Dark discharge in the first trimester. Brown discharge during early pregnancy: causes and dangers

When a woman is expecting a baby, her body can behave completely unpredictably. Often, the expectant mother changes the nature of the secretion secreted by the vagina, and in the early stages brown mucus appears, which is not always the norm.

What are the types of discharge during early pregnancy?

Brown discharge during pregnancy may be normal, because after fertilization (7-12 days), implantation of the egg occurs, accompanied by odorless odorless creamy consistency. Light brown discharge during early pregnancy is normal, but only if it lasts no more than two days. If vaginal secretion is secreted longer, then you need to consult a doctor.

When copious fluid with a distinct smell of blood is released from the vagina, you should urgently contact a gynecologist. Mucous dark brown discharge during early pregnancy is a very alarming signal, as it may indicate pathological processes developing in the uterus. Timely diagnosis, treatment and pastel mode will help avoid miscarriage (spontaneous abortion).

What discharge is considered normal?

Sometimes brown discharge appears in the early stages of pregnancy on the days of menstruation (presumed). This is considered normal if it occurs in the first weeks after fertilization. Yellow-brown discharge during pregnancy can also occur when a girl is unaware of conception, perceiving it as a normal early process before her period. The norm is considered to be dark beige or pale brown fluid secreted in the last trimester, because this is a clear sign of placental abruption before childbirth.

Many women note that after conception, the amount of fluid released from the uterus increases. Under normal conditions, vaginal secretion should be as follows:

• transparent or slightly yellow, odorless;
• moderate white or with a yellowish tint;
• scanty mucous with a pink tint.

Why is there brown discharge?

If light brown discharge appears in the early stages of pregnancy, this signals hormonal changes. The cervical canal, which is lined with epithelial cells, connects the vagina and the uterine cavity. Normally, it is filled with mucous membrane, which has secretory activity. In the first phase of the monthly cycle, under the influence of estrogen, it creates a transparent substance for better penetration of sperm.

After fertilization, during the period of egg attachment, the uterine transparent substance may be slightly colored in light colors. If the secreted mucus acquires a darker shade, especially when the process is accompanied by pain in the abdominal cavity, then this is an alarming notification for the woman, requiring immediate consultation with a gynecologist.

In what cases should you consult a doctor?

When a woman has brown, brown discharge in early pregnancy, accompanied by lower back pain, severe dizziness and vomiting, this means a threat of miscarriage. This deviation develops due to an increase in male or lack of female hormones. Serious genetic disorders can provoke pathology, after which fetal death occurs at any month. The cause of dark uterine mucus and spontaneous abortion can be:

1. Infection. All infectious diseases increase the risk of losing a child.
2. Hormonal drugs. Inadequate treatment sometimes leads to abnormal fetal development.
3. Bad habits. Smoking, regular stress, drinking alcohol or overwork are a threat to the baby's health.

Brownish mucus is often a sign of ectopic fertilization. When the fertilized egg does not enter the uterus, but into another organ due to adhesions, tortuous fallopian tubes or other indications, then fetal rejection is inevitable. Once attached, the embryo grows and stretches the fallopian tube or ovary, which are not designed for such changes, so the organs may rupture.

A woman may not be aware of the pathology at all, since, as with normal fertilization, her hCG level increases and the menstrual cycle is delayed. During ectopic fertilization, dark brown mucus is observed in 80% of cases due to endometrial rejection, so contacting a specialist should be done urgently.

Video: brown discharge during pregnancy - what to do

For every woman, pregnancy is associated not only with the joy of expecting the birth of a baby, but also with various kinds of worries and experiences. The first trimester is the most crucial period. During this time, changes occur in the body in preparation for bearing and maintaining pregnancy. In the first weeks, the embryo is implanted into the endometrium, and the placenta and amniotic sac have not yet formed. The likelihood of spontaneous abortion is highest at this time.

Hormonal levels that change with the onset of pregnancy affect the consistency and amount of vaginal secretion. Normally, discharge in the first trimester is watery, slightly thinner than usual. Perhaps more abundant, transparent or whitish, without an unpleasant odor or itching.

But the processes in the body do not always correspond to the norm. There are cases when brown discharge suddenly appears from the genital tract of a pregnant woman in early pregnancy. You shouldn’t be scared right away, because there may be different reasons. It is not very difficult to distinguish normal discharge from the harbingers of an incipient miscarriage. You need to pay attention to other symptoms and your own well-being.

