Talk to your healthcare provider if you have grayish or pink watery discharge, as this can be a sign of an infection or something more serious like cancer.
You may notice the color of your period blood varies. Sometimes it’s a bit brown, or almost black, to later turn to bright crimson.
Track your period to learn about your menstrual cycle.
Underlying health conditions are more likely to affect the timing and length of your period than its appearance—but there are some reasons why your period blood may vary in color.
What does the color of your period blood mean?
Blood [and tissue] changes color depending on how long it has been exposed to air oxygenation. Think of when you cut your skin—red blood comes out of a fresh wound. If you put a bandage on it and check it the next day, you’ll see that once-red blood will have turned brown. The majority of the water in the blood will have evaporated, making a more concentrated pigmentation.
Your endometrium is the inner lining of your uterus, which is where a fertilized egg would implant and grow. The endometrium is made up of highly vascularized tissue with special spiralized arteries [1]. This provides a fertilized egg with quick and easy access to a fresh blood supply [carrying nutrients and oxygen], so it can start to develop.
Right before you get your period, these specialized spiral arteries constrict, to limit blood loss [1, 2]. After the constriction of the spiral arteries, the endometrium starts to break away in pieces from the deeper layers of the uterus [3]. Your endometrium does not separate all at once, it’s a slower, controlled separation, and it takes time for your endometrial tissue to make its way down through your cervix and vagina. This initial blood and tissue may appear dark red or brown, or even black because it takes longer to exit your body.
As tissue breaks away, it leaves torn ends of blood vessels that continue to bleed [3, 4]. This is where the bright red blood you may see during your period comes from. Eventually, platelets [pieces of cells involved in blood clotting] are activated to group together and form a plug to stop the bleeding, bringing the period to an end [2].
As bleeding slows toward the end of a period, it may once again appear darker red or brown.
What does black, brown, or dark red period blood mean?
At the beginning or end of your period, blood can be a dark brown/red shade and can have a thick consistency—but it’s also normal for the first signs of your period to be bright red and more liquid.
If you notice brown period blood at the start or end of your period, it’s because the blood is older and took longer to leave your uterus. The uterine lining darkens the longer it takes to leave the body.
Period blood clots are normal on the heaviest days of your period and can appear deep red or almost dark black as well.
What does it mean if my period blood is bright red?
Period flow typically becomes heavier on the second or third day of the cycle as the uterine lining sheds faster. Bright red period blood is newer blood, thus it doesn’t have time to darken before it exits your body.
What does it mean if my period blood is pink?
Spotting is any bleeding that happens outside of your regular period. Some people experience spotting mid-cycle, also known as ovulation bleeding [4, 5]. Bleeding that mixes with fertile cervical fluid can appear light red or pinkish.
Watery, pink vaginal discharge that occurs irregularly [without a pattern and not related to your menstrual cycle] may be a sign of cervical cancer and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider [6].
What does it mean if my period blood is gray?
If you have grayish discharge, this could be a sign of an infection. If you experience heavy bleeding with pieces of grayish tissue, this could be a sign of a miscarriage. Seeing a healthcare provider is recommended for either situation.
The significance of period blood color is commonly misunderstood
Reproductive and menstrual health is still gravely misunderstood and pushed aside compared to other aspects of health. The lack of proper education and research on aspects of female health negatively impacts people globally in so many ways. At Clue, we are committed to improving research on menstrual and reproductive health.
A range of period blood colors is typical and doesn’t signify anything serious
Changes in the color of your period blood are often nothing to worry about. But do pay attention to your flow volume, changes in cycle length, pain, or any bleeding that doesn’t have a pattern, as these can indicate underlying conditions.
Discharge is a normal function of vaginal health in menstruating women. It’s a mucus or mix of fluid and vaginal cells secreted from glands in the vagina, uterus, and cervix.
This discharge cleans the vagina and protects it from infection, lubricates it for sexual activity, and signals a change in body chemistry.
Most vaginal discharge is healthy, but changes to discharge can signal that something more may be going on .
In this article, we’ll look at what’s normal and what’s not when it comes to vaginal discharge and why the quality of discharge may change after a menstrual cycle.
We’ll also review why the color of discharge may vary, and discuss when to see a doctor.
Discharge After Period: Is it Normal?
Discharge before, during, and after your period can look different.
Once your period is over, discharge may still have a brown color due to leftover blood and tissue from the uterus.
This is the last stage of the normal shedding of built up tissue from the uterus and vagina.
Still, some people may not experience any vaginal discharge for 3-4 days after the end of their period.
Causes of Post Period Discharge
Vaginal discharge after a period is usually normal.
Reasons for discharge after your period may include:
- Expelling the last of the uterine lining
- Ovulation [if discharge occurs around 2 weeks after the period]
- Changes in hormones
But sometimes post-period vaginal discharge is a signal that something is amiss, including:
- Bacterial vaginosis
- Yeast infections
- Sexually transmitted diseases [STDs]
What The Color of Your Discharge May Mean
For a quick guide on what vaginal discharge may mean , look at what color it is.
- Clear discharge not accompanied by other symptoms and without smell is most often a healthy indicator. Discharge can be clear to white in color during the beginning or end of your menstrual cycle or during pregnancy. Clear and stringy discharge typically occurs during the ovulation period.
- White or opaque discharge is also an indication of healthy vaginal functioning. Regular discharge can vary in color from creamy to eggshell white to a pale yellow. Discharge that is very opaque and resembles cottage cheese, however, may be a sign of a yeast infection.
