During pregnancy, the type of vaginal discharge inevitably changes. This is due to changes in the hormonal background, with some anatomical changes in the process of carrying a child. Normally, vaginal secretions should be light or yellowish throughout the gestational period. Brown discharge usually scares expectant mothers. Is it worth it to be afraid of them and what they can talk about at different times, it is worth considering in more detail.
Features:
Emphasis should not be underestimated. Vaginal secretions are produced by epithelial cells of the cervix. At different stages of pregnancy, they can tell a lot about the condition of the expectant mother and fetus. Immediately after conception and up to 8-9 weeks of pregnancy the discharge from a woman is normally rather scarce, and sometimes, in general, practically absent. This is how the action of progesterone affects, which conducts the main preparation of the body for long-term bearing of the fetus.
From week 10 vaginal secretion becomes more abundant, and by the end of pregnancy it is not only abundant, but also watery. This is how the hormone estrogen affects the vaginal secretion. The task of the secretory function of the female genital tract is to maintain a healthy, stable microflora. The genital tract will be the first where the baby gets in the birth process after it leaves the uterine cavity. The health of the baby also depends on their health.
The existing medical literature describes normal pregnancy discharge as light, odorless, or with a slight fermented milk odor. Other variants of the norm are also considered, but only under certain conditions and for certain periods.
Brown highlights are no exception. They can not only talk about dangerous complications, but also be a natural variant of normal vaginal secretion. The brown color of the secretions is given by erythrocytes - blood cells. This means that brown discharge is a type of blood discharge.
Norm
A small amount of blood in the discharge at a very early stage may be the norm when a fertilized egg is implanted into the uterine cavity. This phenomenon is called implantation bleeding. It occurs due to a violation of the integrity of the endometrium during the attachment of the blastocyst. One of the options for such natural bleeding may be light brown discharge in small amounts about 8-9 days after the intended conception (or after ovulation - for ease of counting).
Brownish, smudging discharge on panty liners or underwear is not long lasting. Usually in a day or two, not a trace remains of them. There is nothing alarming in this phenomenon.
In addition, not every woman has such an early sign of pregnancy. You should be aware that the appearance of dark brown discharge with clots before the delay can hardly be considered a sign of implantation. Rather, we are talking about a hormonal disruption, in which menstruation began prematurely. During the first 2-3 months of pregnancy, yellow-brown moderate or scanty discharge may be the result of global hormonal changes.
The progesterone raging in the body of the expectant mother usually gives the vaginal secretion a yellowish tint, brown "notes" in it may appear due to high or low levels of progesterone, due to the vulnerability of the genital tract due to the looseness under the influence of hormones. Normally, such discharge manifests itself without pain, they do not contain inclusions and impurities, streaks of blood, do not bother a woman. They usually stop after the body of the expectant mother fully adapts to the new position and circumstances.
In later stages (a week or two before the expected date of birth), a woman may pay attention to the appearance of brown streaked discharge. Usually they are accompanied by the secretion of mucus in small amounts or a rather impressive mucous clot. In this case, we are talking about the discharge of the mucous plug, which during pregnancy closed the cervical canal and prevented the penetration of all extraneous and dangerous into the uterine cavity where the baby grew up.
The passing of the cork is a harbinger of an early birth. He also does not need treatment.
A small brown discharge after sex or a doctor's examination is also a variant of the norm. The reason for them lies in the extreme vulnerability of the genital tract of the pregnant woman. Under the influence of progesterone, they become loose, vulnerable to even minor mechanical stress.
Such discharge usually does not last long - no more than a day, and is not accompanied by any discomfort or additional symptoms. There are no clots in them, they do not increase, their number changes downward. These are three main reasons brown discharge can be considered normal. All other situations, alas, are exclusively pathological.
Risk of miscarriage
Brown discharge in the early stages is often accompanied by a threat of miscarriage. It is not difficult to recognize a threatening condition: a woman notes not only a change in the color of the vaginal secretion, but also a general deterioration in well-being. Severe attacks of dizziness may occur, and pain in the lower abdomen and lower back is almost always present.
