Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIs It Normal?7 CausesWhen to See a ProviderTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Is It Normal?
7 Causes
When to See a Provider
Treatment
While most people think of period blood as being red, it’s normal for the color and consistency to change throughout your cycle. The color change is often harmless, but sometimes, it can be a sign of an underlying health condition.
Black-coloredperiod bloodusually appears at the beginning or end of a person’smenstrual cycleor after pregnancy. It can be a normal indication that blood has taken extra time to exit theuterus. However, black discharge may also be due to other causes, such as amiscarriageor infection.
Alicia Fdez/ Getty Images.
Discharge vs. BloodVaginal dischargeis fluid that comes from the vagina.The uterus, cervix, and vagina produce it. The discharge often contains menstrual blood, which flows from the inside of the uterus.
Discharge vs. Blood
Vaginal dischargeis fluid that comes from the vagina.The uterus, cervix, and vagina produce it. The discharge often contains menstrual blood, which flows from the inside of the uterus.
Is Black Discharge Normal?
Black discharge can be normal. It usually means that blood has taken longer to leave the uterus. When this happens, the blood oxidizes, which makes it appear darker in color. The longer thebloodstays in your body, the darker it becomes. You may experience black discharge before or after your period, duringpregnancy, or right after giving birth.
Though black discharge is often benign, there are times when it can be a cause for concern. Usually, symptoms, such as afoul-smelling odor, itching, pain, or other problems, accompany the black discharge when another medical condition is the culprit.
7 Possible Causes of Black Discharge
Normal discharge is clear, milky, or off-white.However, discharge that contains blood can appear red, pink, brown, or black. Often, if the discharge is gray, dark yellow, or green with a fishy smell, it’s a sign of infection. Several possible causes of black discharge include a forgotten object, implantation, and more.
Beginning or End of Your Period
If black discharge shows up at the beginning or end of your period, it’s probably a sign that blood has taken longer to exit thevagina.This is considered normal, and it just means your body is working to clean itself out. It’s usually not a cause for concern unless you have other symptoms.
Stuck or Forgotten Object
Black discharge could be a sign that a foreign object, such as atampon, was left in the vagina. Over time, the object can irritate the vagina and cause an infection. In addition to black blood, other signs of an infection due to a foreign object in the vagina include:
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) or Other Infection
Black discharge could be a sign ofPID, an infection in the uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes. PID is a common complication of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such asgonorrheaandchlamydia, but it can also develop from infections that aren’t sexually transmitted.
Other symptoms of PID to watch out for include:
Implantation
Implantation bleedingmay be a sign of early pregnancy. It usually happens 10 to 14 days after a fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus.Implantation bleeding is typically lighter in flow than period bleeding and can appear dark brown or black. The bleeding usually goes away on its own and isn’t harmful.
Miscarriage
Amiscarriageis a pregnancy loss before 20 weeks.When a person miscarries, their uterus contracts and sheds its lining. This can cause bleeding, including black discharge. Other signs of miscarriage include:
Lochia
Lochiarefers to bleeding that occurs after childbirth. It can last up to six weeks.Some people notice that if the flow is slow, the blood may appear dark brown or even black. Over time, the color of lochia should change to a yellowish-white color before stopping altogether.
Retained Menses
Is It a Sign of Cervical Cancer?Abnormal bleeding and unusual discharge, such as black discharge, could be a sign ofcervical cancer. Other symptoms of cervical cancer include:Pelvicpain during sexProblems urinating or having bowel movementsBlood in the urinePain in the pelvic regionSwelling in the legs
Is It a Sign of Cervical Cancer?
Abnormal bleeding and unusual discharge, such as black discharge, could be a sign ofcervical cancer. Other symptoms of cervical cancer include:Pelvicpain during sexProblems urinating or having bowel movementsBlood in the urinePain in the pelvic regionSwelling in the legs
Abnormal bleeding and unusual discharge, such as black discharge, could be a sign ofcervical cancer. Other symptoms of cervical cancer include:
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you’ve reached menopause and develop black discharge or further abnormal bleeding, you should also see your provider promptly.
The treatment for black discharge will depend on the cause. Many times, there will be no treatment needed if the blood is due to a person’s menstrual cycle.
