Light brown discharge in the first weeks of pregnancy. Brown discharge during pregnancy - is there any cause for concern? What is the reason for brown discharge during pregnancy and what to do when it appears

Brown discharge during pregnancy can be normal, indicate a gynecological disease, pathology, or be the main symptom of an incipient miscarriage. How to figure out when you need to urgently call ambulance or go to the doctor, and when should I wait a little and watch the situation develop? After all, when early pregnancy, many women perceive brown discharge as a death sentence...

Advice one- register for pregnancy as early as possible. Don’t worry, they won’t prescribe unnecessary tests for you, just as they very often invite you to an antenatal clinic for no reason. But in this way you will be able to find out about possible pathologies as early as possible and maintain the pregnancy.

Tip two- follow all doctor's recommendations. And especially - get tested regularly. For example, an hCG test often reveals an ectopic pregnancy, which often causes dark brown discharge during pregnancy. More about all this.

1. An embryo frozen in development. If you had noticeable toxicosis, which suddenly disappeared, your breasts became painless, the test was negative (not always), all possible symptoms disappeared, and brown discharge appeared during pregnancy, you need to see a doctor. You will be examined in a chair; if the size of the uterus is smaller than it should be at this stage, most likely you will be sent to donate blood for hCG and (or) have an ultrasound of the uterus. The level of hCG during a frozen pregnancy is reduced, and an ultrasound does not detect the heartbeat of the embryo.

2. Ectopic. Another terrible complication. The hCG level is lower than with uterine. A woman may experience pain in the pelvic area, often from the fallopian tube or ovary where the fertilized egg develops. Discharge occurs during pregnancy Brown clots. If this pathology is suspected, the woman is immediately hospitalized in a hospital, where, once the diagnosis is confirmed, laparoscopic surgery is performed.

3. Cervical ectopia. This is damage to the mucous membrane of the cervix. It usually does not manifest itself as pain. The doctor makes the diagnosis after a gynecological examination using a speculum. If the cytology smear is good and there are no signs of a malignant process, the woman is left alone until the end of pregnancy. Bloody discharge soon stops, as true erosion of the cervix heals on its own, and quite quickly. For this reason, brown discharge appears when early pregnancy They don’t talk about any pathologies.

4. Menstruation. It is believed that menstruation cannot occur during pregnancy. This is true. But some women still experience small endometrial detachments every 4 weeks in the first trimester, as if repeating the menstrual cycle. This scanty light brown discharge during pregnancy is also not a symptom of a threatened miscarriage. However, their appearance should alert the expectant mother. And of course, physical activity should be reduced, and intimate life temporarily stopped.

5. Miscarriage. In the event of a threatened miscarriage, when the discharge during pregnancy is not profuse, the fetus itself is alive, the placental abruption is small, and can still be managed with adequate treatment. However, if there is heavy bleeding in the first trimester, scarlet blood is released - it is unlikely that it will be possible to avoid spontaneous abortion. If there is bleeding, call an ambulance immediately.

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A common occurrence is brown discharge during pregnancy. They often look like spots or stripes of brown, brown or dark red color. In some cases there is pain.

Hormone production hydatidiform mole under doctor's supervision
traditional medicine Treatment Abundant
Unpleasant itching ectopic pregnancy pregnancy

The causes of these phenomena can be dangerous to the health of the mother and fetus. But in any case, you shouldn’t panic, but you need to see a doctor, undergo an ultrasound and keep the situation under control. Four out of five women who observed brown discharge in the early stages of pregnancy carry it to term and give birth to children.

When is it safe?

After fertilization, there comes a period that is especially predisposing to the appearance of such symptoms. But in the first trimester they are most often safe.

The first manifestations are related to the physiology of pregnant women. After fertilization, for several days, from 5 to 14, the egg moves inside the uterus. Then it is attached to a specific place on its walls. During this process, blood vessels may be damaged, causing minor bleeding. This leads to the appearance of pathological discharge at the beginning of pregnancy.

