What causes brown period blood?
The distinct color of brown discharge is typically caused by old blood that has had time to rust. It is connected to several things.
The perimenopause
The lining of your uterus is impacted by changes in estrogen levels during the perimenopause.
The frequency, texture, and color of your flow may alter as a result, and you may experience brown period blood or spotting at various points during your cycle.
Usually, the brown blood is just uterine tissue and blood leaving your body.
Mild to severe perimenopausal symptoms are possible. In addition to changes in your menstruation, you may also have sleep issues, vaginal dryness, and hot flashes.
Just so you know, perimenopause can begin as early as your 30s, but menopause typically occurs at age 51.
When your period starts or stops
Your period starts and ends with slower blood flow, which means it takes longer for the blood to leave your body.
It has more time to oxidize and turn dark the longer it remains in your body. Brown blood may occasionally be leftover from a prior menstrual cycle.
The Lochia
Postpartum hemorrhage, or lochia, happens during the first four to six weeks following childbirth.
Usually, this bleeding begins heavily and, by day four, turns pink or brown.
Being pregnant
An early indicator of pregnancy, brown blood or spotting may indicate implantation hemorrhage. Ten to fourteen days following conception is when it typically happens.
Other indications of implantation include:
Miscarriage missed
While bright red bleeding is typically linked with loss, some people experience what is known as a missed miscarriage, commonly referred to as a “silent miscarriage” or “missed abortion.”
The pregnancy ends with a missed miscarriage, but the tissue doesn’t leave the uterus for at least four weeks. Only dark brown spotting or bleeding is present; there isn’t much bleeding.
If you experience any bleeding during pregnancy, you should see a doctor.
Why does pink menstrual blood occur?
In most cases, pink blood at the start or finish of your period—especially if you’re spotting—is just blood that has been diluted by cervical fluid.
Additionally, pink blood is linked to:
The Lochia
From day four onward, lochia — or postpartum bleeding — may be pinkish or brownish in hue.
The process of Ovulation
Spots can occur during ovulation, which typically occurs in the middle of the cycle, for some people.
Increases in cervical fluid brought on by ovulation can also dilute blood, turning it pale or pink.
Why do people get gray period blood?
Your menstrual blood shouldn’t be off-white or gray in color. If so, seek advice from a medical expert.
Abortion failure
Gray discharge during pregnancy could indicate a miscarriage. Additionally, the tissue that emerges from the vagina may be gray.
An infection
This color could mean that you are about to get a bacterial vaginosis infection. Other indications of infection consist of:
When to seek advice from a physician or other medical expert
Although a healthy period can have many different colors and textures, some changes in the period should be discussed with a healthcare provider.
For example, you should schedule an appointment if your period is so heavy that you’re soaking through a pad or tampon every hour or two, or if it lasts more than seven days.
Additional justifications for scheduling a meeting:
The length of your periods varies significantly from month to month; they are shorter than 24 or longer than 38 days; you haven’t had a period in three months or more; and your bleeding is accompanied by other symptoms, such as excruciating pain; you bleed in between periods; you’ve gone through menopause and are bleeding again; you’re pregnant and are spotting or bleeding; and you have gray discharge, which could indicate an infection or miscarriage.
Why does black period blood occur?
Although seeing black period blood can be concerning, it is typically just old blood that has remained in your body for an extended period of time, just like brown blood. Low-flow days at the beginning or conclusion of your period are the most likely times for this to occur.
Other potential (though less likely) reasons for black blood include the following:
An infection
In addition to vaginal bleeding and atypical discharge, pelvic inflammatory diseases and sexually transmitted infections can also induce heavy vaginal discharge of any hue with an unpleasant odor.
bleeding during or after intercourse, itchy urination, pelvic pain, or pressure soreness in between periods
An thing that is stuck or forgotten
A foreign object lodged in your vagina could be the cause of the black discharge (it happensTrusted Source). Perhaps you inadvertently forget to take out or put in a second tampon.
Other items that can become lodged in your vagina include sex toys, menstrual cups, and contraceptives such as condoms, diaphragms, and caps.
These have the potential to irritate your vaginal lining over time and result in an infection.
In addition to black discharge, you may experience a fever, a rash or itching in your vulva and vagina, and an unpleasant odor.
If you think you may have something caught inside, get medical help right away.