There is still a whole week until your critical days, but spotting is already appearing? Or is it even longer until your period, but traces are already staining your laundry? Why it smears before menstruation and what to do about it, read this article.
What is daub
First, let's define the terms. “Spotting” is usually called light, contrasting vaginal discharge outside of menstruation. Transparent and light white marks that appear between critical days are not called daubs. They are completely normal and are a consequence of the work of the vaginal microflora.
Inside the vagina there is a special mucous membrane that performs many functions. There are also glands that secrete fats and sweat. This whole cocktail is updated and excreted in the form of mucus. It turns out from 1 to 4 ml per day, sometimes more. And bloody, spotting discharge before menstruation, white traces with an unpleasant odor or yellow-green mucus - this is the same “daub”.
It can appear due to injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, problems in the reproductive system, hormone imbalance... Among the non-pathological reasons for the appearance of traces are the formation of the menstrual cycle (the first 2 years after the onset of menopause), the onset of menopause, or even overly active sex life. There are also a number of diseases, the symptoms of which are smudges of one color or another texture.
If there is a lot of discharge, it smells sharp, the temperature rises, the stomach hurts - you should immediately go to the hospital, regardless of the color of the secretion and the period of the cycle.
Normal discharge before menstruation
The reasons why brown smears before menstruation vary. Although some women believe that this is a normal condition, in fact it is a signal that not everything is harmonious in the body.
A spotting is a small discharge from the cervical canal that is brownish in color. For some, they appear just before menstruation and progress to normal bleeding.
The appearance of brown mucus is considered normal only if it occurs 1–2 days before the onset of menstruation. In this case, the condition should not worsen, and the vaginal secretion should have an unpleasant odor. The absence of burning and itching also indicates that the discharge is part of a physiological process.
To understand why it may smear, it is worth considering the processes occurring inside the body.
Before ovulation, the mucus is clear and thick; in the second half of the cycle it becomes more viscous and jelly-like. Before the onset of menstruation, the discharge becomes more abundant. A brownish or scarlet-colored smear may appear just before the onset of menstruation.
Spotting before menstruation
Spotting before menstruation rarely becomes a reason to see a doctor. Women think that next month everything will work out on its own. But to protect your health, you should pay attention to any unusual symptoms.
If brown spotting before menstruation appears 2 days before menstruation, does not have an unpleasant odor, does not cause deterioration in health, is observed once or very rarely, you can do without visiting a gynecologist. A medical examination is required in the following situations:
- every period begins with spotting (or this happens several cycles in a row);
- brown discharge is abundant and has an unpleasant odor;
- the daub takes on a yellowish, pink or greenish tint;
- unusual mucus appears several times in one cycle;
- The duration of spotting exceeds 5 or more days.
Brown spotting a week or more before your period is also not normal. Sometimes this phenomenon indicates the presence of pathologies within the woman’s reproductive system, although the change in the nature of the mucus itself is not considered a disease.
What is daub?
In gynecology, spotting is conventionally called scanty vaginal discharge, light spotting, which indicates the approaching start of the menstrual cycle, the onset of menstruation in a woman. Spotting can be not only absolutely normal symptoms of the development of menstruation, but also, under certain conditions, be signs of the formation of serious pathological diseases, gynecological diseases, hormonal imbalance and many other problems. That is why doctors recommend being more attentive to such symptoms and, if you suspect a problem, immediately seek help from your gynecologist.
Causes of spotting
If you smear brown before your period, it is important to correctly identify the reasons. Sometimes the problem lies in a disease of the reproductive system, and sometimes it is associated with normal hormonal changes. Sometimes brown spotting may occur during pregnancy.
Spotting a week before your period may appear due to the natural aging of uterine tissue. When their particles separate, small capillaries rupture, which leads to minor blood entering the genital tract. As a result, the woman will find traces of brown smear on her underwear.
The appearance of a brownish secretion is possible after a woman has had an intrauterine device installed. She may notice traces of brownish mucus on her underwear. They appear due to damage to the delicate lining of the uterus during the installation of the IUD. If the pathological phenomenon does not go away, it is necessary to urgently remove the device from the uterine cavity.
The reasons for brown spotting before menstruation in young girls who have recently started their cycle may lie in hormonal instability. Until the functioning of the reproductive system improves, an unusual secretion from the vagina is the norm. The situation should recover after 6–7 menstrual cycles.