Their color can vary from beige, pink to brown. There is no severe pain, although some women note varying degrees of severity of sensation in the lower abdomen. The structure of the contents is quite thick, the smell is neutral, there is no itching. Very often, women mistake them for the beginning of menstruation, since there are no other signs yet.

Another reason for brown discharge that appears in the early stages is improper hormone production. The spots appear approximately when the next menstruation should have passed. The duration of this process can reach two days, the volume of discharge is small. There are no unpleasant sensations.

Hormonal disbalance

Similar discharge may appear at 8 weeks of pregnancy. This phenomenon is not dangerous either for the expectant mother or for the embryo. Even more, it can be repeated two or three more times during the first months.

But these are all the reasons why brown discharge during pregnancy is not dangerous. There are many more pathologies that can harm the baby and the health of the mother. This is why seeing a doctor is necessary.

Main causes of pathology

Very often, brown discharge during pregnancy, at about 5 weeks or later, indicates a threat of miscarriage. They are caused by the walls of the uterus. This damages the blood vessels.

The reason for this phenomenon is the lack or absence of progesterone production by the female body. This hormone is needed to support the development of the baby.

The appearance of such dark-colored discharge is possible at any time, for example, at 12 weeks. At first there are few of them, perhaps an average number. There are mucous inclusions. A woman may feel:

• pain in the lower abdomen;
• nausea;
• vomiting is possible.

A rare but dangerous situation is hydatidiform mole. During this ultrasound, instead of the placenta, a large number of fluid-filled vesicles - cysts - are found in the uterus. Discharge during pregnancy can be brown, yellow-brown, brown, interspersed with bubbles. Women note:

• pain;
• nausea;
• high blood pressure;
• headache.

Dangerous situation - hydatidiform mole

The fetus usually dies at 9-10 weeks of pregnancy, discharge begins earlier. The tumor can penetrate inside the walls of the uterus, then metastases may appear in the lungs and vagina. Treatment is usually done by removing the mole, sometimes even the uterus. There are isolated cases of partial hydatidiform mole when a full-term baby was born.

A more common dangerous cause of dark discharge, most often at 6 weeks, is an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube, the growth of the fetus will inevitably lead to rupture.

This situation requires an immediate solution. In addition to the possibility of complete removal of the tube, a woman runs the risk of peritonitis. This is caused by the filling of the abdominal cavity with fluid due to a ruptured pipe. Even death is possible.

So, the most common causes of discharge when carrying a child are as follows.

Instructions for maintaining health

The appearance of brown discharge during pregnancy requires mandatory medical supervision. You must call an ambulance immediately. You need to wait for doctors in a horizontal position and in a calm state. Nervous tension, physical exercise will not help.

Obligatory observation by a doctor

If the cause of dark or light discharge in the early stages of pregnancy is the attachment of the fertilized egg, no treatment is required at all. , arising due to hormonal imbalance, are also usually not treated. But here a consultation with a gynecologist is required, who can assess the seriousness of the situation and its consequences.

Threatened miscarriage, ectopic, and other pathologies - all this is treated in a hospital setting. Brown discharge at the beginning of pregnancy with such pathologies is just a symptom. However, sometimes doctors use some treatment methods at home, and rehabilitation therapy is also prescribed after hospital treatment.

If pathological discharge associated with the threat of miscarriage appears at 5, 6, 7 weeks of pregnancy, therapy with Magne-B6 may be prescribed. This medicine contains:

• Magnesium;
• Vitamin B6.

Application patterns may vary.

1. Two tablets morning and evening.
2. One in the morning, in the middle of the day and two at night.
3. Duration of use – from two weeks before birth.

After eliminating an ectopic pregnancy, if it was the cause of brown or light-colored discharge, the doctor prescribes medications for recovery, which are taken at home. The medications used depend on individual characteristics.

Examples include:

• Phlogenzyme;
• Terzhinan;
• Bifiform.

