Decoding your vaginal discharge can often feel like reading tea leaves. Each color has its own potential causes, leaving you with plenty of questions as to what it means when you suddenly spot something different after you wipe. And no matter whether you experience it every month or it’s totally new to you, brown discharge can definitely catch your attention.
Just know this: You’re not the only one who’s seeing this. “It’s not uncommon to have brown discharge,” says Mike Werkema, MD, a gynecologist at Corewell Health. “It can be present with many benign conditions.” So, odds are high you’ve dealt with brown discharge at some point. But if you’re having brown discharge at a different time of the month than usual, or if it’s popping up out of the blue, that’s bound to raise some questions. What might be causing your brown discharge, how concerned should you be, and is it time to call a doctor? Ahead, ob-gyns break it all down.
Experts Featured in This Article
Mike Werkema, MD, is a gynecologist at Corewell Health.
Christine Greves, MD, is an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.
Sherry Ross, MD, is an ob-gyn and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.
What Does Brown Discharge Mean?
There are a lot of potential reasons why you may be dealing with brown discharge, but ob-gyns say these are the six most common.
You’re about to get your period.
This is by far one of the most common reasons, according to Christine Greves, MD, an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. “Brown discharge before your period is usually a mixture of a little blood and your regular discharge,” she says. There’s a reason why it’s brown and not red: The uterine lining (AKA period blood) flows out slowly early in your period, giving it time to mix with oxygen. As a result, the normally red blood turns more brownish.
Your period is wrapping up.
The concept here is very similar to pre-period discharge. At the end of your period, there may be leftover blood that’s slowly working its way out, Dr. Greves says. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong-it’s just signaling the tail end of your period, she explains. Dr. Werkema adds that you may experience brown discharge up to a few days after your period wraps up.
You’re ovulating.
Some people will experience brown discharge during ovulation (when an egg is released from your ovary), which usually occurs about 14 days after the first day of your last period. Credit fluctuating hormones – estrogen and progesterone – when you ovulate, Dr. Greves says. While this can be annoying to deal with, it doesn’t signal any kind of health issue, and should only last a day or two.
It’s implantation bleeding.
Implantation happens when a fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall. This usually occurs anywhere from six to 12 days after conception and can cause some blood vessels to break, causing a small amount of bleeding, explains Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “The type of bleeding is classically light red, brown, or pinkish with mild uterine cramping and is often the very first sign of pregnancy,” she says. It can last for two to seven days, and is marked by a change in color; implantation bleeding usually causes a few days of light brown spotting and may also segue into bright red bleeding, Dr. Ross says. Also worth noting: “The uterine cramping associated with implantation bleeding is mild compared to the more severe cramping seen with a typical period,” notes Dr. Ross.
You have PCOS.
PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, is a common health condition caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones, per the U.S. Office on Women’s Health. PCOS can cause a lot of different symptoms, including facial hair, acne, thinning hair, weight gain, and skin tags. But PCOS can also cause irregular periods and breakthrough bleeding between cycles, Greves says. And that can lead to brown discharge between periods, usually due to hormonal imbalances.
You may have a cyst.
Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can develop on or inside the ovaries. While they’re usually harmless and go away on their own, sometimes they can get bigger and burst, causing pain and/or bleeding. If you randomly have brown discharge, especially after having a sudden, sharp pain in your pelvis, it could be from a cyst bursting, Dr. Greves says.
When to See a Doctor for Brown Discharge
The good news: In many cases, brown discharge is not a big deal. That’s especially true if you notice it around the same time every month and don’t have any pain or other symptoms along with it, Dr. Greves says.
But if you’re having pain along with your brown discharge or there’s an odor, it’s a good idea to see your doctor, Werkema says. It could be a cyst or infection, which may require treatment with antibiotics or even surgery. Of course, if you’re suddenly experiencing brown discharge out of nowhere and are concerned (even if you have no other symptoms), it’s a good idea to call a doctor, if only for some peace of mind. “It’s what we’re here for,” Dr. Greves says.
Korin Miller is a writer specializing in general wellness, health, and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Self, Health, Forbes, and more.
