Brown discharge before menstruation in women (light brown, dark brown)

What is normal discharge?

During the premenstrual period, a woman may experience vaginal discharge of various types.
This may be due to the process of ovulation, pregnancy, the imminent onset of menstruation and other physiological processes. Blood before menstruation is not a sign of pathology if:

bloody discharge is small in volume;
there is no swelling or redness in the intimate area;
no burning or itching of the genitals is felt;
does not bother you with the feeling of pain;
the discharge has a brownish or pink tint;
there is no unpleasant odor.

Short-term minor discharge is most likely not dangerous.
The presence of “spotting” two days before your period is considered normal. If the cause is ovulation or pregnancy, bleeding before menstruation lasts no more than 3 to 4 days.

The release of vaginal secretions is normal for a woman of reproductive age. By its color, character, consistency and abundance, one can judge the state of health of the internal organs.

During menstruation, a red secretion is released, the basis of which is blood released from blood vessels that ruptured during the process of endometrial rejection. A woman need not worry if her menstrual flow meets the following basic criteria:

no severe pain;
not accompanied by itching and burning of the external genitalia;
color – from light red to brownish;
no swelling of the labia and vagina;
duration does not exceed a week;
there is no unpleasant odor.

If bloody mucus not associated with menstruation occurs systematically, you should visit a doctor. This phenomenon may indicate the development of a gynecological disease.

Bloody discharge a few days before menstruation is often considered normal. For example, a vaginal secretion with similar characteristics should not cause concern:

if the discharge is insignificant and the woman needs only one panty liner per day;
the genitals do not swell, there is no itching or burning;
no pain;
the discharge is characterized by a color from light red to brown;
the secret lasts no more than 4 days;
no odor or a subtle, sourish odor is allowed.

The logical end of such discharge is the onset of menstruation.

A few days before menstruation, spotting sometimes falls within the normal range. The color, consistency, abundance and nature of the secretion help to judge the condition of the internal organs.

A woman can be calm if her vaginal secretion:

not accompanied by severe pain;
does not bother you with itching and burning of the external genitalia;
discharge from light red to brown shades;
the labia and vagina are not swollen;

A woman should not have itching

the duration of the secretion is within 3-4 days;
there is no unpleasant odor.

The causes of blood a week before menstruation can be varied. Some of them are completely harmless. Others require drastic measures to be taken. But if the discharge has an uncharacteristic odor, color, or lasts more than 4 days, you should consult a doctor.

Ectopic pregnancy

If you experience spotting a few days before your period, with nagging pain in the lower abdomen and weakness, you need to go to the doctor and get an ultrasound, since all these signs are characteristic of an ectopic pregnancy.

Its peculiarity is that the fertilized egg is attached not to the walls of the uterus, but to the inner surface of the fallopian tube, and with its active growth, it may not withstand and burst, which will entail not only the opening of internal bleeding, but also the need to remove it, after that you will no longer be able to get pregnant.

If a woman guessed from the blood released from the vagina and her general health that she had an ectopic pregnancy and consulted a doctor on the same day, then she will be able to avoid the occurrence of such complications.

Important! Elimination of an ectopic pregnancy occurs only surgically. The use of medical abortion in this case will be ineffective.

Main signs of pathology

It is difficult to figure out why bloody discharge appears that is not associated with the onset of menstruation without a medical examination. If you are attentive to your own well-being, you can identify alarming symptoms.

The presence of pathological processes in a woman’s body is indicated by spotting and spotting with the following characteristics:

persist for a long time;
the blood is too thin or contains many clots;
a lot of discharge, although this is not menstruation;
pain during sexual intercourse;
general deterioration of health;
discomfort in the perineum and lower back;
unpleasant odor of cervical mucus.

Brown discharge may be accompanied by an increase in temperature. Blood a week before menstruation is an unfavorable sign, the appearance of which is best discussed with a gynecologist.

Some women believe that a drop of blood on their underwear between periods should not cause concern. However, such minor symptoms may be an alarming sign of the development of internal pathologies that require adequate emergency treatment.