Pain syndrome can be pronounced and intense or proceed in the form of aching weak pain. However, the very combination of "pain and brown discharge" should alert the pregnant woman and force her to seek qualified medical help as soon as possible.
Blood in the discharge appears due to the detachment of the ovum. A space filled with blood appears between the membranes of the fetus and the wall of the uterus. With a small retrochorial hematoma, the discharge will be predominantly pink-brown and not abundant, with significant detachment - abundant, with clots, red-brown.
A threat can develop for a variety of reasons. These include abnormalities in the structure of the uterus, genetic pathologies of the fetus, which are incompatible with its further development, inflammatory and infectious diseases of the genital tract and reproductive organs, hormonal deficiency, as well as bad habits, severe stress, excessive exercise.
A developing miscarriage is characterized by increased discharge over time, the appearance of cramping pains in the lower back and in the cervical region, as well as pulling pains with an "echo" in the anal area. The brown daub turns into a more saturated color, the consistency liquefies, until liquid scarlet blood with blood clots begins to flow out.
Such a metamorphosis usually indicates that the miscarriage has already taken place, and fragments of the membranes and the embryo come out along with the vaginal secretion. What it really is and at what stage is the threat of miscarriage, only a doctor can understand. Therefore, when the characteristic symptoms described above appear, you should definitely call an ambulance. In 95% of cases, pregnancy can be saved with timely treatment.
Hormonal deficiency
Monthly menstrual bleeding is controlled by hormones. Progesterone gradually decreases in the second half of the cycle, the concentration of estrogen rises and menstruation begins. Do not think that menstrual discharge during pregnancy is a variant of the norm. As a rule, this happens in the first months after conception due to a lack of progesterone.
Of course, there are rare situations in which menstrual bleeding during pregnancy can be considered normal. This happens if a woman developed two eggs instead of one in the current cycle, and ovulation occurred twice with a difference of several days. In this case, the first egg was not fertilized, it died and sank into the uterus, and the second was fertilized and went to the uterus for implantation.
Bloody discharge will come on the day of the expected menstruation, but such periods will differ significantly. First of all, there will be little discharge. After a few days, the meager and incomprehensible periods will stop and will not recur within the next 9 months. People used to say about such a phenomenon that “the fruit is washed”, but in practice this is not common.
With hormonal deficiency or imbalance in hormones in the body, discharge resembles minor pale brown marks on linen or thin sanitary panty liners. They may increase slightly or disappear completely, after which they appear again.
A woman must definitely consult a doctor in order to be tested for hormones and start supportive treatment with appropriate hormonal drugs, which will bring the balance of these active substances in the body back to the normal required for safe bearing of a child.
Ectopic pregnancy
If the ovum, for a number of reasons, cannot enter the uterine cavity and be implanted where it should be, it can anchor in the fallopian tube or sink lower and anchor in the cervix. This is possible if a woman has difficulty in passing the egg through the tubes due to the narrowed lumen of the tube. The cause can be inflammatory diseases of the tubes, appendages, ovaries, as well as endometriosis, the presence of tumor formations in the uterine cavity, in the fallopian tubes.
If the transfer of the zygote, and subsequently the blastocyst, is disrupted, then the development of the embryo outside the uterine cavity is not excluded. An ectopic pregnancy before a certain period may not make itself felt in any way. There will be a delay, tests will show a second strip (slightly paler than during uterine pregnancy, but this is an optional sign). And only when the embryo becomes quite large, pathology can manifest itself.
The rejection of the ovum, if it is attached in a place not intended for this by nature, is inevitable. This process, at best, will begin before the organ to which the ovum is attached receives serious injuries.
The rejection is accompanied by severe cutting pain in the abdomen, a fairly abundant brown discharge, which quickly turns brighter red. In the worst case, a rupture of the fallopian tube with massive bleeding into the abdominal cavity can occur, which can be fatal for a woman. The exact place of attachment of the ovum is quite well determined by ultrasound already at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy.