- Yellow or green discharge is often a warning sign of a sexually transmitted disease or infection. hin yellow or green discharge can be a symptom of a common infection known as trichomoniasis vaginalis, which is a sexually transmitted infection. Yellow discharge can also be a sign of bacterial vaginosis, an overgrowth of your vaginal flora that sometimes requires antibiotic treatment.
- Pink discharge, when not following a period, can signal spotting. It’s not unusual for there to be a little blood present in discharge just before a period. Spotting can be a sign of pregnancy or result from cervical bleeding or intrauterine device [IUD] irritation. In cases of people who have already gone through menopause, bleeding or spotting can be a rare sign of endometrial cancer.
- Brown discharge is often colored by blood from somewhere in the the vagina or cervix. Brown discharge is common during and immediately after a period, but if present at other times in your cycle may be due to the presence of old [oxidized] blood. Discharge that starts to look black can be a sign of heavy menstruation or if occurring outside of the time of menses, an indication of a more serious health concern.
- Gray discharge is rare, but a sign that your body needs attention. It may be a sign of bacterial vaginosis, which is an overgrowth of your vaginal flora and may need antibiotic treatment. It may also be a sign of a sexually transmitted disease. If you notice gray vaginal discharge, contact your healthcare provider or doctor.
What is Normal Discharge Like?
Minimal vaginal discharge may occur every day as old dead cells, bacteria, and other debris are shed from the vagina and labia.
Each person’s discharge varies slightly, and some experience more discharge than others.
It can also change with age and at different points in the menstrual cycle since hormones play a role in how your body produces vaginal discharge.
Here is the typical cycle of how discharge might change throughout each month:
- During menstruation, discharge is typically red or brown because it’s accompanied by blood and tissues from the uterus.
- Post-menstrual discharge can be brown from leftover blood and tissue and may become thinner, cloudy, white, yellow, or sticky. Brown discharge that doesn’t happen around the menstruation period can be an indication of another source of bleeding.
- Ovulation discharge is usually thicker, with a stringy or slippery consistency. The consistency of discharge changes during this time because of an increase in f cervical mucus in preparation for a possible pregnancy, if a egg is fertilized during the process of ovulation. The ovulation stage of the menstrual cycle is considered to be the most fertile period in the menstrual cycle and the chance of pregnancy increases with unprotected sex.
- Pre-menstrual discharge might become lighter in color and less noticeable. For the days leading up to your menstruation, you might notice very little vaginal discharge or none at all.
Only you and your healthcare provider will be able to evaluate what a regular discharge cycle looks like for you.
Some people try to track their menstrual cycle using fertility awareness-based methods, one of which is the cervical mucus method.
The cervical mucus method involves tracking the color, consistency, and smell of your discharge to learn at which point in your menstrual cycle you’re in.
This tracking method is commonly used for planning pregnancies.
By knowing what your own normal is, you will be more aware of your body and know what to expect from your menstrual cycle.
When to See a Doctor
Sudden changes to the color or smell of your vaginal discharge should be brought to your doctor’s attention.
Common concerns to be aware of include vaginitis, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, and other conditions
Vaginitis is the general inflammation in and around the vagina and vulva.
Vaginitis is an umbrella term for any infections or inflammation involving the vagina and vulva before a diagnosis is determined.
Some factors can increase your risk of vaginitis, disrupt your hormones and vaginal pH balance, and also change your discharge volume.
These include:
- Extended tampon use
- Hormone-based medications or treatments
- Tight-fitting underwear
- Scented soaps and douches
- Not using condoms during intercourse OR your partner using condoms or flavored/scented lubricants that you may be allergic to
- Using sex toys that have not been cleaned properly
- Smoking
Bacterial vaginosis occurs when there is an overgrowth of a normal bacteria that is naturally present in the vagina.
Research hasn’t determined the cause of bacterial vaginosis but douching and not using condoms seem to be contributors.
Symptoms of bacterial vaginosis include:
- Thin white, yellow or gray discharge
- Strong foul odors or a fishy smell, especially following sex
- Infrequently irritation around the vagina and vulva may be present [however burning and pain may indicate a sexually transmitted disease or a more serious condition called pelvic inflammatory disease]
Yeast infections, also known as vaginal candidiasis, is caused by an excess of yeast called Candida.
This yeast is normally present in the body in the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina, but too much of it changes the environment inside a vagina and can turn into an infection.
People who use hormonal birth control, are pregnant, have diabetes, or have a weakened immune system are more likely to experience yeast infections.
Common symptoms of a yeast infection are:
- Irritation, itching, pain, or a burning sensation around the vagina and vulva
- Itching or burning sensations when urinating
- Discomfort during intercourse
- Abnormal vaginal discharge, or cottage-cheese-like discharge
Finally, the following symptoms can be an indication of a more serious health problem and should be discussed promptly with your healthcare provider.
- Foamy or frothy discharge
- Black discharge
- Discharge that includes or resembles pus
- Severe pain during sex
- Severe pelvic and abdominal pain
To diagnose issues in the pelvic area, vagina, and surrounding genitalia, your doctor will likely prescribe a urine test or ask to take a sample of discharge for testing during a pelvic exam.
Your doctor will ask you about your sexual history, hygiene practices, along with other questions to accompany testing in order to make a clear diagnosis.
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K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.