Dark Period Blood Meaning

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also cause brown discharge during your period. Other symptoms of PCOS include:

Why Is My Period Blood Brown?

Brown blood during your period is usually normal. It tends to appear at the end of the menstrual cycle or during ovulation. If other symptoms are present, consulting with a doctor is a good idea.

You probably know what to expect during your period: how long it will last, when it’ll be the heaviest, and which days you’ll feel the worst. So when you spot something abnormal, such as brown discharge or dark brown blood, you may be concerned.

Every woman experiences menstruation differently. Your cycle might run like clockwork, with few cramps and short periods. Other women may not be able to get out of bed for the first few days of their period, bleed very heavily, and never know how long it will last once it arrives. Even if you have a regular, predictable period, you may notice variation from month to month.

In most cases, brown blood during your period is normal.

The color and consistency of blood can change throughout your menstrual cycle. It may be thin and watery one day, and thick and clumpy the next. It may be bright red or brown, heavy or light. It’s normal for your periods to vary in length, heaviness, and level of discomfort.

Brown blood is usually present toward the end of your cycle. As your body sheds the uterine lining in the first few days of your cycle, the blood is normally red. However, near the end of your cycle, the discharged blood is older and can be discolored.

Sometimes, spotting or brown discharge occurs in the middle of your cycle, during ovulation. This is more common in younger girls who are just starting to have their periods, women starting birth control, or women nearing menopause. When you experience bleeding between periods, you should see a doctor or nurse practitioner to make sure it’s not a symptom of a problem.

Certain types of birth control can cause brown discharge during your period, or even between periods. These include birth control implants such as Nexplanon, known as “the bar.” Birth control affects your hormone levels, so in many cases brown discharge is normal, even at the beginning of your period.

Occasionally, brown, bloody discharge accompanied by other symptoms can indicate a problem.

Tell your doctor right away if you’re pregnant and experiencing brown-colored bleeding. This can mean that something is wrong with your pregnancy. You may need immediate medical care.

Call your doctor if you experience any of the following:

• periods that last longer than 7 days
• less than 21 days between periods or more than 35 days between periods
• not having a period for more than three to six months
• bleeding between periods
• bleeding after sex
• bleeding after menopause
• spotting (any color) any time during the month
• pain in your vagina or lower abdomen
• fever that could indicate an infection
• fatigue
• heavy bleeding beyond your normal period flow
• brown discharge after the insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD)
• seeing brown discharge when you’re taking tamoxifen, a breast cancer treatment

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also cause brown discharge during your period. Other symptoms of PCOS include:

• irregular cycles
• abnormal hair growth
• obesity
• acne breakouts
• infertility
• patches of thickened, velvety dark skin
• multiple cysts on the ovaries

The cause of PCOS isn’t known. It can be passed on genetically. If your brown discharge happens along with these other symptoms, ask your doctor to test you for it. Untreated PCOS can make you more susceptible to conditions such as type 2 diabetes, infertility, and cardiovascular disease. Getting tested and treated early on can help prevent these issues from developing.

Some causes of brown discharge, including menopause, aren’t a problem. However, discharge can be a symptom of a yeast infection or a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, that requires treatment. Brown discharge can also be a sign of inflammatory conditions such as cervicitis or vaginitis. In rare cases, brown discharge can indicate cervical cancer. Talk to your doctor if you think you might have any of these issues. If you haven’t already done so, you may consider getting routine cervical cancer screenings or the human papillomavirus virus (HPV) vaccine.

Some light bleeding or brown discharge is normal during early pregnancy, but any time you have bleeding during pregnancy, you should call your doctor or midwife.

Brown discharge during pregnancy can be a sign of early miscarriage. If you see brown discharge, note whether you have other abnormal symptoms, such as tissue or heavy pink fluid coming out of your vagina. Other warning signs related to early pregnancy include:

• abdominal pain or cramps
• shoulder pain
• feeling dizzy, weak, faint, or lightheaded
• not experiencing nausea or your normal pregnancy symptoms

If you feel any combination of these symptoms, see your doctor right away to make sure they aren’t signs of a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

Some substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs like marijuana or cocaine, can cause miscarriages. It’s recommended that you avoid all of these substances completely while pregnant.

A similar discharge that varies in color, called lochia, can appear after you have a baby. Follow your doctor or midwife’s directions about when to follow up.

