Ever since you got your first period, you’ve probably noticed that a thin, clear or white vaginal discharge (otherwise known as leukorrhea) often appears in your undergarments.
Although healthy vaginal discharge comes in a variety of colors, brown discharge can be concerning if you’re not expecting your period, probably because the color is so close to blood. Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, brown discharge is nothing to be worried about.
Read on for more about what brown discharge may mean, plus when to reach out to your practitioner.
What is brown discharge?
It’s not uncommon to spot brown discharge in your underwear at various times during your cycle. While it can have a number of causes (more on those later), generally vaginal discharge looks brown when it is tinged with “old” blood.
Brown discharge crops up when blood from your uterus takes longer to make its way out of the vagina. As blood ages, it turns brown. The result: You may notice a brownish colored discharge when you go to the bathroom or undress for the shower.
What can brown discharge look like?
Brown discharge doesn’t always look the same. Depending on the timing of your menstrual cycle and the cause of the discharge, it may look lighter or darker.[1]
- Light brown discharge often happens when blood mixes with other discharge fluids. Even small amounts of blood — as small as a single drop — can give vaginal fluids a brown tint.
- Dark brown discharge is likely old blood by itself coming out. It tends to happen at the end of your period.
Is brown discharge normal?
Brown discharge is very often a normal part of the menstrual cycle. It is not unusual to see it on the final days of your period, when you’re no longer actively bleeding but your body is still removing the remnants of your monthly flow.
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However, brown discharge can sometimes be a sign of abnormal bleeding, signifying an infection or other problem.
What can cause brown discharge?
Brown discharge is most often nothing to worry about, but abnormal bleeding should always be discussed with your doctor. Here are some possible causes of brown discharge:
1. Your period
It’s not uncommon to have a small amount of (sometimes intermittent) brown discharge for a few days after menstruation — that’s old blood making its exit.
2. A recent pelvic exam
Sometimes a little brown discharge means your cervix is bleeding. This isn’t necessarily a cause for concern. The cervix is a sensitive organ and may bleed a bit after a pelvic exam, for example.
It's also common to have some brown discharge or spotting after getting a Pap smear. The test collects cells from your cervix using a cotton swab or soft brush — and that can cause a little bit of bleeding for the next few days or so.[2]
3. Sex
You could also experience some brown, blood-tinged discharge from sex, especially if it's vigorous.
4. Pregnancy
Pink or brownish discharge for a couple of days around the time of your period can also be an early sign of pregnancy — though it’s a symptom many women don’t notice (or even have).[3]
It’s caused by implantation bleeding, which occurs when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine lining, usually five to 10 days after conception.
It's hard at this stage to distinguish whether physical symptoms like bloating, breast swelling and acne are caused by pregnancy or premenstrual syndrome (PMS). But if you experience brown spotting or bleeding, recently had unprotected sex and your period is late by more than a few days, it’s a good idea to take a pregnancy test.
5. Perimenopause
If you’re in the age bracket — that is, usually 45 or older — brown discharge may be a sign of perimenopause, the time period before your body begins its transition to menopause.[4]
During this time, the hormones estrogen and progesterone don't rise and fall in the same way they would during a normal period, which can lead to irregular bleeding or spotting. Perimenopause might be to blame if you’re also experiencing mood swings, hot flashes and insomnia.
6. Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
Bacterial vaginosis occurs when the natural balance of bacteria in the vagina becomes upset. This can lead to changes to your discharge. Most of the time BV causes a green or greyish discharge, but it can also look brown, especially after it dries.
If BV is to blame for your brown discharge, you’ll also likely notice a foul or fishy odor and may experience itching or burning, too. Sometimes BV doesn’t cause any symptoms.[5]
7. Vaginal dryness
During menopause or if you're breastfeeding, your body produces less of the hormone estrogen. As a result, vaginal dryness can occur.
Vaginal dryness can cause discharge, which is most often yellow, but can also look brown if the vaginal tissues become irritated enough to bleed.[6]
8. Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a sexually-transmitted infection (STI) caused by the Trichomonas vaginalis parasite. The infection can cause irritation that can sometimes result in bleeding that looks brownish. Other symptoms of trichomoniasis include a foul odor, itching and painful urination.
If you test positive for Trichomoniasis, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics to knock it out. It’s important that any sexual partners be treated at the same time, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.
9. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
In rare cases, brown discharge can be a sign of a more serious issue. For example, brown discharge can be due to a cervical infection like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), though you'll almost always notice other symptoms too, such as abdominal pain or pain during sexual intercourse, fever, an unusual smelling vaginal discharge or burning during urination.[7]
10. Ovarian cyst
An ovarian cyst, a fluid-filled sac that forms on or inside an ovary, is benign in the majority of cases, but it can cause brown discharge as well as abdominal pain or pressure, a dull ache in the lower back and thighs, and pain during sex and your period.
Even though ovarian cysts don’t often cause any symptoms, they're usually detected by ultrasound.
11. Polyps
Polyps, or small growths of tissue, can be found in the uterus or the cervix and can cause irregular spotting. A pelvic sonogram is used to detect and diagnose them. The majority of polyps are usually benign and not cancerous, especially in younger women.
12. Cervical cancer
The most serious possible reason for brown discharge is cervical cancer, though the National Cancer Institute estimates that only around 0.6 percent of women will be diagnosed with this condition in their lifetimes.[8]
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.
Brown discharge and your period
Your menstrual cycle is accompanied by regular bleeding, so it’s a very common culprit of brown discharge. But during your period isn't the only time in your cycle that you might notice brown discharge.
After your period
Experiencing brown discharge right after your period ends usually means that you're just seeing the last of your period exiting your body. This can be confusing, especially if it’s intermittent.
Before your period
You might experience a little pinkish-brown spotting or pinkish-brown discharge around the time of ovulation, the midway point of your menstrual cycle when the egg is released from one of the ovaries.[9]
You probably won't have any spotting if you're taking a type of birth control that contains estrogen and progestin, however, since those hormones prevent ovulation from occurring.[10]
No period
Brown discharge or light spotting that never turns into a normal period flow could be implantation bleeding, which is an early sign of pregnancy. Typically, implantation bleeding happens between 10 and 14 days after conception. It can resemble a very light period, or may be more pinkish-brown in color.
Bottom line? If you’re not pregnant and you notice brown discharge right before or after your period, around ovulation or occasionally after sex, it’s more than likely very normal.
If you notice any other symptoms, like itching, odors or pelvic pain, check in with your doctor. These could be signs of infection or a more serious issue that requires treatment.
In the majority of cases, brown discharge is no big deal — just normal bleeding that took a little longer than usual to make its exit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown discharge before period: Could I be pregnant?
Pink or brownish discharge for a couple of days around the time of your period can be a sign of early pregnancy.
Does brown discharge mean pregnancy?
No, not necessarily. Brown discharge could be caused by implantation bleeding, but there are other reasons you could have brown discharge that are unrelated to pregnancy.
Should I take a pregnancy test if I have brown discharge?
If you experience brown spotting or bleeding, recently had unprotected sex and your period is late by more than a few days, it's a good idea to take a pregnancy test.
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