Yellow
Yellow discharge is usually not dangerous . In the early stages, they can be a consequence of the formation of a mucus plug in the cervix, which is needed to protect against infection, and excess mucous secretion, when the plug is already formed, comes out naturally.
The same mucus plug will break down shortly before delivery, meaning yellow discharge will recur To avoid problems, you need to wash yourself every time after such discharge, it is advisable to also wear underwear made from natural fabrics and use special hygiene products (for example, special gels).
Similar to menstruation
Indeed, some women experience periodic brownish spotting during the first 1-3 months during their period. This situation is abnormal and indicates hormonal imbalances. Lack of progesterone, which provides all the necessary transformations in a woman’s body during pregnancy, causes rejection of the endometrium. If the condition does not stabilize and the discharge does not disappear, miscarriage, placental abruption and serious fetal pathologies are possible. They solve the problem by supplying progesterone analogs from the outside. These are tablets and vaginal suppositories of synthetic origin - Duphaston or vegetable - Utrozhestan.
Without pain
Pain most often accompanies various pathologies of the fetus and placenta, and is also a companion to many infections, because the fact that there is no pain is already good.
Most likely, the discharge is not associated with pathologies in the development of pregnancy and represents a secretion of the epithelial tissue of the vagina or cervix.
Discharge of a dark, brown color, especially with blood or odor, even if it is not even accompanied by pain, can be a sign of dangerous pathologies leading to fetal death and subsequent infertility. Therefore, you need to urgently go to the doctor.
How to distinguish regular periods from discharge
It is necessary to distinguish between menstrual bleeding with the release of old endometrium and discharge. In the first case, old blood or old tissue left in the uterus during previous periods comes out (that's why they turned brown). The discharge can be called “daub”: there is less of it in quantity, the consistency of the discharge is more viscous.
Everything here is as individual as with pregnancy. Some women may experience brown discharge as heavy as menstrual blood. Moreover, they can coincide with the cycle, thereby completely confusing the woman.
If you are not sure if you are pregnant, answer two simple questions:
- Have you ever had unprotected sex?
- Have there been any errors in taking oral contraceptives?
If you are in doubt about any of these points, be sure to take a pregnancy test.
Coitus interruptus (sex without any contraception, but with the penis removed from the vagina immediately before ejaculation) is equivalent to unprotected sex.
False periods during pregnancy
There are no periods during pregnancy. The body of a pregnant woman switches to another mode, in which the egg ceases to be produced in the ovary - which means that the need to remove an unfertilized egg disappears (this is the main function of menstruation).
If a pregnant woman experiences bleeding from the vagina, this is not menstruation, but spotting. In early pregnancy, 25 percent of women experience such discharge.
False periods can be identified by several signs:
- Your periods are not as heavy as usual;
- Your period appeared earlier than usual;
- Your period ended earlier than usual;
- Unusual color of discharge (from pink to black).
If you are sexually active, any change in your cycle could be a sign of early pregnancy. Remember that there are no contraceptives that can 100 percent protect a woman from fertilization.
“Menstruations” during pregnancy do not negate the results of a pregnancy test or a positive hCG test. If your blood or urine shows pregnancy, you are experiencing spotting and not a full menstruation.
Causes of brown discharge in pregnant women
At the very beginning of pregnancy, spotting indicates the attachment of the embryo to the wall of the uterus. Discharge may appear at a later date: this is due to the greatest sensitivity of the vagina and cervix. The blood flows in much more abundantly, and any damage to the mucous membrane results in discomfort.
The most common mechanical injuries include sex and gynecological examination.
Sex
During pregnancy, sex is safe, and classic sex is even beneficial for the health of a pregnant woman. However, brown discharge is a common “side effect” of sexual intercourse.
Increased blood flow makes the mucous membrane as sensitive as possible to any irritants, including the penis. Small injuries appear - they are not dangerous, but it is still necessary to contact a gynecologist.