Signs of pathological discharge

It is not possible to make a diagnosis on your own; this can only be done by a specialist using certain laboratory and other examination methods. But the following signs may indicate that you need to see a doctor:

menstruation takes too long;
severe pain is felt during sex;
general health is poor, headaches and fatigue appear;
body temperature rises;
copious discharge streaked with blood appears;
the discharge becomes too abundant;
an unpleasant odor appears;
discharge is accompanied by pain in the perineum, lower back or abdomen;
The discharge is too thick or watery.

If any of these signs appear, it is recommended to undergo an ultrasound and general examination, and undergo laboratory tests prescribed by a gynecologist.

What is the reason for bleeding?

Various reasons can provoke the appearance of blood from the vagina outside of menstruation. The main ones include: ovulation, pregnancy, gynecological diseases and taking hormonal medications.

However, the causes of bleeding before menstruation may also be due to a number of factors:

chronic fatigue;
increased physical activity;
sudden weight changes;
lack of vitamins and minerals;
stress;
mechanical damage during sex.

Bleeding before menstruation can also be the result of improper douching, an abortion, or other gynecological procedures.

Sometimes spotting can be associated with weight loss.
When there is bleeding before menstruation, a woman may be ovulating at that moment. The peak of physiological preparation of the reproductive system for conception is observed 7–14 days before the date of menstruation. During ovulation, the egg reaches a state of maturation, the follicles move towards the uterus - these processes are often accompanied by injury to small capillaries, which causes spotting.

Pregnancy can also cause spotting. Bleeding is caused by a violation of the integrity of the blood vessels when the egg attaches to the uterine cavity. The appearance of blood clots before menstruation is a pathological symptom during pregnancy. Heavy discharge with clots may be a sign of self-abortion.

If you bleed in the premenstrual period during ovulation or due to conception, you need to pay attention to your general condition. There should be no accompanying pathological symptoms. Otherwise, it is advisable not to delay visiting a gynecologist.

Minor discharge is acceptable during ovulation

If a few days before menstruation a woman detects drops of blood on her underwear, the cause may well be the effect of hormonal medications.

Vaginal bleeding appears when using drugs:

having the effect of emergency contraception;
contraceptive action.

Vaginal creams and ointments containing hormones, the vaginal ring and the intrauterine device also have a negative effect. Side effects from this group of drugs often occur in the first three months or with improper use of contraceptives and gynecology.

Particular attention should be paid to bleeding, which is accompanied by pathological symptoms. In such cases, diagnostics may reveal the development of gynecological diseases.

The cause may be an inflammatory process in the reproductive system

venereal diseases;
presence of neoplasms;
atrophic vaginitis.

In addition to vaginal bleeding, blood may occur before menstruation in the stool or urine. This sign does not always indicate serious violations. Thus, blood before menstruation from the anus appears with hemorrhoids, which often worsens during the premenstrual period.

Bloody discharge before menstruation without any other symptoms is allowed if this is a fertile period or conception has occurred. A mature egg needs to be released from the follicular sac. At this moment, damage to the smallest capillaries is possible, resulting in a slight release of blood. This usually happens on the 14th day from the start of the previous menstruation.

Bloody discharge may be a sign of pregnancy.
The possibility of pregnancy should not be ruled out. If conception is destined to happen, it will happen only on the day of ovulation, that is, at the moment when the egg is viable. But fertilization is considered to have occurred from the moment the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. There is a certain period for this - 6-12 days from the fertile period.

The type of vaginal discharge deserves special attention from women. Their duration is primarily taken into account. 3-4 days is considered the norm, beyond this is a reason to visit an antenatal clinic. Perhaps your lower abdomen will feel a little sore.

Causes of bleeding before menstruation

Bloody discharge before menstruation is a common phenomenon experienced by a third of all women. Scarlet mucus about a week before menstruation is often a symptom of ovulation.

