Clear discharge with a little blood during early pregnancy

Experiencing bleeding at any point during pregnancy can be scary. But keep in mind: There are times when finding discharge that resembles blood is a typical part of pregnancy.

But what about pinkish-brown discharge? Is this dangerous for you or your fetus?

Here are six possible reasons you might be experiencing pinkish-brown discharge during pregnancy.

Implantation bleeding

If you’re very early on in your pregnancy and actively looking for symptoms, you may notice some light spotting around week 4.

This can be implantation bleeding, or the bleeding that occurs when the fertilized embryo burrows into the highly vascular lining of your uterus.

Cervical irritation

During pregnancy, your cervix, which is the bottom of your uterus and the part that opens and stretches during labor, is highly vascular. This means it has a lot of blood vessels, so it can bleed easily.

If your cervix is irritated during pregnancy, it may cause some brownish-pink discharge. This can happen at any point during your pregnancy. It may be caused by sex, a cervical check by your doctor, or an infection.

Ectopic pregnancy

In rare cases, brownish-pink discharge can be caused by an ectopic pregnancy. This is when a pregnancy occurs outside of the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tube.

The brownish color occurs because the bleeding is older blood, not bright red (new) blood. An ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening emergency.

Go to the emergency room if you notice bleeding along with any of these symptoms:

• extreme dizziness
• shoulder pain
• fainting
• lightheadedness
• abdominal or pelvic pain that comes and goes, especially on one side

Miscarriage

Any bleeding during pregnancy can be an early sign of miscarriage. In general, bleeding that results in a miscarriage is also accompanied by other symptoms.

If you notice brownish-pink discharge, be on the lookout for other symptoms, including:

• cramping
• increased bright red bleeding
• gush of fluid or watery discharge
• abdominal pain
• lower back pain

Unknown reasons

Many times, there’s no obvious reason for bleeding during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. A 2019 study found that as many as one-fourth of women reported some kind of bleeding during the first few months of pregnancy. Although researchers speculated that the bleeding was an early sign of the placenta not developing properly, they aren’t sure of all of the reasons bleeding can happen.

Call your doctor if you experience other symptoms, or if you’re concerned.

Mucus plug

You may be losing your mucus plug if you’re further along in your pregnancy, (anywhere from 36 to 40 weeks) and notice an increase in discharge that’s brownish, pink, or even slightly green-tinged.

As your body gets ready to go into labor, it’s common for your cervix to soften and release the mucus plug. This plug helps protect any bacteria from getting into your uterus.

The mucus plug can look like, well, mucous. But it may also be tinged with brown-colored discharge when it dislodges. You may notice the mucus plug come out all at once. Or it may dislodge in smaller, less noticeable “chunks” over the course of a few days or weeks.

If you notice a small amount of pinkish-brown discharge during your pregnancy, don’t panic. In most cases, a small amount of blood-tinged discharge is typical.

Consider if there could be any possible reasons for the discharge:

• Were you checked by your doctor recently?
• Did you have sex in the last 24 hours?
• Are you nearing the end of your pregnancy and might be losing your mucus plug?

If the discharge increases, or if you experience any bleeding with other symptoms, call your doctor or head to the hospital.

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3-minute read

All women, whether they’re pregnant or not, have some vaginal discharge starting a year or 2 before puberty and ending after the menopause. How much discharge you have changes from time to time and it usually gets heavier just before your period.

Is it normal to have vaginal discharge in pregnancy?

Almost all women have more vaginal discharge in pregnancy. This is quite normal and happens for a few reasons. During pregnancy the cervix (neck of the womb) and vaginal walls get softer and discharge increases to help prevent any infections travelling up from the vagina to the womb. Increased levels of the hormones progesterone can also make you produce more fluid.

Increased discharge is a normal part of pregnancy, but it’s important to keep an eye on it and tell your doctor or midwife if it changes in any way.

How does vaginal discharge change during pregnancy?

Increased discharge can be a sign that you are pregnant — though many things can influence vaginal discharge so you can’t be sure this is the reason.

The amount of discharge may increase throughout the pregnancy. Towards the end, there may be so much you confuse it with urine.

Towards the end of pregnancy, the amount of discharge increases and can be confused with urine.

In the last week or so of pregnancy, your discharge may contain streaks of thick mucus and some blood. This is called a 'show' and happens when the mucus that has been present in your cervix during pregnancy comes away. It's a sign that the body is starting to prepare for birth, and you may have a few small 'shows' in the days before you go into labour.

When to see your midwife or doctor

You should tell your midwife or doctor if your vaginal discharge increases a lot in later pregnancy. If you have any vaginal bleeding in pregnancy, you should contact your midwife or doctor urgently, as it can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem such as a miscarriage or a problem with the placenta.

Normal healthy discharge should:

• be clear and white
• not smell bad

Tell your midwife or doctor if:

• the discharge is coloured (greenish or brownish)
• there is blood in the discharge
• it smells strange
• you feel itchy or sore

If the discharge is coloured or smells strange, or if you feel itchy or sore, you may have a vaginal infection such as thrush, which your doctor can treat easily, or bacterial vaginosis. Do not try to treat it yourself — always talk to your doctor, pharmacist or midwife if you think you have an infection.

You can help prevent thrush by wearing loose cotton underwear, and some women find it helps to avoid perfumed soap or perfumed bath products.

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Last reviewed: November 2020

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