If the onset of regulation continues to be accompanied by brown spotting, urgent medical consultation is required.
Ovulation can also cause brownish vaginal discharge. This is not considered a pathology. During the maturation of the egg, the follicle ruptures, during which microscopic vessels are damaged and minor hemorrhage occurs.
The color of spotting, discharge before menstruation, what does it mean?
Black spotting, dark brown spotting a week before menstruation
This type of discharge very often appears in those women who recently gave birth to a child. Often, black vaginal discharge appears instead of the first menstruation in women who have started breastfeeding.
Brown spotting, brown discharge
The color of such discharge is the most common and can be either an absolutely natural symptom of the restructuring of the female body before menstruation, or a symptom of one of the gynecological diseases. Read the article in more detail: causes of brown spotting, brown vaginal discharge.
Pink spotting, light pink vaginal discharge
Such symptoms are often signs of the development of cervical erosion. Read the article for more details: the reasons for the appearance of pink discharge, what the appearance of pink discharge from the vagina can mean, what symptoms of what diseases can it be?
White vaginal discharge, white spotting
If such whitish, white discharge can be called cheesy, if it is accompanied by white flakes, then such symptoms indicate the development of candidiasis (thrush).
Green or greenish-yellow daub
Greenish-yellow vaginal discharge may be a symptom of the development of purulent cervicitis. If a greenish-yellow discharge appears with an unpleasant odor from the discharge, this may indicate the development of a sexually transmitted disease. It is extremely rare that such discharge a week before menstruation indicates the development of pregnancy.
The article may also be useful: causes of yellow vaginal discharge.
Symptoms of pathology
Brown spotting during women's days is in most cases a sign of internal pathology and requires treatment. When going to the gynecologist, it is important to be able to correctly describe all the phenomena that have arisen, namely the nature of the secretion: scanty or abundant, brownish or black daub. All these detailed characteristics will help the specialist accurately diagnose and provide better care.
The pathological nature of brownish discharge may be indicated by the following accompanying symptoms:
- nagging pain;
- burning when urinating;
- discomfort in the lower back;
- discomfort during sexual intercourse;
- itching in the perineum.
Black vaginal secretions may be associated with recent childbirth. If this was not the case and the woman is not pregnant, the doctor may suspect the development of oncological pathology.
Brown mucus usually warns of the occurrence of an inflammatory or infectious process. Sometimes spotting a week before your period is a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which requires emergency surgery.
Cervical erosion
If there is spotting a week before your period, the cause may be a developing process of erosion. During this disease, the mucous membrane of the organ becomes covered with ulcers and scars. They may bleed, causing the woman to experience spotting.
Pink spotting before menstruation is also a symptom of bleeding erosion. The color of the mucus depends on how extensive the tissue area is damaged and how long the disease lasts.
The nature of the secretions released from the vagina may change frequently. Since erosion is considered a pathology with a small number of symptoms, in order to detect it in time, it is necessary to periodically visit a gynecologist. This is especially important when unusual mucus appears.
Leucorrhoea itself cannot provoke spotting, since this is a normal physiological phenomenon. However, copious cervical mucus, mixed with blood, looks like a brown spotting secretion.
Sexually transmitted diseases
Brownish vaginal discharge is a consequence of inflammatory processes in the body. They can be provoked by infection.
Spotting 3 days before menstruation or more may indicate the development of sexually transmitted diseases. A woman’s well-being will be accompanied by such phenomena as:
- pain during sexual intercourse;
- unpleasant odor of cervical mucus;
- burning sensation when going to the toilet;
- change in the color and consistency of vaginal secretions.
If you miss the onset of infection, you can cause irreparable harm to your health. The appearance of a brown smear is just one of the first signs of a problem. Advanced infections lead to female infertility and cause a decrease in the overall quality of life and immunity.
Ectopic pregnancy
During pregnancy, spotting is not considered normal. The appearance of any bloody discharge warns the woman of serious problems. Regardless of the abundance and consistency of brownish mucus, urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary.
An ectopic pregnancy is a serious condition in which a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tubes rather than in the uterus. The growth and development of the fetus is impossible there. The absence of surgical intervention to remove the embryo along with the tube leads to severe internal bleeding and even the death of the woman. Continuing the pregnancy is excluded.