The application scheme may be as follows.

1. 21 days – three Flogenzyme tablets three times a day.
2. 10 days – Terzhinan candle at night.
3. Week - Bifiform tablet three times a day.

In case of hormonal imbalance during pregnancy and the appearance of brown discharge, along with the treatment prescribed by the doctor and with his permission, you can use folk recipes. One of them:

• oregano;
• hop.

Preparation and use.

1. Brew a mixture of dry herbs in the amount of two spoons with a cup of boiling water.
2. Leave for 20 minutes.
3. Drink half a glass twice a day before meals.

Oregano can help

It should be noted that a small amount of brown discharge may appear at 40 weeks of pregnancy. This is also not dangerous, the mucus plug just comes off. This happens to all women without exception.

Usually the plug comes out immediately before childbirth, but sometimes the process takes a long time. Therefore, it is quite possible that brown discharge will appear at 39 weeks or earlier in pregnancy.

If severe pain occurs, the amount of discharged contents increases, be sure to immediately consult a doctor, or better yet, go straight to the hospital.

Attention!

The information published on the website is for informational purposes only and is intended for informational purposes only. Site visitors should not use them as medical advice! The site editors do not recommend self-medication. Determining the diagnosis and choosing a treatment method remains the exclusive prerogative of your attending physician! Remember that only complete diagnosis and therapy under the supervision of a doctor will help you completely get rid of the disease!

In the article we discuss brown discharge during early pregnancy. We talk about the reasons for this condition and when it poses a danger. You will learn about the necessary treatment and in what cases you should consult a doctor.

During the 40 weeks after conception, a woman’s body prepares to bear and give birth to a child. This period is accompanied by various physiological and hormonal changes.

Brown discharge is not always a sign of pathology

Even despite the absence of health problems, sometimes the expectant mother may observe the appearance of a brown secretion. Let's figure out when such a condition is not dangerous, and when it requires specialist intervention.

After conception, there comes a period when brown discharge is most often observed. This condition is caused by physiological changes. Within 5-14 days after fertilization, the egg moves through the uterus. After this, it attaches to the back or front wall of the uterus, in some cases causing damage to blood vessels. This is what causes brown discharge. By the way, some women learn about their interesting situation by this sign.

The color of such discharge can be creamy, pinkish or even yellow. Usually they are not accompanied by discomfort, but some pregnant women report slight pain in the lower abdomen. As a rule, the consistency of the mucus is thick and odorless, there is no itching or burning. Often, women mistake such discharge for the beginning of menstruation, since there are no other symptoms.

Another reason for brown secretion at the beginning of pregnancy is incorrect or insufficient production of hormones. It appears on the days of expected menstruation. How long does it take? As a rule, the duration does not exceed 2-3 days, while the discharge is spotting, not abundant, and does not cause discomfort.

The same discharge may occur at 8 weeks of pregnancy. They do not pose a threat to either the pregnant woman or the fetus. Moreover, they can be repeated 2-3 more times during the entire period of bearing a child.

Sometimes brown mucus can occur at 40 weeks of pregnancy. There is no need to panic, as this means the mucus plug is coming out. Most often, the plug comes out before the birth itself, but sometimes this process can take a long time, for example, from 36 or 39 weeks of pregnancy.

All of the above reasons are physiological in nature and do not pose any threat during pregnancy. But in some cases, this condition may be a sign of pathology.

Pathological causes

If brown secretion appears at 4-5 weeks of pregnancy or a little later, you should consult a doctor. Such symptoms may mean termination of pregnancy or the threat of miscarriage, and the discharge itself occurs due to detachment of the fertilized egg from the uterine wall and damage to the blood vessels.

This phenomenon occurs when a woman’s body does not produce enough of the hormone progesterone, which is necessary for bearing a child.

The appearance of such dark discharge is possible at any week of pregnancy, even at 12 or 20. As a rule, their volume is small.