During the process of the egg leaving the follicle, some of the blood vessels may be damaged. As a result, the woman will notice a few drops of blood. This happens more often if there is a lack of progesterone. Due to a deficiency of this hormone, the lining of the fallopian tubes becomes more vulnerable, which increases the risk of tissue damage.

So that the doctor can accurately determine the cause of bleeding in the intervals between menstruation, it is necessary to describe in detail all the symptoms that have arisen. It is especially important to indicate the day of the cycle, heavy or scanty discharge, and what color it is.

What diseases can there be

Bloody discharge is most often observed in young girls and women over 45 years of age. This is due to hormonal changes in the female body. In adolescents, hormone surges occur as a result of the beginning of the full functioning of the reproductive system. In adult women, on the contrary, with the cessation of ovarian function (menopause).

Unstable periods may have symptoms of bleeding. Only a doctor can accurately determine whether pathological discharge is present or not, so self-diagnosis is not advisable.

Discharge even at this age is not always the norm. Frequent and abundant spotting may be a harbinger of diseases of the ovaries, uterus or other organs of the reproductive system.

A few drops of blood a week before your period may be a consequence of the use of medicinal compounds. A number of hormonal medications can cause vaginal discharge.

Blood may appear after taking certain hormonal OCs

First, you need to be especially careful with the following:

dosage forms providing emergency contraception;
birth control pills;
ointments and creams for the vagina.

In addition, patients who have a vaginal ring or intrauterine device should be on their guard.

If blood appears before your period, you will not be able to make a diagnosis on your own. This should be done by a specialist. Usually, a few days before menstruation, bleeding may occur with the development of the following pathologies:

inflammation in the ovaries or fallopian tube;
if the reproductive system is affected by infection;
with cervical erosion;
venereal diseases;
if you had to deal with acute or chronic endometritis;
for polyps or cysts;
with atrophic vaginitis;
can be caused by benign or cancerous formations;
with endometriosis (growth of the inner layer of the uterus).

It is very important to get checked for the presence of a sexually transmitted disease.
Each woman's reproductive system is individual. If there are only symptoms indicating the development of a particular disease, without tests and the necessary examination, it is impossible to say reliably what pathology you have encountered.

In addition, if you bleed a week before your period, you should look for the cause in disorders of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, central nervous system, and bladder.

What to do if discharge appears

Despite the fact that some causes of bleeding are not dangerous for a woman and are short-term in nature, it is still worth consulting a gynecologist. He will conduct an examination and rule out serious diseases.

To make an accurate diagnosis it is necessary:

Examine the patient on a gynecological chair. Swabs are taken to examine the contents of the vagina. Here the quantitative ratio of different types of microorganisms is determined, as well as whether the causative agent of the disease is present.
Perform an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs. It is carried out from the fifth to the seventh day of the menstrual cycle. If there is a suspicion of endometriosis, the study should be carried out several days before the start of menstruation.
Donate blood to determine the level of sex hormones.
Set the day of ovulation. To do this, the woman measures the temperature in the rectum every morning. You cannot stand up before the procedure, so the thermometer must be placed nearby in advance. It is better to use a mercury device. It gives more accurate indicators. When ovulation occurs, the basal temperature rises by 1 degree.

Only after a comprehensive examination will the doctor be able to make a diagnosis and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.

Gynecological diseases

Bloody discharge before menstruation is a sign of many gynecological diseases. This phenomenon may last for several days. The occurrence of pathological mucus rarely occurs without accompanying symptoms. If you pay attention to them, you can visit a doctor in time and receive qualified help.

The following phenomena cannot be ignored:

abdominal pain;
rotten, putrid or sour odor from the perineum;
itching, redness, burning and swelling of the labia and vagina;
general fatigue;
discomfort during sex.

The appearance of spotting and spotting along with an unpleasant odor indicates the development of an infectious process. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and candidiasis can provoke such symptoms. Blood loss is insignificant, but it is caused by a strong inflammatory process in the genital tract.

Chronic endometritis is characterized by more than just brownish mucus. A woman notices pain in the abdomen that practically does not go away, but there is no characteristic unpleasant odor. Discomfort intensifies before menstruation, after physical overload and during sex.