Natural process or disease
In most cases, scanty discharge before menstruation, which has a brown color, is not a consequence of negative processes in the body. Such symptoms are usually caused by natural phenomena associated with the aging of uterine cells.
If any disturbance occurred during the previous menstrual cycle, the intrauterine tissues die and the destroyed cells exit the uterus through the vagina. Drops of blood give this discharge a brownish tint. This is fine. But frequent repetition of the clinical picture described above should cause concern and require a visit to a gynecologist, as it may indicate quite serious pathologies.
Diagnostics
Symptoms may vary, but an accurate diagnosis can only be made by a specialist after examination and obtaining the results of the necessary laboratory tests. It is better to visit a gynecologist during the period when unusual discharge appears. This will give the doctor the opportunity to take biomaterial for analysis.
In order for the clinical picture to be correctly drawn up, it is necessary to describe in detail all the symptoms that have arisen. The doctor will examine the woman using gynecological speculum and give the necessary directions. Ultrasound, flora and infection tests may be required.
Treatment
It is not the brownish mucus itself that needs to be treated before menstruation, but the cause that causes the pathological discharge. The method of therapy is determined based on the identified disease.
If the cause of brownish mucus is an infectious disease, antimicrobial or antibacterial agents are required. Along with general therapy, the gynecologist may recommend douching with medications.
In case of hormonal imbalances, hormones are prescribed. These drugs can be used only after a detailed examination. Under no circumstances should you take such medications on the advice of relatives and friends.
The doctor should monitor the progress of treatment and adjust the dosage. After completion of therapy, final tests are carried out to ensure that the disease is defeated.
While waiting for their next period, many women are faced with the phenomenon of brown discharge. Is this normal, or does the spotting indicate the development of a gynecological disease or ectopic pregnancy?
If the discharge does not have an unpleasant odor and does not worsen your overall health, there is no cause for concern. But why does a brown spot appear before menstruation, and when it is necessary to urgently contact a gynecologist, every girl should know.
Why does spotting appear after sex (intercourse)?
One of the most common reasons for the appearance of brown or brown spots after sexual intercourse is rough sexual contact. Based on discharge after sexual intercourse alone, it is very difficult to determine whether such spotting is a sign of the development of a gynecological disease or appears as a result of absolutely natural processes in the female body. And although in most cases, scanty bleeding after sexual intercourse should not cause suspicion, in some cases, brown vaginal discharge after sex can be one of the symptoms of the development of cervicitis, cervical erosion, the development of vaginitis, various kinds of infectious diseases, the appearance of a polyp in the uterus (one or more).
But most often, such brown vaginal discharge after sex is a consequence of the formation of microcracks in the vagina or its mechanical damage during sexual intercourse. Spotting after sexual intercourse is considered dangerous if it is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, increased body temperature, other painful symptoms and signs of infection or inflammation in the female genital area.
Is brown discharge a few days before your period normal?
Dark-colored mucus that is released from the genital tract a few days before the onset of menstruation is often normal. If a woman is not bothered by pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region, urination occurs without problems, and there is no itching or burning in the vagina, then everything is normal and the body is preparing for endometrial rejection.
Gradually, the discharge intensifies and transforms into full menstrual bleeding. The permissible duration of smear is 1 – 2 days or several hours before real menstruation.
When you have brown discharge before your period, you can find out from your doctors what this means.
A neurologist will tell you that spotting appears under the influence of stress and will advise you to keep your emotions under control. Neurosis, an excited or irritated state negatively affects the hormonal system and keeps the entire body in tension. The correct attitude towards certain everyday situations and changing your lifestyle in general will help you avoid the consequences of stress.
Spotting is also considered normal when a woman has quickly lost a significant amount of kilograms. Sharp fluctuations in body weight disrupt hormonal levels and provoke abnormal discharge on the eve of menstruation.
If there is a need to lose weight, you should lose weight gradually and without harm to your health. Excess weight gain will also not lead to anything good. When stress occurs, there is no need to “eat it up” with sweets and useless food.
What other causes of brown discharge before menstruation are:
- Puberty in girls. Dark spotting appears in some girls during menarche.