Sometimes there may be inclusions in the mucus, and the pregnant woman feels:

• discomfort in the lower abdomen;
• nausea;
• vomiting

Quite rare, but still possible, hydatidiform mole is a dangerous pathological condition. When performing an ultrasound of the uterus, instead of the placenta, many bubbles filled with fluid are found - cysts. In this case, the pregnant woman experiences mucus of a brown, yellow-brown or brown hue with bubbly inclusions, and the following sensations:

• nausea;
• pain.

With this pathology, the embryo usually dies at 9-10 weeks of pregnancy, and mucous discharge appears before this period. The tumor can penetrate the uterine walls, causing metastases in the lungs and vagina. Therapy consists of removing the mole and sometimes the uterus itself. Only in isolated cases with partial hydatidiform mole is a full-term baby born.

The main reason for the appearance of dark mucous discharge at 6 weeks is ectopic pregnancy. It is characterized by the attachment of a fertilized egg to the uterine tube, and not to its walls, which subsequently leads to its rupture. This condition is life-threatening for a woman and therefore requires surgical intervention. The main complication of this operation is removal of the fallopian tubes or the formation of peritonitis. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, the woman may die.

With an ectopic pregnancy, there is no possibility of saving the fetus. But early therapy will preserve the woman’s reproductive functions, so that in the future she could become pregnant again.

Treatment of brown discharge should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor.

What to do

If you notice brown discharge during pregnancy, regardless of whether it is scanty or abundant, immediately call an ambulance or visit a doctor as soon as possible. You should not hope that the discharge will go away on its own. They can be pathological and pose a threat to your life and the embryo.

In the case where dark or light discharge is caused by the attachment of a fertilized egg, no treatment is prescribed. For infrequent bleeding caused by hormonal changes, therapy is not carried out, but the pregnant woman will have to be under the supervision of a specialist to assess the severity of this condition and possible consequences.

Ectopic, threatened miscarriage and other diseases are treated in a hospital setting. Brown secretion at the beginning of pregnancy with such diseases is just a sign. Sometimes home treatment may be prescribed, as well as rehabilitation therapy after hospital treatment.

If pathological discharge appears at the 5th, 6th or 7th week of pregnancy, and is due to the threat of miscarriage, the drug Magne-B6, which contains magnesium and vitamin B6, may be prescribed for treatment. Approximate regimens look like this:

• Take 2 tablets in the morning and evening.
• Take 1 tablet in the morning and lunchtime, 2 tablets in the evening.

The duration of taking the drug is from 14 days and can last until childbirth. Remember, you can only take medication as prescribed by your doctor.

If the discharge occurs due to an ectopic pregnancy, then after its elimination, medication is prescribed to restore the body. They are accepted at home. Drugs are prescribed based on the individual characteristics of the body, among them may be Terzhinan, Bifiform or Phlogenzyme. Approximate regimens:

• 3 tablets of Phlogenzyme three times a day for 3 weeks;
• for 10 days, 1 Terzhinan vaginal suppository at night;
• 1 tablet Bifiform 3 times a day for a week.

Sometimes medications may be used to treat traditional medicine, for example, an infusion of hops and oregano. Below is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• oregano - 1 tsp;
• water - 250 ml;
• hops - 1 tsp.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over dry herbs. Leave for 20 minutes.

How to use: Drink the infusion twice a day 30 minutes before meals, 0.5 cups.

Remember, any uncharacteristic discharge may be a sign of a serious illness or problems with the course of pregnancy, especially if it is accompanied by severe nagging pain in the lumbar region and lower abdomen. Normal discharge should be clear, not heavy, and odorless. You should tell a specialist about everything else and not self-medicate.

Video: Bleeding in the 1st trimester

The female vagina has its own microflora, so various discharges can be both a sign of normal functioning of the reproductive system and a signal of the development of pathological processes. During pregnancy, a woman’s body is completely reconfigured, various atypical sensations are possible, but the occurrence of brown discharge during pregnancy should alert the expectant mother.