Implantation of the future embryo into the endometrium of the uterine wall. Usually the discharge is not abundant, viscous, brownish or brown. Occurs about a week before the expected menstruation. They do not cause pain or any noticeable discomfort.

Bleeding erosion of the cervix, damage to the vaginal mucosa during examination by a gynecologist or sexual intercourse. When pregnancy occurs, the vaginal mucosa becomes more susceptible to damage. Therefore, brownish or bloody discharge may occur in response to careless external manipulation. Such discharge passes quickly and also does not cause additional pain.

Low localization of the embryo. At the beginning of pregnancy, the embryo is attached to the wall of the uterus by chorionic villi - outgrowths of the outer membrane of the fertilized egg that provide nutrition and breathing to the unborn child. Subsequently, by about 12 weeks, the placenta will form from this structure.

If the embryo has attached low and the villi reach the cervix, brown discharge may sometimes appear in early pregnancy. Low attachment (low placentation) usually goes away as the placenta forms, since the placenta in this case is likely to grow upward.

Detachment of the ovum. One of the most dangerous situations for pregnancy is when the chorionic villi, which attach the embryo to the uterus, are partially detached. Brown discharge appears due to rupture of microvessels. Their consistency can be different, as well as color - from scarlet to brownish-brown. The prognosis is especially unfavorable if the discharge is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen. This is direct evidence of an incipient miscarriage.

Frozen pregnancy. Sometimes, for some unknown reason, the embryo suddenly stops developing. Factors leading to freezing can be different - from environmental to hormonal. It is difficult to notice a frozen pregnancy right away - in the early stages it is still impossible to hear the baby’s heartbeat; heartbeats are visible only on an ultrasound, from the fifth week of development. However, there are signs that suggest the death of the embryo.

If spotting brown discharge appears, all the accompanying symptoms of pregnancy have disappeared: the breasts have suddenly ceased to be painful, toxicosis has passed, drowsiness has disappeared - perhaps it is too late to take measures to preserve the fetus.

In any case, it is worth checking the status of pregnancy using an ultrasound examination. If the embryo dies, even in the early stages, surgical intervention is indicated in our country - cleaning the uterine cavity. This is necessary to avoid inflammatory processes and complications.

Ectopic pregnancy. A very dangerous condition, especially for the life of the pregnant woman herself. An unsuccessfully attached growing embryo stretches the fallopian tubes. As the embryo grows, the walls of the tubes cannot withstand it and may rupture. This causes severe bleeding that can lead to death. An ectopic pregnancy is accompanied by severe pain, especially on the side where the fertilized egg was implanted.

Hydatidiform mole. Quite a rare phenomenon, occurring 1 time in a thousand pregnancies. The reason is a deviation in the chromosome set of the embryo. Instead of the placenta, altered tissue begins to form with a large number of cysts and vesicles. Skid can be partial or complete. With a partial pregnancy, part of the placenta remains normal, then there is a chance to carry the child to term.

With a complete hydatidiform mole, the entire placental structure is changed, and the embryo dies in the early stages. This pathology manifests itself as bloody discharge, nausea, and vomiting. In this case, there is no question of maintaining the pregnancy; the uterine cavity is cleaned.

In any case, when brown discharge appears in early pregnancy, you should consult a doctor. Some symptoms require an immediate visit to the hospital or even an ambulance.

Indications for urgent medical attention

• Heavy bleeding.
• Nagging pain, other pain symptoms in the area of ​​the uterus and appendages.
• Severe nausea, vomiting.
• Increased pressure.

Pregnancy is a difficult and responsible period in the life of every woman. She must be attentive to her own body's signals for her own sake and for the sake of the developing child. A timely visit to a doctor can often be the only way to save the life of the unborn baby and your own health.

In practice, brown spotting during pregnancy is very, very common. Not in all cases this portends danger and promises problems with pregnancy. But doctors absolutely always urge women in such situations to seek medical advice: spotting of any color, quantity and consistency at different stages of pregnancy can represent a real danger.

Actually, the biggest difficulty is this: there are a number of reasons why spotting in the early and late stages of pregnancy is considered a physiological norm, but there are also many situations where they are a sign of a serious disorder. Therefore, never make hasty conclusions and always confirm your guesses or fears in the gynecologist’s office.

If not in most cases, then at least very often women are worried about this phenomenon in the early stages of pregnancy. Moreover, it can occur already in the very first days and weeks - at 3, 4, 5, 6 weeks. Sometimes it seems that this is the beginning of menstruation, or that a brown spot appears instead of menstruation.