Brown discharge can also often happen after an abortion. If you have recently had an abortion, follow the directions you were given about who and when to call with symptoms.

As you age, your periods may change. The stage before menopause is called perimenopause. Brown discharge is normal during this stage as long as you don’t experience other abnormal symptoms. Menopause officially begins once 12 months have passed since your last period. During the postmenopausal stage, after you’ve gone 12 months without having a period, you shouldn’t have any bleeding or brown discharge.

Most of the time, bleeding or discharge during menopause isn’t a serious problem. However, blood and discharge can be related to inflammation of your vaginal lining (atrophic vaginitis), noncancerous polyps in your cervix, or other issues in your uterus or cervix including cancer.

If it’s been over a year since you’ve had your last period, see your doctor to identify any issues that may be causing bleeding or discharge. Many conditions that cause postmenopausal bleeding can easily be treated, especially if they’re caught early.

Brown menstrual blood is usually nothing to be concerned about, but talk to your doctor if you feel that your bleeding is abnormal. Also call your doctor if you are troubled by other symptoms that feel out of the ordinary.

Last medically reviewed on July 21, 2016

Period Blood Color and Consistency

Tracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women’s health issues.

Updated on August 24, 2022

Anita Sadaty, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist at North Shore University Hospital and founder of Redefining Health Medical.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents

Bright red isn’t the only possible period blood color. You may notice dark red or pink blood at different points during menstruation. Period blood color can even be black, orange, green, gray, or brown for various reasons ranging from early pregnancy to infection and more.

What’s typical for you may not be the same as for someone else. And even your own period blood color may change from day to day or period to period.

This article looks at various period blood colors, what’s typical, and when they tend to occur. It also covers what period blood colors, levels of flow, and period frequencies may be cause for concern.

Bright Red Period Blood Color

When your period blood is bright red, it means that it passed through your vagina fairly soon after entering your uterus. You’re most likely to see bright red blood at the start of your period.

You may also see brighter blood at times when you have cramps. That’s because cramps occur when your uterus contracts, and contractions lead to heavier blood flow.

Isn’t Period Blood Just Regular Blood?

Period blood is made up of the same blood that is flowing through your veins, but it also contains tissue that has been shed from the endometrium —the lining of your uterus. That’s why its color and consistency are different from what you would see if you, say, cut your finger.

Dark Red, Brown, Black Period Blood Color

Older period blood can appear:

• Darker red
• Brown
• Black

These colors suggest a slower flow. For most people, the blood gets darker over the course of the cycle. This is because older blood from the deeper parts of the uterine lining is shed later.

Brown blood is also common in the weeks after you give birth. Postpartum bleeding is called lochia .

However, in some cases:

• Dark red or brown blood may be an early sign of pregnancy
• Black blood may be a sign of a vaginal blockage

If these colors are unexpected or abnormal for you, talk to your healthcare provider.

Pink Period Blood Color

It’s common for period blood to look pink at the beginning or end of your period when your bleeding is lighter. The color change comes from normal mucus mixing with the blood.

Pink blood during other phases of your cycle may be caused by:

• Significant weight loss
• An unhealthy diet
• Anemia

See a healthcare provider if you suspect any of these causes may be affecting your period blood. You may also benefit from seeing a nutritionist.

Orange, Gray, or Green Period Blood Colors

Orange period blood can be a normal outcome of cervical fluid mixing with blood.

Orange spotting not linked to a period may mean you’re pregnant. It can occur when a fertilized egg implants in the uterine wall. This takes place between about 10 and 14 days after conception.

However, orange, gray, or green tinges to your period blood or vaginal discharge are often a sign of infection, such as:

• Trichomoniasis
• Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
• Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Other symptoms of an infection include:

• Vaginal itching and discomfort
• Discharge with a bad odor, including a “fishy” smell
• Painful urination

See a healthcare provider if you have these symptoms. You may need an antibiotic to clear up the infection.

What Else You May Notice

In addition to changes in period blood color, you may also notice changes in the blood’s consistency and contents.

Consistency

Your menstrual blood may be thin and watery or thick and sticky. Thin and watery period blood is usually pinker, while thick and sticky discharge is usually more brown.

These changes in consistency are common at the end of your cycle. This is because most of the endometrial tissue already has been passed.

