Symptoms » Brown spotting before menstruation – features of the female body
Vaginal discharge is normal for any woman. They can have different shades and consistencies. Often before menstruation, so-called brown spotting may appear. Having discovered it, you need to know how to regard this phenomenon - as a norm or a pathology, and also whether menstruation can begin with a brown spot.
What are the physiological causes of brown discharge?
Brown secretion appears due to physiological characteristics or pathology. Therefore, the occurrence is sometimes not at all related to the disease. The most common physiological causes of brown discharge include:
- stressful situations;
- strong physical activity;
- recent illnesses;
- prolonged, uncontrolled use of medications (the appearance of secretions is affected by diet pills or hormonal contraceptives);
- age-related changes;
- pregnancy, if a woman did not use contraceptives during sexual intercourse, there is a high probability of pregnancy, menstruation may be delayed, after a while a discharge similar to menstruation appears (it is better to purchase a test at a pharmacy chain, and if the result is negative, take an hCG test);
Overuse of medications can cause discharge
- pregnancy outside the uterus: if brown clots appear along with severe pain in the lower abdomen, it is recommended to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible or call an ambulance (if symptoms occur, there is a possibility of fetal loss or death of the mother);
- postpartum period;
- changes in the structure of the uterus, due to structural disturbances, the outflow of blood is difficult, therefore, a dark brown secretion at the onset of menstruation indicates changes in the organ.
What time do girls get their first period?
The final formation of teenage girls occurs between the ages of 11 and 14 years. As a rule, the main period of formation begins from 12 to 13 years. But there are deviations from the norm. If your child’s women’s days began much earlier than 11 years, or have already turned 14 and they have not yet begun, you need to visit an endocrinologist and gynecologist.
Such an early appearance of critical days indicates hormonal disorders and is a consequence of an improper diet. Consultation with a specialist will help correct some features of the body.
Mothers of teenage girls have a special role; they must become both a friend and a mother to their girls at the same time. Talk through all sorts of options, including protection. Your daughter should know all the physiological characteristics of her body, and no one else can tell you about this better than her mother. Distorted information from girlfriends and older girls has a bad effect on an unformed psyche. As a rule, not all girls trust their mothers, especially their sex life, and the younger generation begins it quite early. So if you don't want to become a grandmother, start a conversation.
How do age-related changes affect
Most often, brown menstrual discharge is noticed in girls. Moreover, this can last about 1 – 2 years. The secret is associated with the maturation of the body.
The same applies to the menopause period. Discharge may occur when ovarian function and estrogen levels decrease.
After 50, discharge of this kind may be a harbinger of menopause.
Cycle stability
Usually the discharge changes to a dark burgundy shade towards the end of the process. This is due to the fact that pieces of the endometrium enter the fluid. The scarlet tint of the blood for the first two days is considered natural; in the future, the liquid should darken due to the coagulation and oxidation of the endometrium. Therefore, at the completion stage, almost black color of blood during menstruation is normal.
Blood clotting and oxidation is a natural process. But if the cycle is regular, then a change in shade should alert you. Scarlet menstruation lasting for four days in a row is a dangerous signal. It is better to immediately visit a gynecologist.
The cycle is considered stable if menstruation began no earlier than 21 days after the previous one. In this case, the total volume of fluid released does not exceed 100 ml for the entire period and the duration of the process itself does not exceed 3-7 days. Normal menstruation is when there is no foul smell of discharge, itching, burning and pain.
Sometimes menstruation is confused with ovulation, which occurs 2-2.5 weeks after menstruation. Spotting in the form of bloody formations is associated with damage to the follicular membrane. Implantation bleeding is also perceived as critical days - rupture of blood vessels as a result of the implantation of the embryo into the endometrial tissue. Such discharge can last up to 5 days.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Qqr9Mizc3_o
Could brown spotting be a sign of pregnancy?