Women who have a history of ectopic pregnancies, as well as miscarriages, inflammatory diseases of the gynecological profile, operations on the reproductive organs, after which scars and adhesions could remain, should visit a doctor as soon as possible and do an ultrasound scan if a pregnancy test is positive, in order to exclude the wrong attachment of the fetus. With an ectopic pregnancy, there is no other option, like removing the ovum.
With rarer and more dangerous types of such pregnancies - cervical and isthmus pregnancies, it is usually not possible to save the uterus. With a tubal ectopic pregnancy, if there is no rupture, it is most often possible to preserve the tubes, and a woman will subsequently be able to become pregnant and give birth to a child.
Placenta previa or abruption
If the placenta (or chorion - its predecessor) in a woman is located low, then brown daub or discharge of all shades of brown may be a sign of placental abruption. The most dangerous are brown intense discharge that occurs with complete and incomplete placenta previa.
In full presentation, the "child's place" is located at the bottom of the uterus and completely blocks the entrance to the cervical canal. If incomplete, the entrance to the cervical canal is closed by about two-thirds or less. Any negative impact and even the most common stress can cause severe bleeding in a woman with such a pregnancy pathology.
With any form of chorionic presentation (placenta), sudden movements, emotional upheavals, sex, physical activity, jumping, shaking in transport, bending forward are prohibited. In some women, episodic bloody discharge is repeated until delivery.
If a diagnosis such as low placentation has already been made and confirmed by ultrasound data, a woman should be very careful. If there is no such diagnosis and the placenta is located normally, the woman still risks experiencing its detachment. This becomes possible when you fall, especially with a trauma to the abdomen, a sharp jump in hormone levels, severe emotional shock, lifting weights, or taking certain medications prohibited during pregnancy.
Vaginal discharge from a detachment is usually fairly profuse, although there may be no pain. The age of the problem can be judged by the shade of the discharge. Fresh blood that has just separated and came out is always bright, scarlet. If, after detachment, the blood did not come out for some time and was in the space between the "child's place" and the wall of the uterus, then it will have brown shades of varying intensity.
Other gynecological problems
Inflammatory diseases of the reproductive and genitourinary system during pregnancy are not at all uncommon. The immunity of the expectant mother is significantly reduced (and this is also the merit of progesterone!), Which is why any fluctuations in the balance of microflora can cause local inflammation.
If a woman before the onset of an "interesting position" had chronic diseases of the genitals or organs of the urinary system, then during the period of maximum decrease in immunity - by the middle of pregnancy, they may well make themselves felt. Many inflammatory processes of non-infectious origin occur with the release of a vaginal secretion of a yellow, light brownish hue.
Discharge is always accompanied by additional symptoms, for example, with adnexitis - pain in the right or left side, pulling and cutting pains in the area of the appendages, with cervicitis - unpleasant sensations in the depths of the vagina, as well as the appearance of mucous impurities in the brownish vaginal secretion.
Diseases of infectious origin are not excluded. These can be sexually transmitted infections, as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Many of them have a rather long incubation period, therefore, at the time of registration, the examination may not reveal pathology, and the real symptoms will appear later.
The most dangerous are brown and brown discharge, which have greenish purulent impurities, as well as with an unpleasant and pungent odor. They point to the bacterial origin of the problem, which, in the case of untimely treatment, can result in intrauterine infection of the fetus and even its death. Brown discharge of a smearing nature can manifest problems with the cervix, inflammation of the cervical canal.
After IVF
If a couple has to resort to assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF, you should prepare for the fact that the discharge will be significantly different from the discharge that is normal for a naturally occurring pregnancy.So, after transferring embryos for almost two weeks, brownish discharge is considered a normal option. This is the reaction of the female body to hormone therapy, which she underwent before and after embryo replanting.
And also brown spotting vaginal discharge may indicate a successful implantation. If they are a sign of implantation, then usually brown streaks or scanty smears appear 5-6 days after hatching. By one third of women, a change in the color of the vaginal secretion appears only 8-10 days after replanting.
If the discharge of an unusual color lasts more than 14 days, doctors regard this as an alarm - not everything is in order with pregnancy.