Normally, female lubricant has a transparent structure and is a consequence of the proper functioning of the genital organs. But do not panic when impurities of a different color appear in the discharge. This phenomenon may indicate either the presence of pathology or be a normal sign of pregnancy.

Important! Only a gynecologist can determine the cause of dark discharge, and you must immediately attend a consultation. A pregnant woman is strictly prohibited from diagnosing and self-medicating!

Brown discharge during pregnancy is a mixture of vaginal lubrication and blood clots. This phenomenon may:

• signal the presence of bleeding in female body, its intensity will be indicated by the color of the mucus;
• be a normal sign and signal the attachment of the fertilized egg to the wall of the uterus after fertilization, or the release of a mucus plug before childbirth.

The very rich color of the discharge indicates the duration of the period of accumulation and movement of the mass with blood particles, which has completely coagulated. Often, such blood clots in the discharge have uterine and cervical etiology. Light brown shades of discharge during pregnancy most often signal the presence of microtrauma to the tissues of the genital tract, and is also a symptom of bacterial damage.

With the onset of pregnancy, a woman experiences many physiological changes. The functioning of the endocrine system changes, the immune system is suppressed (protection against fetal rejection), and the genitourinary system can withstand major changes. Brown discharge during early pregnancy is most often a normal sign. This happens due to the peculiarities of the attachment of the fertilized egg, which is “screwed” into the wall of the uterus, violating the integrity of the tissue, which is why a small amount of blood enters the lubricant. Implantation occurs in the first two weeks after fertilization, so the expectant mother may not yet know about her situation.

Important! Such discharge should not cause discomfort to a woman. If painful or pulling sensations, itching or bad smell, or the duration is more than 2 days - you must consult a specialist.

But there are pathologies when such discharge should become a reason for an urgent visit to a medical institution:

• Possibility of miscarriage. In this case, the appearance of blood in the lubricant indicates the beginning of fetal detachment, which violates the integrity of the capillaries. This often happens due to a lack of the hormone progesterone, which supports pregnancy until the full formation of a full-fledged placenta. The woman notes the appearance of a nagging pain, possible nausea, and rarely vomiting. The situation requires urgent medical attention and a state of complete rest. Specialists carry out diagnostics and prescribe medications containing progesterone, which allows removing the cause of abruption and restoring normal pregnancy processes.
• Ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the fertilized egg becomes attached to the uterine tube, which, as the fetus develops and enlarges, leads to rupture of the tube and dangerous bleeding. A woman may notice both brown-colored lubricant discharge during pregnancy and pain on a certain side of the uterus with a pronounced pulling character. The situation also requires immediate referral to a doctor if an ectopic pregnancy is confirmed - the fetus is removed by an invasive method. There is no other treatment for this pathology, because we're talking about about the life of a mother.
• Bubble drift. This pathology is caused by a deviation in the chromosome complement of the fetus. Instead of the development of a full-fledged placenta, a benign tumor is formed, which consists of a large number of small cysts filled with fluid. In exceptional cases, with such a pathology, the birth of a normal baby is possible, but most often the embryo dies in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. With a complete hydatidiform mole, all the tissues of the placenta change, and the fetus dies in the 1st trimester. When cysts (in the form of small bubbles) enter the uterine tissue, they have a high chance of entering the bloodstream and metastasizing in other organs (most often in the lungs or vagina). Treatment consists of complete removal of the fetal tissue, sometimes the uterus. Hydatidiform mole can provoke the development of cancer.

Normal scanty brown discharge in early pregnancy should be creamy in thickness and not cause discomfort to the woman. Sometimes similar phenomena are caused by a hormonal imbalance in pregnant women and occur during the presumably next menstrual cycle. Such discharge does not pose a threat to a woman, but sometimes appears for several months during pregnancy.

Brown discharge in the second trimester

Various unusual discharges in the second trimester are not explained by the natural processes of pregnancy, and therefore require a visit to the doctor.

