discharge of blood can be very copious. It is worth noting that this condition is extremely dangerous for women. Dark brown spotting is most often referred to as metrorrhagia and intermenstrual bleeding.

This phenomenon is typical for women at any age and can appear as a symptom of pathology or be an individual feature of the body. If there is spotting in the middle of the cycle, the doctor may prescribe special medications. The most common diseases that cause spotting are:

• adnexal tumor;
• fibroma;
• malignant neoplasm in the uterus;
• sarcoma;
• cervical cancer or erosion;

• endometritis;
• not external adenomyosis.

These diseases are extremely dangerous and not only provoke changes in the cycle, but some can be fatal. In addition to dangerous diseases, bleeding can occur for other reasons that are less life-threatening, but can also lead to reproductive dysfunction and other unpleasant consequences.