Brown discharge before period

Any type of vaginal discharge is usually a sign of a process inside a woman’s reproductive system, which can be normal or abnormal. This is why many women tend to panic when they notice the discharge, especially if it is colored, for example brown.

Brown discharge sometimes appears before the menstrual bleeding starts, for example four or five days before the period. It may resemble the menstrual flow, but it is darker, which is usually the sign that the substance is not blood. It can happen for a number of reasons, and some of them, but not all, require a trip to the doctor’s office.

Causes of brown discharge before period

One of the common causes of brown discharge before a period is the breakthrough of menstrual flow. The flow is not uniform and it consists of several different layers, which are discharged together. However, sometimes it happens that one of the layers is discharged before the onset of the period, which results in brown discharge before the flow actually starts.

Polyps, which are abnormal growths consisting of groups of cells, can be another possible cause for the brown discharge before the period. Although they are considered to be tumors, they are mostly benign. The brown discharge may result from the bleeding of the polyps inside the uterus.

Sometimes the brown discharge may occur because of the contraceptive pills, or more precisely, because the person using them has failed to take them according to the prescription. For example, if one or more pills are skipped, it may lead to brown discharge before period.

Brown discharge may also be a sign of implantation bleeding or spotting. This means that the egg has been fertilized and placed into the uterine lining. As it burrows inside the lining, it may cause small ruptures and bleeding. In this case brown discharge indicates pregnancy.

Treatment for brown discharge before period

As it is explained above, there are several possible causes of brown discharge before period. If it only occurs once, or if it occurred several times but not frequently, it is probably nothing to worry about. However, if it happens every time before the onset of the menstrual bleeding, it is best to see a doctor.

The doctor will probably do a pap smear test to determine if there are any abnormalities. If this or other tests confirm the presence of polyps, the treatment will probably consist of medications, and surgical treatment is required only in rare cases.

In case the tests show no abnormalities, doctors will do other tests to determine if the woman is pregnant. This is usually done if it is suspected that the discharge was a part of the implantation spotting or bleeding.