Causes of brown discharge during the second trimester of pregnancy:

• The most common cause of brown mucus is placental abruption. The pathology is dangerous both for the mother (bleeding develops) and for the fetus, which does not receive good nutrition. A pregnant woman feels pain in the pubic area of ​​the abdomen, sometimes radiating to the lower back, and possible loss of consciousness or dizziness. Detachment of a small area, in which a hematoma forms on its own, does not require special therapy and does not affect the course of pregnancy. If detachment of a large area occurs, urgent medical intervention is necessary, sometimes a cesarean section is required.
• Placenta previa. It is characterized by the localization of the child's place in the area of ​​the uterine pharynx (the junction between the vagina and the uterus). The growth of the baby increases pressure on the placenta, as well as its nutritional system, which contributes to the development of bleeding. Future mom feels pain in the sacrum or lower abdomen, muscle tone of the uterus, weakness. The condition requires regular monitoring by a gynecologist to prevent early labor, bleeding, hypoxia, or delayed development of the baby. Childbirth with this pathology is carried out by caesarean section.
• Premature labor. Possibly after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Induction of labor occurs due to the presence of infections or severe stressful situations. During the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, brown discharge is observed due to the process of dilation of the cervix. The pathology threatens the release of amniotic fluid and manifests itself in the form of pain like contractions and aching sensations in the lower back. The condition requires emergency medical attention and delivery. In rare cases, if a woman contacts an ambulance in a timely manner, it is possible to stop the birth process and prolong the pregnancy as much as possible for the full development of the baby.

Important! Any unusual discharge or aching pain in the lower abdomen or sacral area requires urgent consultation with a gynecologist. A timely visit to a medical facility will help preserve the health of the child and the expectant mother.

The appearance of brown discharge in the last trimester

All causes of brown mucous manifestations in the last trimester arise as a consequence of all the situations described above, and due to the preparation of the birth canal for delivery.

During the period of gestation, the mucous plug protected the child from various pathologies of the vaginal microflora, but a few days before birth it comes out. This phenomenon causes brownish discharge in 85% of cases.

The effect of diseases on brown discharge

At any stage of pregnancy, a woman can develop or worsen a chronic pathology, which is also accompanied by dark discharge during pregnancy.

1. Cervical erosion. It is registered even in girls during adolescence, a common disease of the female reproductive system. The pathology is manifested by a violation of the cellular structure of the tissues of the cervix. This disease during pregnancy produces brown mucus after direct contact of damaged tissue (sexual contact, examination) with a foreign object. Often this condition does not cause any inconvenience to the woman or fetus and goes away within 24 hours, so it does not require medical intervention.
2. Infections and inflammations of the female reproductive system. Various types of infections and inflammations (bacterial or venereal in nature) cause brown discharge. Often a woman has been a carrier of the disease for a long time, and suppression of the immune system and hormonal changes at the beginning of pregnancy made it possible for the disease to become more active. The main symptoms include itching, pain, and a strong odor. The specialist will prescribe the gentlest possible therapy to preserve the health of the fetus.
3. Injury to the tissue of the uterus or vagina. A rare pathology, treatment is prescribed depending on the degree of injury - both disinfection of the damaged area and invasive intervention are possible.
4. Polyps during pregnancy and brown discharge are also related. Such neoplasms can appear even before pregnancy and begin to bleed in any trimester upon mechanical contact. Treatment is usually not performed while the baby is pregnant, and after childbirth the woman must have all formations removed. Otherwise, a benign nature may degenerate into an oncological disease.

Important! The brown tint of the lubricant in most cases suggests the development of pathology or deviations in the course of pregnancy, and therefore requires a mandatory visit to the attending physician.

