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The female body adapts itself to each change in the cycle and with that, signs that indicate these changes occur. One of these signs of the female body is brown discharge. Such a common sign in the course of female life, but that causes many doubts.
For women who take contraceptives, or after using the morning-after pill and even for those who are on the alert for every different sign of the body. What can this brown discharge mean? Could it be an indication of pregnancy ?
What is brown discharge?
The brown discharge can be indicative of several factors and present with different characteristics. It may be a darker discharge than normal, sometimes with the appearance of coffee grounds , or yellowish. But one thing is a fact, when it occurs it is because there is a small amount of blood in its composition.
Main Causes of Brown Discharge
Brown vaginal discharge is considered a common occurrence in female life, but it is not always caused by natural factors. In some cases, this dark colored discharge may be indicative of infections , such as bacterial vaginosis.
Little is said about this, but the vast majority of cases of chronic discharge are caused by the use of condoms produced in latex. This is because the vaginal mucosa is so sensitive, it can present allergic reactions to the material of the condom and thereby deregulate the natural PH of the vagina, making it a perfect environment for the proliferation of bacteria that cause vaginal infections.
Another very recurring factor, which the great majority of women believe they are doing well, when in fact, they are harming their health, is the realization of the famous “duchinha” . The use of the vaginal shower offers such a deep cleansing in the genital area, that it ends up removing all natural protection from the area , changing the quality of the vaginal flora and allowing the entry of invasive bacteria, causing infections and the presence of discharge automatically.
The constant use of intimate soaps or soaps with a very strong perfume, as well as moisturizers, vaginal creams and lubricants , especially those with flavor and aroma, offer great risk to vaginal health, in addition to completely uncontrolling the quality of vaginal flora and natural PH.
It is necessary to observe the symptoms together of the presence of the brown discharge. If accompanied by an unpleasant odor, burning sensation when urinating, itching and swelling of the area, in addition to persisting for more than 3 days, your doctor should be consulted for verification, evaluative exams and due treatment.
When is brown discharge normal?
Even though it may be indicative of an infection, when accompanied by other unpleasant symptoms, brown discharge can also happen due to some natural factors and common occurrences such as:
- After the end of the menstrual period (blood clots can come out after the menstrual end);
- After sexual intercourse (due to some irritation in the vaginal walls);
- When the woman has hormonal changes;
- When the contraceptive exchange occurs ;
- Use of thyroid control drugs
Is Brown Discharge a Symptom of Pregnancy?
This is a very common question in doctors’ offices, if the presence of brown discharge is an indication that the woman is pregnant. In fact, the answer is yes and no! And we will understand why.
The presence of brown discharge as a natural factor can happen due to hormonal disruptions and therefore may be linked to pregnancy. Since in this period, the hormones swirl and change rapidly, causing some signs. But we must consider that the occurrence of brown discharge may or may not be a pregnancy, so it is best not to create expectations or to consider it as indicative of a pregnancy beginning.
Brown discharge or ovulation bleeding?
Many women are surprised by the presence of a brown “dirt” right in the middle of the cycle and end up being in doubt of what it is. The brown discharge may not always be indicative of the causes reported above, but also ovulation bleeding.
In some cases, of late ovulation, bleeding from ovulation can also occur at the end of the cycle, very close to the date of menstruation arrives. It comes with a brown smudge appearance or a brown colored elastic goo.
Brown discharge or beginning of menstruation?
Another factor that can confuse women, is when the presence of mucus with a brown color or recognized as brown discharge happens very close to the date of the next menstruation .
It can cause concern when it occurs, since the wait is for blood flow considered normal, with the color of living blood. But in some cases, the onset of menstruation can be marked by a brown discharge, which is actually the normal flow, but with a different color.
Brown Discharge After Using Next Day Pill
The morning after pill is at the top of the list of the main causes of brown discharge in female life. That’s because, this little pill is a real hormonal pump and increases your progesterone levels sharply , reducing the chances of you getting pregnant (yes, the morning after pill is not 100% reliable!).
Its ingestion can cause the anticipation of menstruation, or simply the occurrence of a brown discharge that causes real panic in the ladies, who already imagine that the pill has failed and is pregnant. When in fact, the brown discharge is a sign of the hormonal lack of control that your body is suffering at the moment.
Incidentally, the indicated after using the pill the next day is to wait until the date of the next menstruation and do a pregnancy test to confirm. It is worth noting that the morning-after pill should not be used as a contraceptive method . It is an emergency option
and it should be used in extreme cases, when the contraceptive method is forgotten or fails for some reason. The morning-after pill should not be used more than once a month, which can cause the method to lose its effect and an unwanted pregnancy to happen.
IMPORTANT: If prevention is the best way to avoid pregnancy, use a condom!
Brown Pregnancy Discharge
During pregnancy, the presence of a brown discharge can be hopeless. Obviously the pregnant woman will think that there is something wrong with the pregnancy, that it is an abortion and that her baby is at risk. But calm down, it’s nothing like that! The presence of brown discharge in pregnancy can be due to several factors considered common during the gestational phase or not, so it is necessary to analyze each case.
The first factor to be observed is the amount of this discharge and how often it appears . When it happens early in pregnancy, in the first trimester it can be a sign of implantation bleeding, which is the brown “secretion” that can happen when the embryo is implanted. This bleeding received a name of nesting .
But as it is in the beginning of gestation, caution is necessary and observe the intensity and quantity of this discharge. If it is in a larger amount, it may be indicative of endometrial loss , which is where the embryo is fixed and developing.
So keep an eye out and if this brown discharge is in great flow and comes with pieces and blood clots, you should see your obstetrician for confirmation.
During the onset of pregnancy, the occurrence of brown discharge can also happen due to the hormonal lack of control, which is crazy at this stage. In this case, the discharge occurs due to the low hormone and small leaks occur. The physician should be informed for follow-up and testing if necessary.
Some women also report the appearance of brown discharge at the end of pregnancy and may be confused with the onset of labor or who is losing blood. But these occurrences are usually related to women with endometriosis or who have a placenta previa . It may also be indicative of placental detachment! So, if you saw something different, look for your obstetrician’s office to clear up your doubts and be able to enjoy the last days of the big belly in peace!
See also: Coffee Bean Menstruation – What is it?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