The thickness of your period blood is likely to change as you approach menopause because the uterine lining tends to build up less. This is also common when your hormones are affected by stress or too much exercise.

Clots

Period blood may contain some clots. During your period, the separation of the endometrium from the uterine wall can tear small blood vessels. They bleed, and clots form to stop the bleeding. They’re then passed out with your menstrual blood.

Clots can also form as hormonal changes signal the end of your period and the lining starts to build up again.

Period blood clots are generally small. If they’re larger than 1 inch in diameter, let your healthcare providers know. They may diagnose menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding).

When to Call Your Healthcare Provider

Speak to your healthcare provider if you notice a potentially concerning period blood color or anything that is out of the norm for you.

Changes in your menstrual bleeding can be a symptom of another health issue, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Not all of these conditions are serious or need medical attention, but a professional should weigh in.

Signs that you should see a healthcare provider about your period include:

• Missed periods: Not bleeding for more than three months when you know you’re not pregnant
• Irregular periods: This includes periods that are too close together or far apart, as well as periods that last for longer or shorter than normal. (Having a lifetime of irregular periods isn’t a concern, however.)
• Unexpected bleeding: Bleeding or spotting between periods
• Heavy bleeding: Normal periods can vary from one person to the next. But if you are bleeding so much and so quickly that you flood your menstrual products or need to change them more than once an hour, you should be evaluated. This is particularly true if you have a family history of a bleeding disorder or have ever had anemia.
• Clots in period blood that are >1 inch: These may be a sign of uterine or cervical fibroids, polyps, or cancer; a hormonal imbalance; endometriosis; miscarriage; or ectopic pregnancy.
• Severe pain during your period: This goes beyond the discomfort of typical menstrual cramps.

If you get a fever and feel unwell after using a tampon, it could be a sign of toxic shock syndrome. This is a rare but potentially fatal condition that requires immediate medical attention.

What Is a Normal Period?

What’s normal for you may not be what textbooks define as a “normal” period. Generally speaking, though, a period is considered normal if it:

• Comes anywhere between every 24 day to 38 days
• Varies as much as 20 days over the course of the year
• Lasts between four-and-a-half to eight days
• Includes between 5 milliliters (ml) and 80 ml of blood

Summary

Period blood is a mixture of blood and tissues that lines your uterus. It has a different color and consistency than the blood in your veins.

When it passes from the vagina, your period blood color may be pink, red, brown, black, or even other colors. It may change colors during the same period. It can be thin or thick. Blood clots that pass during your period may be normal or they may signal another health issue.

It’s important to know what’s normal for you. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have concerns about changes in your period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I have brown discharge right before my period?

Brown vaginal discharge is usually just the body removing old blood cells and cleaning the vagina. However, it can also be a sign of an infection, PCOS, or cervical cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns.

What color is between-period spotting?

Spotting between your regular periods is usually pink, red, or brown. This gets more common as you approach menopause and your periods become less regular.

What causes menstrual bleeding?

Your menstrual cycle is controlled by hormones that regulate the thickening of your endometrium and when it breaks down and sloughs off. The excess blood and tissue then flow down through your cervix and out through your vagina.

Can hormonal birth control help with heavy periods?

Maybe, depending on what’s causing your heavy bleeding. In many cases, hormonal birth control pills can reduce the amount of period blood flow.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Nemours TeensHealth. I’ve never had my period, so what’s this discharge?
2. Berz K, Mccambridge T. Amenorrhea in the female athlete: What to do and when to worry. Pediatr Ann. 2016 Feb;45(3):97-102. doi:10.3928/00904481-20160210-03
3. James AH. Heavy menstrual bleeding: work-up and management. Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2016;2016(1):236-242. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2016.1.236
4. National Institutes of Health. NIH News In Health. Period Problems: Fibroids, Endometriosis, and Other Issues.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heavy menstrual bleeding.
6. American Academy of Family Physicians. Toxic Shock Syndrome.
7. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Vulvovaginal health.
8. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Perimenopausal bleeding and bleeding after menopause.
9. Lethaby A, Wise MR, Weterings MA, Bofill Rodriguez M, Brown J. Combined hormonal contraceptives for heavy menstrual bleeding. Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group, ed. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2019;2019(2). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000154.pub3

By Tracee Cornforth
Tracee Cornforth is a freelance writer who covers menstruation, menstrual disorders, and other women’s health issues.

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