Most likely, this is implantation bleeding, which occurs between 6 and 14 days after conception: the fertilized egg at this time is attached to the walls of the uterus, which may be accompanied by a slight discharge of blood of any color and barely noticeable pain in the lower abdomen from the implantation side. Most often, implantation bleeding has a pale color - pinkish, cream, beige, light brown. It looks like minor admixtures of blood to normal vaginal leucorrhoea.

Since with the onset of conception, the hormone progesterone begins to dominate in the body of a pregnant woman, creating in it all the conditions necessary for the preservation and development of pregnancy, under its influence, light brown discharge can occur from time to time at different stages of pregnancy, starting from the beginning - 9, 10, Week 12. They are minor and are not accompanied by pain or other discomfort. May resemble discharge, like on the last day of your period. Also, such a symptom may indicate progesterone deficiency, and in this case, pregnancy is in danger of failure.

Some women normally develop brown spotting in the form of ichor (the so-called “daub”) in the first trimester - on the days of expected menstruation.

In most cases, light brown discharge is not dangerous, but there may still be risks.. But if you observe dark brown discharge during pregnancy, and especially if it is accompanied by other dangerous symptoms, then you should contact a gynecologist immediately.

Dangerous brown discharge during pregnancy

It is very difficult, and even almost impossible, to independently reliably determine the cause of this phenomenon. This is exactly the case when it is better to play it safe and go for an examination to a doctor. There are often cases when blood from the vagina during pregnancy, including brown blood, indicates a threat of miscarriage, which often occurs in the very early stages. It is possible that the pregnancy is developing ectopically: in this case, it will have to be terminated. If, along with this symptom, other signs of ectopic pregnancy appear, then under no circumstances should you hesitate: every minute counts!

If you complain of brown vaginal discharge, your doctor will likely refer you for an ultrasound to diagnose your condition more accurately.

Ultrasound can detect disorders and pathologies that require immediate medical attention:

• ectopic pregnancy: when the fertilized egg is fixed in a place not suitable for its further development;
• detachment of the ovum: when an already attached embryo begins to be rejected by the maternal body, as a result of which spotting occurs;
• placental abruption or placenta previa: observed in later stages and also threatens pregnancy by interruption or premature onset of labor. In this case, dark brown discharge during pregnancy will be accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen;
• frozen pregnancy: with intrauterine death of the fetus, the body will begin to try to get rid of it, which is accompanied by a number of characteristic signs, including bleeding.

Any of these conditions require immediate medical attention. And only a specialist can confirm any of them. Therefore, to remain inactive or rely on one’s own guesses is, at the very least, irresponsible. Brown discharge during pregnancy should cause the most concern if at least one other symptom is present at the same time:

• nausea and vomiting appear;
• dizziness and fainting are observed;
• severe weakness is felt;
• chills occur;
• profuse bleeding;
• accompanied by pain in the abdomen or lower back, radiating to the rectal area.

Do you experience brown discharge during pregnancy, along with stomach pain, nausea, and dizziness? Go to the doctor!

And let him reassure you that this is just a “side effect” of your condition and does not threaten you or the baby in any way. God willing. In the meantime, exclude any physical activity: strict bed rest is indicated. In this case, it is better to place your legs on a hill.

Brown discharge in late pregnancy

We have not yet mentioned that the cause of brown blood from the vagina may be some diseases of the woman’s genitourinary system. Also, with cervical erosion, this phenomenon is not at all uncommon. In this case, brown spotting may appear due to mechanical impact on the cervix: after sexual intercourse, after a gynecological examination, etc.

In itself, neither erosion nor the discharge resulting from it poses any great threat, but after childbirth the disease will have to be treated if it does not disappear on its own.

If spotting occurs at 38-39 weeks of pregnancy, then there is a very high probability that this is a mucus plug coming off. It looks like a piece of clear or whitish mucus, which may contain streaks of blood. Sometimes the plug comes off gradually, in parts (minor mucous discharge) or all at once (in the form of a clot of dense mucus), but this is always a harbinger of imminent labor: it can begin after a few hours or only after a few days or even weeks.

During pregnancy, unfortunately, some problems may arise. Such problems include, for example, brown discharge. Below is written in more detail about why they may appear and what to do in this situation.

Is this normal?