But there is no need to despair, because after the analysis for the concentration of the hormone hCG in the blood, treatment will be prescribed that will help maintain the pregnancy and bear a healthy baby, maybe several babies. In the worst case, brown discharge after two weeks from the moment of replanting may indicate that the embryos have stopped developing, and their rejection has begun. After treatment, the IVF attempt can be repeated.
What to do?
When brown discharge appears, a pregnant woman should in no case engage in self-diagnosis. All of the above is nothing more than material for self-education for reference purposes, and not a guide for making any diagnoses to oneself.
There are not so many options for a physiological norm with this kind of vaginal secretion, but there are more than enough options for pathologies. For this reason alone, a woman should see a doctor immediately. An ultrasound scan, a vaginal smear, as well as blood and urine tests will help find an accurate answer to the question of why blood impurities appeared in the secretion of the genital tract.
If the discharge is scanty and not accompanied by pain, you should consult a doctor at the antenatal clinic at your place of residence. If the brown discharge is abundant, with clots, pain syndrome, then you should go to bed, exclude standing or walking and wait for the ambulance team called immediately.
The arriving doctors need to inform the pregnancy period (from the first day of the last menstruation), describe in detail all the symptoms, including even the most insignificant ones, in your opinion, and also tell about all previous pregnancies and their outcome. All this information will help doctors to quickly guess the cause of the bleeding and take you to the gynecological hospital or the admission department of the maternity hospital with the most accurate formulation of the problem. Every minute can be crucial, you need to help doctors understand you correctly.
If brown discharge recurs sporadically, you should tell the supervising obstetrician-gynecologist about it so that he can give the most complete and accurate recommendations regarding the lifestyle of the expectant mother, daily routine, work and rest, the opportunity to have sex, and also prescribe the necessary supportive treatment depending on causes.
With the threat of miscarriage of low placentation, antispasmodic drugs are prescribed that relax the muscles of the uterus, do not allow its tone, as well as vitamins, drugs to improve uteroplacental blood flow and light herbal sedatives. In case of placental abruption after hospital treatment, a woman may be prescribed hemostatic drugs. With hormonal problems, a lack of progesterone, certain dosages of hormonal drugs are recommended, which completely replenish the deficiency in the body.
Useful Tips
Any problem that arises during the carrying of a baby, including the appearance of atypical discharge, will be solved faster and more correctly, if you follow simple safety rules such as:
- it is worth monitoring the nature of the discharge daily throughout pregnancy;
- it is necessary to use only hygienic thin pads, tampons cannot be used during pregnancy;
- responsibly you need to treat the issues of intimate hygiene in order to prevent inflammatory processes due to its violation;
- should not change sexual partner during pregnancy;
All doctor's recommendations regarding medication and lifestyle should be followed.
- you need to take good care of your reproductive health, avoid too harsh and rough sex, trauma to the genital tract and cervix;
- it is necessary to regularly visit the antenatal clinic and undergo all the required examinations and tests;
- you should quit smoking, do not take alcohol and drugs during pregnancy;
- it is worth avoiding stress, conflicts, not lifting weights and limiting physical activity, which can provoke the threat of termination of pregnancy.
Reviews
According to the reviews of pregnant women left by them on thematic forums, women usually encounter such a phenomenon as brown discharge in the early stages of pregnancy. In the later ones, this happens much less often.
In most cases, the stories of pregnant women have a happy ending - the pregnancy was saved, even with an impressive placental abruption. In some cases, the discharge proceeded according to the type of profuse and sudden bleeding, but even in these cases, the babies were rescued and they were born completely healthy in due time.
Experienced mothers emphasize that you cannot wait, you need to get to a medical institution as soon as possible in order to be examined and start treatment. True, with such a symptom as a brown daub at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, it is better not to go to some doctors at all. They don't prescribe any treatment.
Among obstetricians, there is a whole army of adherents of the theory that pregnancy will persist if it is destined to persist. Such doctors send an upset woman home, lie with raised legs and not think about bad things. Their behavior is a topic for another conversation. If you wish, you can always visit another doctor.
For information on whether there is cause for concern with brown discharge, see the next video.
