It is quite normal for every woman to have vaginal discharge in between the menstrual cycle. Vaginal discharge is the mucus like fluid that comes out of your vagina. The color of the fluid can be white or light brown. This fluid is nothing but collection of mucus produced by the cervix and vaginal walls. It gets released through vagina whenever there is excess of fluid collection.
Having brown vaginal discharge on occasions indicates that you are healthy. Actually vagina produces this fluid to cleanse itself and keep the inner environment clean. Dead cells inside the vagina and unwanted bacteria are removed through vaginal discharge. This process helps in keeping your vagina clean and disease-free.
Women’s body having normal menstrual cycle will undergo plenty of changes inside with exchange of fluids and hormones. Estrogen and progesterone are two hormones involved in monthly cycle, vaginal discharge and even mood changes for women. There would be large difference in emotions before the onset of monthly periods and after it.
Vaginal discharge varies in color, quantity and texture for every woman. The chemical changes inside your body can produce large amounts of white discharge during the cycle and hot flashes. Having few light spots between your periods is not really a matter of concern. You need to worry only if you have excess of brown vaginal discharge or pain during discharge.
Read more on Vaginal Bleeding – After Sex, After Menopause, During Pregnancy
Brown Vaginal Discharge Causes :
Getting occasional brown vaginal discharge is absolutely normal. There are 2 major causes for getting more of vaginal discharge. One is during the initial stage of pregnancy and the other is being in pre-menopause stage. Pregnant women can get brown vaginal discharge during early stages of pregnancy. The vagina prepares itself to accommodate the fetus by clearing off the unwanted dead skin cells from the uterus. Once the egg gets fertilized by a sperm, the zygote gets itself attached to the wall of the uterus. This can cause brown vaginal discharge which may occur within 15 days of conception.
Women who are in pre-menopause stage can get yellowish brown discharge sometimes. If you get repeated discharge, you can consult your gynecologist. Some women may get brown vaginal discharge within a week after monthly periods when the old endometrial tissues are cleared off by the body. If there is brown vaginal discharge with pain and foul smell it can be due to vaginal infection or a symptom of sexually transmitted disease. Getting Chlamydia infection or gonorrhea can cause vaginal discharge between periods.
Formation of endometrial cysts can cause vaginal discharge. This can be heavy and it often occurs after intercourse. Any severe brown vaginal discharge with pain can be a sign of serious infection or disease. Infection can occur anywhere on the vagina or fallopian tubes or ovaries. If you have symptoms of pelvic pain, abdominal cramps with vaginal discharge you should consult your doctor immediately. In rare cases cervical cancer can cause brown vaginal discharge which is accompanied with other signs like loss of weight, loss of appetite, pelvic pain and extreme tiredness.
Tests :
Your doctor can easily detect the cause of brown vaginal discharge. She would ask you series of questions and perform a pelvic exam. She may also order for testing procedure like blood and urine culture and ultrasound scan of pelvic region if required.
Read more on Vaginal Yeast Infection
Treatment :
Often vaginal discharge requires no treatment since it happens only for few days. It is quite natural for you to get brown discharge from the vagina if you are pregnant recently or if you are in pre-menopause stage. Treatment depends on the exact cause of the problem. If the results confirm the presence of infection, you will be prescribed antibiotics. In case of uterine polyps your doctor will consider removing it by curettage or scarring of polyps. You can prevent getting brown vaginal discharge by practicing safe sex and avoid having multiple sex partners.