Sometimes women could have brown spotting instead of period which can be a symptom of several health conditions/disturbances. The best would be to visit your doctor and discuss all possible causes for brown spotting instead of normal regular monthly menstruation.
In most cases brown spotting is just remains of delayed period – actually the vaginal canal is a specific self-cleaning system. Each month it clears the particular thickened endometrium by the end of the menstrual cycle – female body expels this kind of coating as menstrual flow (monthly periods). In case the whole lining is not really eliminated throughout menstruation, this resides within the uterus until the following month.
When women get late period or following period with old cellular lining actually removed together with other blood cellular material, they actually experience brown spotting instead of period. Brown spotting is normally just “old blood” that has been oxidized and left uterus and/or vagina late or later.
Brown spotting instead of period – causes
Implantation Bleeding
Brown spotting instead of period could be early signal of pregnancy – so called “implantation bleeding”. After the fertilization occurs the fertilized egg or zygote travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus. The embryo burrows into the uterine lining which results in brown spotting instead of period. Implantation bleeding occurs 6 to 12 days after fertilization.
Late Period
In many cases the brown spotting instead of period could happen during late periods – actually the female body expels “old” oxidized uterine lining as late menstrual flow. You may only get it for a couple of days after which you may have your normal period. Sometimes, you may get this discharge for a day or two, then nothing, followed by your normal period.
Brown spotting instead of period
Birth control Pills
Birth control pills prevent ovulation by maintaining more consistent hormone levels – it is one of most popular and effective methods of hormonal contraception. Millions of women use birth control pills.
Birth control pills always suppress female hormones and they could be responsible for brown spotting instead of period (rare side effect – super-suppression by pills). In these cases it is recommended to change the type of contraception and let body to relax from medical hormones.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a serious infection in the upper genital tract (uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries). PID can be sexually transmitted or naturally occurring. In most cases PID is caused by a type of bacteria, often the same type that is responsible for several sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhea and Chlamydia. In some cases, PID develops from bacteria that have traveled through the vagina and the cervix by way of an intrauterine device (IUD.
PID could be a reason of brown spotting instead of period, infertility (untreated cases). In fact, PID is currently the leading cause of female infertility. If left untreated, PID can also lead to chronic infection and chronic brown spotting instead of period.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause is a naturally occurring transition period of women life which is happening before menopause – it is the time when women body begins its transition into menopause. Perimenopause is the stage of women’s reproductive life that begins several years before menopause, when the ovaries gradually reduce estrogen production. It usually starts in women’s 40s.
Perimenopause is a transitional stage of 2-11 years before complete cessation of the menstrual period. Perimenopause develops when women’s reproductive system begins slowing down, resulting in decreased production of hormones (mainly estrogens and progesterone). Perimenopause is the interval in which women’s body makes a natural shift from regular menstrual cycles and regular monthly ovulations to irregular menstrual cycles, anovulation and natural permanent infertility.
In general, brown spotting instead of period is common symptom for starting perimenopause. In early perimenopause women could also experience menopause-like symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sleep disruption, vaginal dryness, and a lot of confusion.
Other causes
Brown spotting instead of period could be also the symptom of hormonal imbalance and/or hormonal dysfunctions which women could experience during Polycystic Ovarian Diseases (PCOS), Endometriosis, Ovarian Premature Failure, Hyperprolactinemia and sometimes during use of hormonal contraception including Birth Control Pills.
Sometimes brown spotting instead of period could be a symptom of several health conditions and/or diseases such as diabetes and/or cancer.