- Oral contraceptives. The female body adapts to hormonal changes. Outwardly, this is expressed as daub. Also, the appearance of dark discharge occurs due to incorrectly selected birth control pills or when the pattern of their use is violated.
- Navy. The IUD irritates the endometrium and prevents the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. Dark-colored leucorrhoea may appear 7 days before your period. If they appear for 2 to 3 months in a row, the IUD is removed and another contraceptive is used.
- Approaching menopause. At 40–45 years old, brown spotting a week before menstruation is often a sign of the onset of menopause.
Brown discharge before menstruation as a sign of pregnancy
Women may notice light brown discharge in their underwear 9 to 14 days before their period begins. In the middle of the cycle, the mature egg leaves the follicle and a short phase of ovulation begins (approximately 12 - 15 days of MC). These days are favorable for conception.
By the appearance of colored mucus emanating from the genital tract before the monthly bleeding period, one can judge pregnancy. But often women are not aware of conception even for 3 to 4 months, mistaking the daub for menstruation with a changed character.
A small amount of discharge that leaves the body without deteriorating well-being is harmless in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. Although up to 12–14 weeks the risk of spontaneous miscarriage is quite high. Brown mucus indicates detachment of the fertilized egg with its possible rejection and interruption of the gestation process.
With timely consultation with a doctor and the use of drugs to increase progesterone levels, in most cases pregnancy can be maintained. For 3–4 weeks, the patient is in a hospital setting and is on bed rest.
Dark brown discharge before your period can be a symptom of an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the female cell, after meeting the sperm, is fixed in the fallopian tube or implanted in the abdominal cavity. Gradually, the growing embryo stretches the tube, after which it ruptures if medical assistance is not provided on time.
Discharge caused by pregnancy
Pregnant women in the early stages of fetal development may experience scanty cinnamon discharge that appears a week before the onset of their normal period. Most often, the phenomenon is caused by the adaptation of all organs and systems of the body to new operating conditions. This was discussed in detail in the previous section.
Such a clinical picture may indicate a miscarriage or a decrease in the concentration of sex hormones necessary to maintain the process of bearing a child.
In this case, the intervention of a medical specialist is mandatory. After diagnosing and establishing the causes of the pathology, the gynecologist can prescribe medications that help normalize the level of progesterone in the blood.
The drug therapy used allows you to get rid of blood discharge from the vagina and helps maintain pregnancy, which has a beneficial effect on the development of the fetus.
Brown discharge before menstruation is a symptom of disease
If the vagina smears brown before menstruation and at the same time there is discomfort inside, the discharge itself smells unpleasant and the body temperature is elevated, you should urgently consult a doctor. Spotting during menopause and painful sexual intercourse are also reasons to visit the clinic.
Diagnosis of menstrual cycle disorders is carried out through procedures such as:
- Examination of the internal genital organs on a gynecological chair.
- Taking a vaginal smear.
- General blood analysis.
- Ultrasound of the pelvis.
- Blood test for hormones.
- Biopsy and colposcopy of the cervix.
- Curettage of the uterine cavity with subsequent transfer of the endometrium for histological examination.
During a consultation with a gynecologist, the patient should openly talk about the characteristics of the menstrual cycle, sexual life, diseases that she suffered previously, and hereditary predisposition to gynecological pathologies.
Based on diagnostic data and the collected medical history, the specialist confirms one of the following diseases:
- Endometriosis.
- Endometritis.
- Polyps.
- Uterine fibroids.
- STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis).
Endometriosis
Dark brown discharge before menstruation in the case of endometriosis is accompanied by aching pain in the lower abdomen. Mild discomfort bothers a woman in different phases of the cycle and intensifies before bleeding begins. Vaginal discharge may be brown, brown-brown or black.
In the early stages, endometriosis is treated with analgesics and hormonal drugs. In advanced cases, surgical excision of pathological foci is indicated.
Endometritis
The inflammatory process develops on the mucous membrane of the uterine cavity. Endometritis spotting is brown in color and smells bad. A woman is bothered by aching pain in her lower abdomen.
If the disease is not treated, it will become chronic and make the woman unable to bear a pregnancy. Miscarriages at different stages are explained by the fact that the pathology does not allow the fertilized egg to be securely fixed in the uterine cavity.
