Spotting before menstruation:what causes this bleeding?

Spotting or brown discharge, what is it?

Menstruation in women is vaginal bleeding that occurs at the start of each menstrual cycle, but what about spotting? Also in the category of vaginal bleeding, spotting indicates slight loss of blood, often brown or brownish in color. It tends to occur before menstruation, or even after intercourse. In itself, the spottingvaginal is a minor bleed that usually leaves small, unexpected spots of blood when you didn't expect your period for a good week.

By definition, spotting is different from menstruation, which is far more abundant discharge. While menstrual bleeding is debris from the surface layer of the endometrium, spotting is old blood passed through the genital tract, hence the darker color of these light discharges. It is a mostly natural phenomenon that affects almost all women at one time or another. So there is nothing to worry about if you experience these light premenstrual discharges. However, you can always consult your gynecologist to be sure if in doubt.

Premenstrual spotting:normal phenomenon or pathological sign?

The spotting , light discharge of brown color, can occur at any time of the menstrual cycle. It most often occurs before the onset of bleeding, but can also accompany the period of ovulation. In the vast majority of cases, these losses, considered minor, are not serious and should not concern you. Often the spotting simply reflects a slight change in your body. The bleeding then occurs punctually, in small spots, without clots or intense cramps.

However, it happens, depending on its cause, that the spotting is linked to a serious gynecological pathology. This is particularly the case when the loss, which is supposed to be minor, is accompanied by worrying symptoms such as:

• Fever;
• Abnormally intense pain or cramps in the abdomen, comparable to period pain;
• A strong smell.

In these cases, the spotting requires an urgent consultation with the gynecologist to detect the causes of the bleeding, establish a diagnosis and set up an appropriate treatment.

Brown discharge before period:the most common causes

From one woman to another, spotting manifests itself in different ways. Many experience this light bleeding before the onset of their first period for a variety of reasons, the most common being:

• Taking hormone-based birth control pills:Among the various possible methods of contraception, taking oral hormonal pills remains one of the most popular methods. You should therefore be aware that spotting can occur during the first trimester of use;
• The presence of an STI:spotting can result from an asymptomatic sexual infection such as chlamydia;
• Pre-menopausal period:Hormonal fluctuations as you approach menopause can also cause these light losses;
• Benign tumours, such as polyps or uterine fibroids;
• Cancers of the female reproductive system, including cancer of the uterus.

Thus, the wisest decision in case of spotting all that remains is to consult a specialist to be sure.