It may cause painful, heavy periods or spotting between periods, which can be brownish. Other symptoms may include painful bowel movements and urination, pain during sex, and difficulty getting pregnant. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome have a hormonal imbalance which makes ovulation rare or irregular, which can make it hard to get pregnant. It may cause light bleeding or brown discharge. You may have very light or very heavy periods or no periods, excess hair on your face or body, oily skin, dark patches of skin, and weight gain.
The most serious potential reason for brown discharge is cervical cancer, but this is extremely rare. Some signs of cervical cancer may include: spotting between periods, spotting after sex, heavier or longer periods, and increased vaginal discharge. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.
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Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods, U. National Library of Medicine, March Join now to personalize. Photo credit: iStock. What does brown discharge mean? What causes brown discharge before or after a period?
What else usually causes brown discharge? Potentially serious causes of brown discharge When to call the doctor about brown discharge.
Pelvic exam or Pap smear A pelvic exam is not likely to cause bleeding unless you're pregnant and your practitioner is checking your cervix. Vigorous sex You could have some brown, blood-tinged discharge after sex. Birth control breakthrough bleeding Hormonal contraception, such as birth control pills , may cause some spotting, especially when you first start using it. Implantation bleeding Spotting or brownish discharge the week before you would expect your period can be an early sign of pregnancy.
A pelvic sonogram is used to detect and diagnose them. The majority of polyps are benign and not cancerous, especially in younger women. The most serious possible reason for brown discharge is cervical cancer, though the National Cancer Institute estimates that only around 0.
In this very unlikely scenario, the discharge would be accompanied by pain during sex and bleeding afterward, heavier or longer periods and bleeding between periods.
While you can check in with your doctor if you're concerned, your best bet may be to simply take a mental note of when it occurs and use a panty liner until it goes away. In the majority of cases, brown discharge is no big deal — just normal bleeding, from a normal reason thanks, Pap smear! What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.
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Registry Builder New. If you have brown spotting that starts a good two weeks before your period, it could be a sign of ovulation-related hormonal changes. Typically, you ovulate about 10 to 16 days after the first day of your last period. This is when your ovaries release an egg for fertilization.
Ovulation occurs when your estrogen levels are high. These drop after the egg is released. This decrease in estrogen can cause some bleeding and spotting. But if you take birth control pills, your brown spotting may be a sign of something else. Typically, birth control pills prevent ovulation. Sometimes, brown spotting is just a precursor to your period.
The brown blood or discharge may be the remnants of old blood that was never fully shed from your uterus the last time you had your period. If you use hormonal birth control, brown spotting may be a sign of breakthrough bleeding. This is bleeding that occurs between periods as your body adjusts to the hormones from your birth control. You can also have spotting on other estrogen-free birth control methods, including Depo-Provera shots or hormonal intrauterine devices, such as Mirena.
Brown spotting can also happen if you take birth control pills and miss a few doses. Once you get back on schedule with your pills, the spotting should go away. Sometimes, brown spotting before your period is actually implantation bleeding. This is mild bleeding or spotting that happens when a fertilized egg implants itself in your uterus. Keep in mind that only some pregnant people experience implantation bleeding.
Implantation bleeding usually happens a week or two after ovulation and resembles brown spotting. Treatment may include a course of antibiotics. Bad-smelling brown discharge can occur if a foreign object gets left in the vagina accidentally. Objects that can cause this might include:. Anyone who notices a brown discharge with an odor should see their doctor, as they may have a retained object or vaginal infection.
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance. It may cause a brown discharge from irregular, light bleeding. Other symptoms can include:. PCOS is not uncommon.
Those who suspect that they may have PCOS should speak to their doctor. There is a range of treatments available. Some treatments for PCOS may make it harder to get pregnant. A doctor can advise on the most suitable treatment for those who do want to get pregnant.
Brown discharge may be a symptom of cervical cancer , but this is extremely rare. According to the National Cancer Institute, cervical cancer only affects around 0. In the unlikely event that the cause of brown discharge is cervical cancer, other symptoms may include:.
The first test a doctor will carry out for cervical cancer is a Pap test. This can detect abnormal cells in the cervix. If a doctor detects abnormal cells, they might examine the cervix using a magnifying instrument. They may then take a tissue sample for testing in a laboratory. For those who do have cervical cancer, a doctor will carry out some imaging tests to determine its stage.
Treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy , or chemotherapy.
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