Polyposis
Polyps are benign growths that form either on the cervix or inside the organ. The main cause of the pathology is hormonal imbalance. Other factors influencing the development of polyposis: frequent or poor-quality abortions, surgeries, inflammation of the ovaries, cesarean section.
The presence of a polyp in the reproductive system can be suspected by spotting a few days before the onset of menstruation and at the end of bleeding. Patients with polyps also complain of pain in the lower abdomen and discharge after sexual intercourse.
Uterine fibroids
A benign tumor affects the cervix or uterine wall. Its size varies from insignificant, calculated in millimeters, to more substantial, occupying several centimeters.
The disease develops due to hormonal disorders in young women. But when menopause approaches and estrogen levels decrease, fibroids can resolve on their own.
Infections and inflammatory processes
Itching, unpleasant odor of the genitals and light brown discharge are characteristic of sexually transmitted diseases. In inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system, similar symptoms are observed.
Treatment is carried out using antibacterial and restorative agents. As necessary, the patient is placed in an inpatient setting.
Quite a large number of women are faced with the phenomenon of spotting before menstruation. However, in some cases this is the norm, in others it is a sign of serious pathologies.
For representatives of the fair half of humanity, menstruation is far from the most pleasant, but very important period in life. By how a woman goes through her periods, we can judge the health of her reproductive system. Any problems in this area will immediately affect the time and duration of critical days.
Discharge during PMS
During menstruation, a representative of the fair sex may notice various symptoms. But often unpleasant sensations begin a few days before the arrival of menstruation. This period is called PMS, or premenstrual syndrome. During this time, various symptoms may occur, including skin rashes, excessive sweating, swelling of the face and limbs, as well as general malaise. Often women during PMS complain that they constantly have a headache. Dizziness may also occur.
One of the rare symptoms of premenstrual syndrome is spotting before menstruation. That is, they become not transparent, but abundant and colored pinkish, reddish or brown. Some representatives of the fair sex do not pay attention to this, considering this phenomenon to be a common harbinger of menstruation. But in fact, this is not a good signal that requires consultation with a specialist. Most often, spotting before menstruation indicates serious problems, so you should not ignore such a symptom.
Smears are pink or brown spotting discharges. If a week before the expected arrival of menstruation a woman notices a similar phenomenon, she should definitely consult a doctor. There are also cases when spotting appears a day before menstruation. In any case, this indicates the development of pathology, which requires mandatory consultation with a specialist.
Vaginal discharge before menstruation due to pregnancy
It is immediately worth noting that if a pregnant woman has any bleeding from the vagina, scanty or abundant, she in any case needs to seek help from a gynecologist. Scanty spotting before menstruation, in which a pregnancy test gives a positive result, should in any case be examined by a specialist. A visit to the gynecologist in the early stages of pregnancy is very important even in the absence of bloody, brown spotting, so if brown spotting appears, you can combine two important things at the same time.
The importance of visiting a doctor also lies in the fact that symptoms in the form of brown spotting during pregnancy, in some cases, may be symptoms of a decrease in the level of sex hormones or be the first signs of a miscarriage. And the doctor can help you select the necessary hormonal medications that can effectively maintain the level of necessary hormones in the female body.
Could this be the norm?
During PMS, a lot of different changes occur in the female body. Due to changes in hormonal levels, the mucous membrane may function slightly differently, becoming more sensitive to various damages. In addition, at this time there is a slight dilatation of the cervix. In such a situation, the risk of infection is especially high, so representatives of the fair sex during premenstrual syndrome need to be especially careful about personal hygiene.
It is possible that during PMS, an infection will appear in the reproductive system, which may well lead to suspicious discharge. Therefore, you should not delay going to the doctor. The sooner the cause of this phenomenon is identified, the higher the chances of correcting everything without complications.
But suspicious discharge before menstruation can also be a consequence of mucosal injury. This phenomenon may be associated with sexual intercourse with partners who are too active.
However, such an occurrence will be rare. If before each period a representative of the fair sex smears brown, red or pink, you should definitely consult a doctor. This also applies to situations where the unpleasant phenomenon is accompanied by additional symptoms, such as burning and itching in the vaginal area.
Most of the reasons that can cause spotting before menstruation can be resolved fairly quickly. But for this you need to see a doctor in time, undergo a quality examination, and then receive the right treatment. In this case, the woman can count on the fact that everything will end quickly and without complications.