Discharge does occur during pregnancy, but it should not be too abundant, transparent, or have a whitish tint. If the expectant mother notices any changes in color or smell, she should definitely inform the doctor about it. This is abnormal and indicates that something went wrong during pregnancy. Brown discharge is essentially blood mixed with vaginal discharge. Many people may think that blood is red. But while the blood comes out (if the bleeding is not profuse), it loses red cells and its color changes.

Symptoms

It will not be difficult to recognize brown discharge during pregnancy, as it will be noticeable. Their consistency can be slimy, liquid or curdled. Vaginal discharge may be completely brown (from light brown to brown) or have brown streaks or inclusions. In addition, such discharge may also be accompanied by pain (aching, sharp or cramping) in the lower abdomen, as well as a general deterioration in health, dizziness, weakness, nausea and other similar symptoms.

Causes

What are the causes of brown discharge during pregnancy? There may be a lot of them. So, in the early stages of pregnancy, when a woman does not yet know that a new life is developing in her, so-called implantation bleeding may occur. It usually occurs 7-14 days after fertilization of the egg. The fact is that the fertilized egg, in which the fetus will further develop, attaches to the wall of the uterus and violates the integrity of the endometrium. Such bleeding can be very minor and even unnoticeable, and can last 1-2 days. It is also worth noting that in the first trimester of pregnancy, brown discharge is possible on the days when menstruation should have started (if pregnancy had not occurred), but this happens quite rarely.

Another cause of brown discharge during pregnancy is an ectopic pregnancy. It is diagnosed in cases where, for some reason, the fertilized egg did not reach the uterine cavity, but settled in the fallopian tube. The fertilized egg grows along with the embryo, but the fallopian tubes are not designed to accommodate the fetus and placenta. Of course, they can stretch, but at some point they break. Interesting! Sometimes there are cases of peritoneal pregnancy, when the fertilized egg ends up outside the uterus and tubes and begins to develop in the peritoneal area. This will also be accompanied by discharge (it will get worse and then turn into bleeding, so don’t hesitate).

Another reason for brown discharge during pregnancy is the threat of miscarriage or premature birth. As a result of some changes in the body of the expectant mother, the uterus becomes toned and may begin to contract, and all this is accompanied by discharge, since the fertilized egg is separated from the uterine cavity and in this place the integrity of the endometrium is disrupted, so-called leakage of blood occurs. Tension of the uterus can be detected by palpating the pregnant woman’s abdomen (it will be hard). In addition, most often, along with the listed symptoms, pain of varying intensity and different nature (most often nagging) is also noted.

Among other things, brown discharge during pregnancy can occur due to placental previa or placental abruption. The term previa means that the placenta is located very low and is literally adjacent to the cervix. Also, as the uterus grows, the blood vessels of the placenta may rupture in some places, which will also cause brown discharge. Placental abruption is its separation from the uterine cavity. This phenomenon can occur for a number of reasons: abdominal trauma, maternal illness, and even allergies.

Much less often, brown discharge that appears during pregnancy is associated with cervical erosion or infections of the genitourinary system. If the discharge began in the last stages, then most likely it is a mucous plug that has been protecting the fetus from infections throughout the pregnancy. The removal of the plug is normal and a signal of imminent labor.

What to do?

If an expectant mother discovers brown discharge, she should not make any assumptions and call “experienced” friends. These measures will not help and will only make the situation worse.

It should be remembered that brown discharge is not the norm! Therefore, a pregnant woman should consult a doctor immediately. Moreover, it is not worth going to the antenatal clinic on your own, much less on public transport. After all, if the cause of the discharge is placental abruption or the threat of miscarriage, then any sudden movement can lead to the most dire consequences. So the best solution in this case is to call an ambulance.

Each city has a special emergency department for pregnant women (the phone number should be found immediately after the news about the imminent replenishment). Over the phone, the dispatcher should describe the picture and talk about brown discharge during pregnancy and other symptoms, if any. While the ambulance is on the way, you can call the gynecologist who is seeing the pregnant woman. Perhaps he will advise you to drink No-shpu to relieve tension in the uterus. In addition, while waiting for the doctor, you need to lie down and calm down, because stress and unnecessary movements can lead to negative consequences. When the car arrives, you need to take everything you need (you can only take documents, the rest will be brought to the hospital by relatives if necessary) and follow the doctors. Upon arrival at the hospital, the expectant mother will most likely undergo an ultrasound, which should reveal the cause of the discharge.

Brown discharge is not normal, so if it occurs, you should definitely consult a doctor. With timely help, the prognosis is most often favorable.