Yes, there is a possibility that brown spotting signals fertilization. But the secretion can only come when the fertilized egg is attached to the uterus and it does not depend on the cycle. If such discharge occurs in the absence of menstruation and is profuse, it is better to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible, as there is a high probability of miscarriage.
The cause of the secretion may be an ectopic pregnancy. This requires immediate surgery.
When daubing indicates the development of diseases
Sometimes the cause of secretion may be pathology. At the same time, women's health is in danger. In order to avoid possible consequences, it is better to visit a doctor. The most common diseases that are characterized by the appearance of brown discharge during menstruation are listed in the table.
| Name | Description |
| Endometritis | The disease occurs due to the proliferation of uterine cells into muscle tissue |
| Polyps | With pathology, inflammation and changes in hormonal levels occur. Dark brown secretion is a sign of polyps |
| Polycystic ovaries (PCOS) | The disease can prevent a woman from becoming pregnant. If the secretion appears repeatedly, it is better to make an appointment with a specialist. |
| Infections transmitted through sexual contact | The infection can be transmitted if a woman has had sexual intercourse without using contraception. Together with the secretion, pain appears when emptying the bladder, itching |
In addition to all of the above reasons, discharge may appear due to a tumor process. In any case, if brown discharge appears, you should consult a specialist.
Anomalies in the structure of the reproductive organ
Brown discharge at the beginning of menstruation is a fairly common occurrence in the presence of abnormalities in the structure of the uterus. It can occur when:
- hypoplasia;
- saddle-shaped uterus;
- one-horned or two-horned uterus.
Thus, disturbances in the normal structure of the reproductive organ lead to the fact that blood and areas of the endometrium cannot fully reach the vagina and remain in the uterine cavity. This explains not only the appearance of dark-colored discharge on the first day of menstruation, but also its scarcity. Sometimes menstrual blood can even take on a black tint, and this should seriously alert a woman. Abnormalities in the structure of the uterus can not only cause darkening of the discharge during menstruation, but also lead to more serious and dangerous consequences.
How is the diagnosis carried out?
When a brown secretion appears, it is necessary to conduct an examination of the body. Diagnosis includes:
- Gynecological examination.
- Microflora smears.
- Test for sexually transmitted infections.
During the examination, the doctor may order an MRI
- Colposcopy.
- Ultrasonography.
- MRI. Performed to exclude tumors.
After receiving all the results, the specialist will be able to make a diagnosis and prescribe effective treatment.
Therapy is selected based on the individual characteristics of the body, so it is not recommended to try to cope with brown secretion on your own.
What treatment can be prescribed
Therapy depends on the reasons for the appearance of discharge:
- If the discharge appears due to the onset of menopause, the woman is prescribed hormonal medications.
- When the secretion appears due to stress, sedative medications are prescribed (Afobazol, Novo-Passit, Tenoten).
- In case of a violation due to taking medications with a hormonal composition, change the dosage or the drug itself.
- For inflammatory processes in the organ, antimicrobial medications are prescribed.
Read also: what ways to restore hormonal levels.
From this video you will learn in detail about spotting before menstruation:
Is there any prevention
There are preventive measures that will help avoid discharge. These include:
- Maintaining intimate hygiene.
- Timely visit to the doctor.
- Annual full body examination.
- Refusal to use birth control pills without prescription.
On the first day of menstruation, brown discharge may appear due to physiological or pathological reasons. It is difficult to determine on your own what causes the secretion. Therefore, it is necessary to go to an appointment with a gynecologist as soon as possible. The woman will need to undergo an examination, based on the results of which a specialist will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
Menstruation is normal
The duration of the cycle depends on the personal characteristics of the woman’s body, so there is no need to panic about the fact that your indicators differ from those of your friends. As for normal periods, they should:
- have a red color;
- have no foreign odors;
- volume up to 60 ml per day.
If on the first day of this process brown discharge of a spotting, jelly-like or other type was detected, this is a clear sign of a malfunction in the body.
