What does brown discharge mean?
Question
The first day of my last period was June 17 and it ended June 21st. I normally have a 6 day period. My husband and I were out on the town and I had some cramping, later to realize that I had some brownish discharge in my underwear. What could this mean? Could I be pregnant? I was told that it would really be hard to get pregnant due to blocked tubes. I am concerned about ectopic pregnancy.
Juanita
Answer
Last Updated: July 11, 2013
Dear Juanita,
It is possible that you are pregnant, but it is not the most likely explanation for what you describe. If you have tubal disease, though, you are at higher risk of ectopic pregnancy, so this needs to be ruled out. An over-the-counter urine pregnancy test should be accurate in detecting pregnancy at the stage you would be if you were pregnant. If the test is negative, then it may be that you did not produce enough progesterone this past cycle. This can occur if you did not ovulate (no progesterone produced) of if your ovulation was abnormal in some way, resulting in a poorly functioning corpus luteum (the structure left over after ovulating which is responsible for producing progesterone). If you continue to cramp and bleed in the face of a negative pregnancy test, I would recommend you talk with your doctor about a 2 to 3 week course of progesterone to stabilize your uterine lining and allow for a normal period. If this pattern continues to occur, then you should have a targeted hormonal assessment of your cycle to determine if you regularly produce inadequate amounts of progesterone in the luteal phase of your cycle. If you do, then you would be a good candidate for regular progesterone supplementation given in a manner cooperative with your menstrual cycle. In order to target the correct time to administer the progesterone, you must chart your cycles using the Creighton Model NFP charting system or something similar.
Information about NFP charting can be obtained through CANFP.
If you are unable to normalize your bleeding pattern in this manner, and especially if you are approaching menopause, then you need to discuss with your doctor the potential need to sample your uterine lining. This would be done by way of an endometrial biopsy. This would rule out any overgrowth of the endometrium, which in some cases can be dangerous.
John Gisla, MD
It is possible that you are pregnant, but it is not the most likely explanation for what you describe. If you have tubal disease, though, you are at higher risk of ectopic pregnancy, so this needs to be ruled out. An over-the-counter urine pregnancy test should be accurate in detecting pregnancy at the stage you would be if you were pregnant. If the test is negative, then it may be that you did not produce enough progesterone this past cycle. This can occur if you did not ovulate (no progesterone produced) of if your ovulation was abnormal in some way, resulting in a poorly functioning corpus luteum (the structure left over after ovulating which is responsible for producing progesterone). If you continue to cramp and bleed in the face of a negative pregnancy test, I would recommend you talk with your doctor about a 2 to 3 week course of progesterone to stabilize your uterine lining and allow for a normal period. If this pattern continues to occur, then you should have a targeted hormonal assessment of your cycle to determine if you regularly produce inadequate amounts of progesterone in the luteal phase of your cycle. If you do, then you would be a good candidate for regular progesterone supplementation given in a manner cooperative with your menstrual cycle. In order to target the correct time to administer the progesterone, you must chart your cycles using the Creighton Model NFP charting system or something similar.
Information about NFP charting can be obtained through CANFP.
If you are unable to normalize your bleeding pattern in this manner, and especially if you are approaching menopause, then you need to discuss with your doctor the potential need to sample your uterine lining. This would be done by way of an endometrial biopsy. This would rule out any overgrowth of the endometrium, which in some cases can be dangerous.
John Gisla, MD
Answered By:
John Gisla, MD
Dr. John Gisla, Board Certified by the American Academy of Family Physicians, pracitces in the Sacramento Region.