Why might spotting appear before menstruation?
Most often, representatives of the fair sex go to the doctor if they experience problems with their menstrual cycle. That is, critical days can come earlier or later than the appointed time. In addition, patients are often concerned about such problems as excessively long and heavy periods. It also happens that women complain that menstruation lasts too little.
All this is a cause for concern, but the appearance of smears before menstrual periods can signal problems of no less importance. Experts recommend paying special attention to the color of the discharge and the timing of its occurrence. This plays a very important role in making a further diagnosis. Moreover, one should not forget about additional symptoms. If, in addition to suspicious spotting, a woman begins to notice itching and burning, and the vaginal secretion has a very unpleasant odor, she should urgently consult a doctor, since in this case we are talking about an inflammatory process or a fungal disease.
Doctors recommend paying special attention to spotting that appears earlier than two days before your expected period. In a day or two, discharge is quite possible, since the mucous membrane at this stage can become overly sensitive. If during sexual intercourse or an examination by a gynecologist she is slightly injured, this will lead to the appearance of spotting, but this phenomenon should quickly disappear.
Normal discharge
In general, if a woman is in good health, vaginal discharge should be present. But for each phase of the natural cycle there are indicators that can be considered the norm. There should be no discharge immediately after the end of the critical days. Before ovulation, a thick transparent secretion appears, which resembles chicken protein. Throughout the second half of the cycle, slight discharge resembling jelly will be noted. Closer to the beginning of menstruation they will become more and more abundant. Spotting begins on the first day of menstruation. Then it should turn into full-fledged bleeding.
A woman is obliged to monitor what discharge comes out during a given period of the cycle. This will help in making the correct diagnosis if you need to see a doctor.
When should you see a doctor?
The reason for visiting a specialist should be bloody smear more than 4 days before the expected menstruation. A bad symptom is copious, thick discharge with an unpleasant odor.
The daub can be not only pink or brownish, but also green. This clearly indicates the development of infection in the woman’s body. A bad symptom will be a cheesy type discharge. This is a sign of a fungal infection such as candidiasis.
Smearing before the onset of menstruation is a signal of the development of pathology in the female reproductive system. Many diseases that may be associated with this phenomenon disrupt the reproductive system and lead to infertility. Therefore, young women should never take risks, because their future depends on it.
If reddish discharge occurs before each period and lasts about 5-6 days, it is quite possible that we are talking about cervical erosion or an inflammatory process. In addition, with this symptom, patients are often diagnosed with thrush, cervicitis and endocervicitis. It is possible that the spotting was caused by an infectious disease.
If suspicious discharge is noted every time before the onset of menstruation, but no additional symptoms are observed, this does not mean that there is no need to undergo diagnostics and establish the cause of this phenomenon. In such a situation, the most terrible diagnosis – oncology – cannot be ruled out.
If a representative of the fair sex has recently started taking oral contraceptives, it is possible that she will smear periodically for the first 2-3 months. There is nothing strange about this, since this is considered a normal reaction of the body to changes in hormonal levels. If after using the tablets the symptom does not go away for more than three cycles, you should consult your doctor about this. It is possible that the tablets will have to be replaced.
The appearance of spotting before menstruation can also be a consequence of pregnancy. In the first month after successful fertilization of the egg, the expectant mother may experience a slight reddish spot instead of the usual menstruation.
When should you go to the gynecologist?
Only a gynecologist can give the real reason and answer to the question why she smears 5 days before her period (or three days after her period ends, or at any other time). All information on the Internet, including on this site, is solely for a general understanding of the problem. Even after reading five, ten, twenty... such texts, you will not become a professional and will not be able to independently identify, let alone cure, the disease. Therefore, seek help as soon as suspicions and concerns arise. Give the most accurate description of symptoms and do not neglect prescriptions.
Doctors recommend paying special attention and immediately visiting a doctor if the following situations arise:
- There is copious red and brown discharge. They may be an indicator of internal bleeding.
- Purulent secretion of bright, saturated colors appears. They are often the result of acute inflammation or sexually transmitted diseases.
- The discharge is dark, thick, began at the very beginning of the cycle (almost along with menstruation) and lasts longer than menstrual periods.
- Any colored discharge occurs before the onset of menstruation, which is accompanied by discomfort, fever or pain.