A pregnant woman should not engage in self-diagnosis, since some situations require urgent medical attention. Worsening pathologies increase the risk of death not only for the baby, but also for the mother. Since every woman’s body is individual, there is no point in looking for answers from friends or on forums. The attending physician will determine the cause of various phenomena and will be able to prevent in advance the development of dangerous pathologies during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, a woman needs to monitor her own health as carefully as possible. What usually seems like a small thing can be fatal for a pregnant woman and cause serious, dangerous consequences.

In some cases, a pregnant woman herself may suspect the onset of a pathological process and consult a doctor in a timely manner. This ensures the completeness and effectiveness of treatment: the main thing is that the primary diagnosis is carried out as early as possible.

What should you pay attention to?

Many gynecological (or obstetric) diseases are manifested, among other things, by pathological discharge from the genital tract. Discharge can be a sign of serious pathologies, but can appear in a healthy woman as a variant of the norm.

It is worth taking a closer look at one of the most common types of pathological discharge - brown discharge. This color is usually given by coagulated blood, if there is not very much of it.

Brown discharge is easy to distinguish from bleeding from the genital tract: when bleeding, red liquid blood is released. With menstrual blood, everything is a little more complicated, but the very fact of the appearance of menstruation during pregnancy a priori indicates the presence of pathology.

In what cases is brown discharge in pregnant women not a pathology?

During pregnancy, discharge from the genital tract is always present, in one form or another. Usually, Normally, this discharge is colorless and odorless, and, of course, do not bring discomfort to the woman.

However, a change in the color, volume or smell of discharge is also not always a signal of danger. Even if you notice the appearance of brown discharge, do not panic. The best thing you can do is see a doctor. He will conduct an examination and differential diagnosis, and then decide whether such discharge is a cause for concern.

In what cases can brown discharge during pregnancy be considered normal?

• The most common cause of brownish discharge from the genital tract is minor contact bleeding during sexual intercourse. As a rule, they appear precisely during pregnancy - the vaginal mucosa, due to a sharp change in hormonal levels, becomes more sensitive and “fragile”. This is a normal, transient condition.
• Sometimes spotting appears at the very beginning of pregnancy, literally in the first days. This reflects the processes of implantation of the blastula into the uterine mucosa.

Brown discharge during early pregnancy: what should you be wary of?

Early pregnancy is the most important period in a child's development. This is the time when the most important systems are formed: nervous, cardiovascular and others. In this regard, any factor that affects a woman’s body in the first trimester of pregnancy is potentially dangerous to the health and life of the child.

This makes it particularly important for timely diagnosis and treatment of any diseases (both sexual and extragenital) in the early stages of pregnancy. It is very important to understand what symptoms indicate the most dangerous illnesses at this time.

Ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy is the development of an embryo outside the uterine cavity. There are several options: implantation can occur in the cavity of the fallopian tube, in the abdominal cavity, in the cervix or even in the ovary.

In most cases, such a pregnancy makes itself felt only at the moment when the volume of the fallopian tube becomes small for the grown embryo. Then a tubal abortion begins, which, as a rule, is manifested by brown discharge.

Discharge during a tubal abortion (at first) is small, it is scanty, thick, and rich brown in color. Sometimes films are released along with the blood. In parallel with complaints about discharge, patients complain of nagging pain in the lower abdomen and delayed menstruation (a mandatory sign!).

Ectopic pregnancy requires immediate treatment in a hospital setting, since rupture of the fallopian tube, ovary, or compression of the abdominal organs often turns out to be conditions that directly threaten a woman’s life.

Hydatidiform mole and choroidepithelioma

Hydatidiform mole is a variant of trophoblastic disease (chorionic villus disease), in which the placenta is affected by the pathological process. Placental cells, which for a number of reasons are prone to various malignant and hyperplastic changes, degenerate into multiple vesicles filled with clear liquid.

Hydatidiform mole can appear with the beginning of the formation of the placenta: each of the formed chorionic villi turns into a whole “cluster” of bubbles, the number of which is constantly increasing.

An important sign of a hydatidiform mole is an enlarged uterus that does not correspond to the expected gestational age. Sometimes bubbles can fall out of the uterine cavity; patients often notice them themselves.

