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Brown discharge instead of monthly

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
 
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Often, women have brown discharge instead of menstruation, which can not but cause natural concern.

Among seemingly innocuous causes of such secretions, gynecologists call the state of strong physical and nervous exhaustion of the female body, which negatively affects the functioning of the reproductive system. However, it should be borne in mind that - in addition to some physiological conditions - symptoms in the form of similar secretions have certain gynecological pathologies.

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Causes of the brown discharge instead of monthly

Among the most likely causes of such secretions is pregnancy, at the very beginning of which - a few days before the next menstrual period should begin, approximately on the 5th-10th day after conception - on average, 25% of women have brown discharge instead of menstruation. In gynecology they are called implantation bleeding, but it happens once! By the way, for the same reason, brown secretions are noted instead of monthly ones after IVF.

And in connection with the formation of new blood vessels in the wall of the uterus, pregnant women sometimes have scant smearing of light-brown discharge instead of menstruation and nausea.

However, if there is a delay and brown secretions instead of menstruation, and if a woman complains that she has a stomach ache and brown discharge instead of a monthly one, then she should suspect the pregnancy (about 3-5 weeks) with obvious signs of partial detachment from the endometrium of the fetal egg. That is, in fact, it is the precursors of miscarriage with subsequent bleeding. In addition, the onset of pregnancy, accompanied by secretions of this nature, may be an ectopic pregnancy.

See also - Early gestation

Women giving birth know that in the postpartum period everything happens, and if after birth instead of a monthly brown discharge, then this is normal: it means that soon the cycle will be restored (which also happens during breastfeeding).

Symptoms of the brown discharge instead of monthly

The first signs of a woman's entry into the perimenopause period are manifested by cycle irregularities, when there are meager smearing dark brown secretions instead of monthly ones. In addition, as noted by gynecologists, every third woman after 45-50 years complains about copious brown discharge instead of menstruation, and the pathogenesis of this condition is associated with the age-related extinction of sexual functions and a reduction in the production of hormones by the ovaries.

At a younger age, brown secretions instead of menstruation with a negative pregnancy test can be caused by such factors as: hormonal disorders (absence of ovulation in polycystic ovary syndrome or thyroid pathology); sharp changes in climatic conditions (when moving to another region); significant reduction in body weight for a short time. Special risk factors are severe infectious diseases and oncology.

Scarcely yellow or yellow-brown secretions in place of menstruation with an unpleasant odor, as well as severe and burning sensation during urination and sexual intercourse, are symptoms of vaginal inflammation on the background of hormonal imbalance (for example, estrogen deficiency in ovarian pathologies) or lesions of the cervical canal with staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic streptococcus, mycoplasma, and others.

But long brown discharge instead of monthly (menometrorrhagia with light or sufficiently intensively colored secretions) are caused by erosion, dysplasia or cervical cancer; their appearance may be due to the syndrome of polycystic ovaries. Also, against the background of the menstrual cycle, such discharges can manifest endometrial hyperplasia and polyps in the uterus, sarcoma or endometrial adenocarcinoma, and in the presence of bloody clots - endometriosis or fibroids of the uterus.

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Complications and consequences

The consequences and complications in the form of these secretions give some antibacterial drugs, but most often - pharmacological agents that include synthetic analogues of endogenous hormones (estrogen and progesterone).

For example, doctors prescribe a drug Duphaston with dydrogesterone for hormone replacement therapy; its side effects include not only skin rashes and itching, but also metrorrhagia (uterine bleeding).

Hormonal contraceptive Tiregol (ethinylestradiol + levonorgestrel) because of skipping the pill and in cases of discontinuation of use causes bleeding from the uterus or less intense (spotting) spotting.

So, if after Dufaston, Triregol go brown discharge instead of monthly, know that these are the consequences of their application.

Before taking hormonal birth control pills, consult a doctor and carefully read the instructions for the drug. So, often there are bleedings and brown secretions instead of monthly ones with Jess (with ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone). As indicated in the instructions to this contraceptive, this can be observed during the first three months of its use.

As practice shows, there are such discharges after gynecological surgical interventions; after a normal abortion and after a mini-abortion, brown secretions instead of monthly ones are not uncommon. And although abortion by vacuum aspiration is less traumatic than scraping, no one is immune from its complications.

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Diagnostics of the brown discharge instead of monthly

It would be more correct to say that it is necessary to establish the cause of this symptom, because any discharge is only a sign of a disease or pathological condition.

First and foremost, gynecologists determine whether the patient is pregnant, which is revealed during a standard examination. Also, the examination can reveal the presence of pathologies.

Required tests include:

  • clinical and biochemical blood test;
  • blood test for TORCH infection;
  • a blood test for the level of hormones (genital and thyroid gland);
  • a smear from the vagina to the microflora;
  • PAP-swab from the cervical canal;
  • according to indications - a biopsy of the cervix or mucous of her body.

Instrumental diagnosis is performed using ultrasound (ultrasound) of pelvic organs and hysteroscopy of the uterine cavity (if necessary - with biopsy).

Given the variety of reasons for the appearance of brown secretions that replace menstrual, differential diagnosis may require the involvement of both specialists in gynecological oncology and endocrinology.

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Who to contact?

Treatment of the brown discharge instead of monthly

Women of childbearing age, first of all, need to use the test to determine pregnancy, and then - regardless of its result - go to the gynecologist. Because only he can confirm the fact of pregnancy and put the woman on the register, and non-pregnant patients - to appoint the necessary treatment of brown secretions instead of monthly, more precisely, treatment of the disease - the specific cause of the appearance of this symptom.

It should be noted that for today in gynecology the treatment of such secretions at the onset of menopause or with a decrease in the hormonal background in young women, as well as in endometriosis, endometrial hyperplasia or uterine fibroids is based on the replacement of missing sex hormones. It is hardly advisable to list medicines that can be prescribed in each specific case; Get acquainted, for example, what are the drugs used to treat endometrial hyperplasia

When infections the doctor prescribes antibiotics; when cervical dysplasia, diathermy or laser cauterization is used; At detection of oncology operative treatment, radiation and chemotherapy is spent.

Prevention

To maintain women's health, an important role is played by B vitamins and trace elements (iron and zinc). Therefore, the prevention of inflammatory and hormonal pathologies of the reproductive system should begin with proper nutrition (and consumption of vitamins rich in vegetables and fruits), a healthy lifestyle, a systematic visit to the gynecologist.

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Forecast

If instead of a monthly brown discharge is observed in a woman planning a pregnancy, this will undoubtedly be the best prognosis.

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