If the gynecologist finds no complications or abnormalities, you can resume sexual activity. Keep in mind that you cannot have sex from the moment the discharge appears until you go to the gynecologist. If discharge appears during sexual intercourse, it must be stopped immediately.
Use pads - this way you can control the color and amount of discharge. The gynecologist will definitely ask about this at the next examination.
Gynecological examination
Pregnant women, especially in the early stages, undergo all possible tests, including smears. Taking a smear and any other medical penetration into the vagina easily provokes spotting. They are not dangerous.
You will have to give up sex for a while and use personal hygiene products (daily products are also suitable if the bleeding is not very heavy). Discharge from mechanical damage lasts no longer than two days.
In the 1st trimester
In the first trimester, yellow liquid, the release of which is not accompanied by an unpleasant odor or pain, is normal.
During this period, the body experiences hormonal changes and a large amount of mucus forms in the cervix. This mucus is removed when too much of it accumulates. Signs of pathology include increased viscosity of discharge, odor or color changes.
Also, the cause of increased secretion can be an allergy to various feminine hygiene products or underwear.
Non-dangerous causes of bloody spotting
The tissues of the genital organs of a pregnant woman are very tender and loose, in addition, they are much better supplied with blood. Therefore, even a careless examination by a gynecologist or too active sex causes microtraumas to appear in the vagina. For the same reasons, rupture of a capillary and, as a result, a brown tint of discharge can be provoked by physical activity, stress, taking certain medications, falling, etc.
If a woman does not take care of herself during pregnancy, then you can expect not only injuries, but also a miscarriage. Many patients end up in the pregnancy pathology department with bleeding after picking up an older child or moving furniture or carrying heavy bags.
In the 2nd trimester
There is no need to worry if the discharge is clear, white or yellow, has no odor, is not accompanied by pain, is not thick, does not foam, or is not spotting. Otherwise, discharge is a sign of the development of pathology.
The most common causes of pathological discharge in the second trimester are fungal or bacterial infections, erosions of the vagina and uterus.
Discharge with blood is a sign that the placenta has begun to exfoliate, and therefore a miscarriage may soon occur. In this case, you need to go to the hospital immediately.
This may also mean that the placenta is incorrectly positioned, in which it blocks the os of the uterus. This is called placenta previa.
Brown discharge as a symptom of pregnancy
Pregnancy always manifests itself and proceeds differently. However, brown discharge is most often a sign of early pregnancy. They are one of the very first responses to changes in a woman’s hormonal background. However, you should take a closer look at the discharge in any situation.
If your period is delayed and brown discharge appears instead, you are pregnant. At the beginning of pregnancy, they talk about the attachment of a fertilized egg to the wall of the uterus. Typically, the discharge begins on the seventh day after fertilization and lasts 3-4 days, and its color varies from pink to dark brown.
Minor bleeding may also appear - this is the blood that was in the womb before fertilization. Bleeding may be accompanied by small cramps in the lower abdomen - these are muscle cramps of the uterus. Gynecologists note that excessive bleeding and very severe pain may be a signal of a possible miscarriage.
If you only had colored discharge instead of menstruation, and a few days later full menstruation began, this is a sign of hormonal disorders. In this case, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist to normalize hormonal levels.
In the 3rd trimester
In the third trimester, for most pregnant women, the discharge intensifies and becomes very varied in consistency. They can be thick, liquid, watery, more or less transparent, and so on.
The main thing is that there is no admixture of blood, pus, or foam in the discharge, so that the discharge is not cheesy and has no odor. As in previous stages of pregnancy, the most dangerous discharge is bloody, which means placental abruption. In this case, there is a high probability that a miscarriage or premature birth will occur, so you should consult a doctor immediately.
This bleeding can be similar to menstrual bleeding and is usually accompanied by pain. Even small clots and streaks of blood are a very alarming sign, and if they appear, you should consult a doctor.
In the last days before giving birth, there may be pink discharge, which is normal.