Outside the menstrual cycle, discharge can occur during a serious illness such as cervical cancer. The mucus is dark brown in color, with a characteristic putrefactive odor. The connection between the uterus and ovaries is very close. Lack of timely treatment of cancer leads to the need to remove all organs of the reproductive system.

Ectopic pregnancy is a condition that carries serious danger. Preservation of the fetus is impossible, and the mother's life is at risk.

A positive hCG test or blood test may indicate that pregnancy has begun. However, with ectopic conception, the embryo is implanted not in the uterine cavity, but in the fallopian tubes. They are unable to expand, and therefore the growth of the fertilized egg leads to rupture of the tube, which causes severe bleeding, which can cause the woman to die.

Bloody discharge a week before menstruation is one of the signs of ectopic pregnancy. The color of the secretion is usually bright red. If you understand that blood before menstruation indicates that the embryo is fixed in the fallopian tube, and go to the hospital in time, sad consequences for the mother can be avoided.

The lack or excess of hormones in the body does not go unnoticed. Even a slight deviation from the norm always causes disturbances. Hormonal medications are taken strictly as prescribed by the doctor, but even in this case, unexpected reactions of the body are possible.

Hormonal imbalances, in which estrogen is increased, lead to premature endometrial rejection. Bleeding before menstruation of unknown etiology may be associated with this imbalance.

With progesterone deficiency, the full production of the corpus luteum is disrupted. A woman may notice the appearance of a yellowish or brownish secretion. Depending on the day of the menstrual cycle, she may confuse this phenomenon with the beginning of menstruation. The problem becomes known only after pregnancy is planned.

Brown discharge before menstruation is a symptom of disease

If the vagina smears brown before menstruation and at the same time there is discomfort inside, the discharge itself smells unpleasant and the body temperature is elevated, you should urgently consult a doctor. Spotting during menopause and painful sexual intercourse are also reasons to visit the clinic.

Diagnosis of menstrual cycle disorders is carried out through procedures such as:

Examination of the internal genital organs on a gynecological chair.
Taking a vaginal smear.
General blood analysis.
Ultrasound of the pelvis.
Blood test for hormones.
Biopsy and colposcopy of the cervix.
Curettage of the uterine cavity with subsequent transfer of the endometrium for histological examination.

During a consultation with a gynecologist, the patient should openly talk about the characteristics of the menstrual cycle, sexual life, diseases that she suffered previously, and hereditary predisposition to gynecological pathologies.

Based on diagnostic data and the collected medical history, the specialist confirms one of the following diseases:

Endometriosis.
Endometritis.
Polyps.
Uterine fibroids.
STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis).

Endometriosis

Dark brown discharge before menstruation in the case of endometriosis is accompanied by aching pain in the lower abdomen. Mild discomfort bothers a woman in different phases of the cycle and intensifies before bleeding begins. Vaginal discharge may be brown, brown-brown or black.

In the early stages, endometriosis is treated with analgesics and hormonal drugs. In advanced cases, surgical excision of pathological foci is indicated.

Endometritis

The inflammatory process develops on the mucous membrane of the uterine cavity. Endometritis spotting is brown in color and smells bad. A woman is bothered by aching pain in her lower abdomen.

What signs indicate the development of pathology?

A week before menstruation, discharge is not always the result of pathological processes. However, if you discover some associated factors, you need to seek help from a specialist, since such changes may indicate the presence of serious problems. Worrying factors include:

discharge lasting more than 4 days;
the presence of a large number of clots;
copious discharge;
the secretion is thick or, conversely, unnaturally watery;

If the temperature rises, this is an alarming signal and treatment is necessary.

body temperature is increased;
having sex is accompanied by pain;
feeling of discomfort in the back, lower back and abdomen;
the patient's general condition worsened.

If discharge occurs 4 days before your period and one or a number of the signs mentioned above are identified along with it, you should not postpone your visit to the clinic. After passing the tests and performing an ultrasound of the problem area, the specialist will prescribe the necessary therapy.