Other situations require the following:
Summary
Most of the time, black discharge is nothing to worry about. Some people report dark-colored discharge before, during, or after their period. However, if other symptoms accompany the black discharge, it could indicate an infection or an underlying condition, such as retained menses, miscarriage, lochia, and more. Treatment for black discharge depends on the cause. Speak with a healthcare provider immediately if you have black discharge and other symptoms.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Family Physicians.Vaginal discharge.Nemours Children’s Health.Vaginal discharge: what’s normal, what’s not.Sim M, Logan S, Goh LH.Vaginal discharge: evaluation and management in primary care.Singapore Med J. 2020;61(6):297-301. doi:10.11622/smedj.2020088American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Is it normal to have vaginal discharge?.MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - adult and adolescent.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).About pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).Nebraska Medicine.Is implantation bleeding normal?MedlinePlus.Miscarriage.MedlinePlus.Going home after a C-section.Science Direct.Hematocolpos - an overview.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of cervical cancer.Carmona-Gutierrez D, Kainz K, Madeo F.Sexually transmitted infections: Old foes on the rise.Microb Cell.2016;3(9):361-362. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.522MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - child.Kamal EM, Lakhdar A, Baidada A.Management of a transverse vaginal septum complicated with hematocolpos in an adolescent girl: Case report.Int J Surg Case Rep. 2020;77:748-752. doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.11.098Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.Miscarriages.
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Family Physicians.Vaginal discharge.Nemours Children’s Health.Vaginal discharge: what’s normal, what’s not.Sim M, Logan S, Goh LH.Vaginal discharge: evaluation and management in primary care.Singapore Med J. 2020;61(6):297-301. doi:10.11622/smedj.2020088American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Is it normal to have vaginal discharge?.MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - adult and adolescent.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).About pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).Nebraska Medicine.Is implantation bleeding normal?MedlinePlus.Miscarriage.MedlinePlus.Going home after a C-section.Science Direct.Hematocolpos - an overview.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of cervical cancer.Carmona-Gutierrez D, Kainz K, Madeo F.Sexually transmitted infections: Old foes on the rise.Microb Cell.2016;3(9):361-362. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.522MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - child.Kamal EM, Lakhdar A, Baidada A.Management of a transverse vaginal septum complicated with hematocolpos in an adolescent girl: Case report.Int J Surg Case Rep. 2020;77:748-752. doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.11.098Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.Miscarriages.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Vaginal discharge.Nemours Children’s Health.Vaginal discharge: what’s normal, what’s not.Sim M, Logan S, Goh LH.Vaginal discharge: evaluation and management in primary care.Singapore Med J. 2020;61(6):297-301. doi:10.11622/smedj.2020088American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Is it normal to have vaginal discharge?.MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - adult and adolescent.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).About pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).Nebraska Medicine.Is implantation bleeding normal?MedlinePlus.Miscarriage.MedlinePlus.Going home after a C-section.Science Direct.Hematocolpos - an overview.American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of cervical cancer.Carmona-Gutierrez D, Kainz K, Madeo F.Sexually transmitted infections: Old foes on the rise.Microb Cell.2016;3(9):361-362. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.522MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - child.Kamal EM, Lakhdar A, Baidada A.Management of a transverse vaginal septum complicated with hematocolpos in an adolescent girl: Case report.Int J Surg Case Rep. 2020;77:748-752. doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.11.098Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.Miscarriages.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Vaginal discharge.
Nemours Children’s Health.Vaginal discharge: what’s normal, what’s not.
Sim M, Logan S, Goh LH.Vaginal discharge: evaluation and management in primary care.Singapore Med J. 2020;61(6):297-301. doi:10.11622/smedj.2020088
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Is it normal to have vaginal discharge?.
MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - adult and adolescent.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).About pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
Nebraska Medicine.Is implantation bleeding normal?
MedlinePlus.Miscarriage.
MedlinePlus.Going home after a C-section.
Science Direct.Hematocolpos - an overview.
American Cancer Society.Signs and symptoms of cervical cancer.
Carmona-Gutierrez D, Kainz K, Madeo F.Sexually transmitted infections: Old foes on the rise.Microb Cell.2016;3(9):361-362. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.522
MedlinePlus.Vaginal itching and discharge - child.
Kamal EM, Lakhdar A, Baidada A.Management of a transverse vaginal septum complicated with hematocolpos in an adolescent girl: Case report.Int J Surg Case Rep. 2020;77:748-752. doi:10.1016/j.ijscr.2020.11.098
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.Miscarriages.
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