Almost persistent symptom Hydatidiform mole (even uncomplicated) is the appearance of spotting brown spots. This discharge appears against the background of the absence of menstruation, since hydatidiform mole is characterized by all the signs of pregnancy: both indirect and direct. Often, spotting and uterine enlargement are the only clinical symptoms on the basis of which this disease can be suspected.

The importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of hydatidiform mole is not associated with the threat of termination of pregnancy (it is impossible to save the fetus during hydatidiform mole), but with the subsequent degeneration of this formation into choroidepithelioma.

Choroidepithelioma is one of the most “evil” tumors. It grows and metastasizes extremely quickly, and just as quickly leads to the death of the patient. The most common symptom of the presence of this tumor is persistent brown bloody discharge from the vagina that cannot be treated.

Do not be afraid of these diseases - the risk that brown discharge from the genital tract is associated specifically with trophoblastic disease is extremely low. Hydatidiform mole occurs in no more than 0.25% of cases, and choriodiepithelioma is almost 100 times less common. However, it is worth remembering them.

Other causes of brown discharge from the genital tract (including in the II-III trimester)

With a high degree of probability, when a woman has brown discharge from the genital tract on later pregnancy, there is a significant risk of early delivery or abortion. In some cases, this can be avoided; for this reason, in any potentially dangerous or dubious situation, it is important to quickly establish competent medical supervision over the patient.

Placental abruption, placenta previa

The placenta, the organ that connects the mother and fetus, is formed after the 12th week of pregnancy. From the moment the development of the placenta ends, there is a danger of its premature abruption (normally, placental abruption occurs in the third stage of labor), which is accompanied by bleeding.

Detachment does not always occur simultaneously, with the opening of massive bleeding. Often, the vessels of the exfoliating placenta are destroyed gradually, causing the appearance of scanty bloody discharge.

As a rule, there is a lot of blood in the discharge during placental abruption, so its color varies from brown to red, and the volume depends solely on the degree of abruption.

An equally dangerous condition is placenta previa. The term “presentation” was created by analogy with the presentation of various parts of the fetal body (occipital, frontal, facial, etc.). The meaning of this definition is the same: the placenta in this case is “present”, i.e. located at the exit from the uterine cavity and closes it.

Usually with placenta previa bleeding begins before childbirth, with the onset of labor, but bloody discharge from the genital tract may appear earlier.

Endometriosis

The tissues of the uterus intended for embryo development have very specific characteristics. It doesn’t matter which tissues we have in mind, they are all capable of rapid reproduction and survival in unusual conditions.

If the endometrium of the uterus is transplanted to any other area, it will not die, but, on the contrary, will “graft in” and begin to function. This is exactly what happens with endometriosis: the cells of the uterine epithelium are “screened out” to other organs: the ovary, abdominal cavity, lungs, etc.

This epithelium, regardless of its location, responds to changes in hormonal levels. During menstruation, blood can be released not only from the genital tract: bleeding from the navel, hemoptysis, and blood appears in the urine (this depends on where the endometrial cells have “settled”).

However, in any case, this blood is similar to menstrual blood. As a rule, it is thicker and darker; in the case of damage to the genital organs, endometriosis will be manifested by the appearance of brown discharge.

Neoplasms of the female genital organs

The cause of brown vaginal discharge can be various tumor processes, both benign and malignant.

Most often this is:

• polyps;
• uterine fibroids;
• cervical cancer.

Polyps are benign neoplasms that, as a rule, are “attached” to the mucous membrane with a stalk. When this leg is twisted, or even when a polyp is torn off, bleeding occurs varying degrees: from scanty brown discharge to massive hemorrhages.

Cervical cancer (as well as uterine cancer or vaginal cancer) is accompanied by brown discharge from the genital tract if the tumor begins to disintegrate. During decay, the blood vessels passing through the tumor and next to it are damaged, causing slight (initially) bleeding.