Experiencing bleeding at any point during pregnancy can be scary. There are times when finding discharge that looks like blood is a normal part of pregnancy.
But what about brown discharge? Is this dangerous for you or your baby-to-be?
Here are 6 possible reasons you may be experiencing brown discharge during pregnancy.
Causes
1. Implantation bleeding
If you’re very early on in your pregnancy and actively looking for symptoms, you might discover some light spotting around week 4. This can be implantation bleeding, or the bleeding that occurs when the fertilized embryo burrows into the highly vascular lining of your uterus.
2. Cervical irritation
During pregnancy, your cervix (the bottom of your uterus and the part that opens and stretches during labor) is highly vascular. This suggests it has a great deal of capillary, so it can bleed easily.
If your cervix is inflamed during pregnancy, it might cause some brown discharge. This can occur at any point during your pregnancy It might be caused by sex, a cervical check by your doctor, or an infection.
3. Ectopic pregnancy
In unusual cases, brown discharge can be triggered by an ectopic pregnancy. This is when a pregnancy occurs outside of the uterus, the majority of typically in the fallopian tube.
The brown color occurs due to the fact that the bleeding is older blood, not bright red (new) blood. An ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening emergency.
Go to the emergency clinic if you observe any bleeding in addition to any symptoms, including:
- extreme dizziness
- shoulder pain
- fainting
- lightheadedness
- abdominal or pelvic pain that reoccurs, particularly on one side
4. Miscarriage
Any bleeding during pregnancy can be an early sign of miscarriage. In general, bleeding that results in a miscarriage is also accompanied by other symptoms. So if you observe brownish-pink discharge, be on the lookout for other symptoms, including:
- cramping
- increased bright red bleeding
- gush of fluid or watery discharge
- abdominal pain
- lower back pain
5. Unknown reasons
Lot of times, there’s no apparent reason for bleeding during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. One study found that as lots of as one-fourth of women reported some sort of bleeding during the first few months of their pregnancies. Although scientists speculated that the bleeding was an early sign of the placenta not establishing effectively, they aren’t sure of all of the reasons bleeding can happen. Call your doctor if you experience other symptoms, or if you’re concerned. Read more: Brown discharge during early pregnancy.
6. Mucus plug
You might be losing your mucus plug if you’re further along in your pregnancy, (anywhere from 36 to 40 weeks) and discover a boost in discharge that is brownish, pink, or perhaps a little green-tinged.
As your body gets ready to enter into labor, it’s normal for your cervix to soften and release the mucus plug. This plug assisted to safeguard any bacteria from entering into your uterus. The mucus plug can appear like, well, mucous. However it may also be tinged with brown-colored discharge when it removes. You may observe the mucus plug come out at one time. Or it may dislodge in smaller sized, less obvious “portions” during a couple of days or weeks.
Also read: Vaginal discharge in early pregnancy.
What to Do If You Have Brown Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy?
If you notice a small amount of brown discharge during your pregnancy, do not panic. Most of the times, a small amount of blood-tinged discharge is normal. Ask yourself if there could be any possible factor for the discharge. Were you checked by your doctor just recently? Did you have sex in the last 24 hours? Are you nearing the end of your pregnancy and might be losing your mucus plug?
If the discharge increases, or you experience any bleeding with other symptoms, call your doctor or head to the health center.