Tubal pregnancy
The ectopic location of the embryo does not leave a chance to maintain the pregnancy and threatens the life of the mother. When the fetus begins to grow, the walls of the tube will rupture, which will lead to pain and increased discharge. It all starts with a pink or brown spot and ends with profuse internal bleeding. In this case, only surgical intervention can save the woman. The pregnancy cannot be maintained.
In a critical condition, the following signs are noted:
- Nausea to the point of vomiting;
- Rapid heartbeat;
- Drop in blood pressure;
- Temperature increase;
- Cutting on one side of the abdomen;
- Bloody issues.
What to do?
This depends on the specific symptoms that were described above. If you see and feel that the discharge is normal and does not indicate any abnormalities, you don’t have to do anything - the mucus will come out, and that’s all. But you still need to tell the doctor during one of your regular examinations.
If the symptoms indicate a disorder, as indicated by the color, smell of the discharge, and accompanying pain, you should go to the doctor immediately and begin treatment immediately after diagnosis. It is possible that your life, as well as the life of your unborn child, is under threat.
Varieties of brown mucus
Brownish mucus can be a normal manifestation or a pathological phenomenon in any trimester of gestation. Discharges can be of different shades:
- yellowish-brownish;
- transparent with red splashes;
- pinkish-reddish;
- brown;
- red;
- cherry.
Such discharge allows you to understand that clots have formed in the uterus. There can be a great many reasons for such unusually colored mucus. Regardless of the color, you should contact a specialist.
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What do doctors do to find out the cause?
The first and most important thing in emergency situations is to quickly and thoroughly collect anamnesis. Valuable information that needs to be communicated to the ambulance paramedic or doctor in the emergency room:
- Patient's age;
- Gestational age in weeks;
- How many births and pregnancies were there before, what pathologies occurred previously;
- Allergy to medications;
- Presence of chronic diseases;
- Symptoms that bother you, when they started, how quickly they led to the final condition.
Next comes the diagnostics:
- Ultrasound to assess fetal viability, location of the placenta and other circumstances.
- Colposcopy to detect erosions, polyps and other gynecological diseases.
- General blood and urine tests, biochemistry.
- A smear of discharge.
- CTG - assessment of the fetal heartbeat.
When should you see a doctor?
If mucus discharge during pregnancy changes in character, that is, it acquires an unhealthy color or smell, most likely it is an infection.
Not in all cases, pathogenic microflora causes an infectious-inflammatory process in the genital tract; sometimes, against the background of its proliferation, the mucous membranes are simply irritated. This condition is called bacterial vaginosis. But if left untreated, it will result in more serious complications.
During the development of the inflammatory process, mucous discharge during pregnancy becomes purulent-mucous, green in color, and is accompanied by a bad odor, itching and burning in the genitals. In this case, the cause may be infections such as chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, trichomoniasis and others.
Thus, if normally during pregnancy, discharge in the form of mucus is transparent and colorless, then as a result of infection they turn green and change their character to mucopurulent. If there is itching, burning, or a foul odor from the underwear, there should be no doubt about infection of the genital tract. You should consult a doctor immediately to avoid unnecessary risk to mother and baby.
Useful video
In most cases, mucous discharge during pregnancy, not accompanied by pain or discomfort, is considered normal. Their appearance is due to hormonal changes in the body. Depending on the consistency, color and smell of vaginal discharge, it is possible to diagnose the normal condition of the expectant mother and her child, as well as timely identify the development of possible pregnancy pathologies.
For this reason, mucous discharge at any stage of pregnancy should be monitored by the woman herself and her doctor. Even a slight change in their character is a signal of possible pathology.
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Content:
Brown vaginal discharge is nothing more than blood or blood with mucus in small quantities, oxidized in the presence of vaginal microflora and oxygen. They can occur at any stage of pregnancy, both during normal course and in the presence of pathology. Therefore, it is strongly not recommended to panic in advance and create stressful situations for your body.
important However, you should remember that whatever the reason, self-diagnosis and self-medication are strictly prohibited.
If brown discharge appears, you should contact your gynecologist who is managing the pregnancy as soon as possible, or any other doctor if for some reason the first option is not possible.
