Most women have experienced this: that brown period, with a light flow, resembling coffee grounds. You expect your normal flow of fresh blood, but instead comes that uncomfortable brown discharge.
This type of bleeding is common in girls who have recently started menstruating and in women who use hormonal contraceptives, but it can happen to any of us. And one of the most frequent reasons is hormonal changes!
Coffee grounds period, dark menstruation, and brown menstruation can have many causes, but generally, it’s due to low progesterone1. Did you know? Yes, dear, this coffee ground-like bleeding can be one of the symptoms of a lack of hormones in a woman’s body.
In some cases—in fact, in most cases—this brown discharge occurs when the body has a sudden “drop” in progesterone, meaning that the body has been maintaining a certain amount and suddenly the level falls, triggering some changes in the woman’s body.
Many women notice this coffee ground discharge during their menstrual cycle and have this brown discharge for years, believing it to be something normal. Always inform your gynecologist if you notice a different appearance in your menstrual blood or a different color, even if it’s a small amount. It may be necessary to investigate the cause through a blood test, for example.
The famous breakthrough bleeding can also happen. Especially when a woman uses contraceptives or the morning-after pill repeatedly after having sex. The contraceptive pill is made of progesterone and prevents the ovaries from functioning.
That’s why it’s very common for this breakthrough bleeding to occur when changing contraceptives. But progesterone can also drop suddenly due to a physiological reason, as every month we experience hormonal fluctuations that are already expected as part of the cycle.
What If You Don’t Take Birth Control Pills?
Even if you don’t take contraceptives, the cause can still be low progesterone. But there’s another, lesser-known factor that could be causing the coffee grounds discharge. Sometimes dark menstruation can be a sign of pregnancy! Did you know? Yes, sometimes it can be implantation. In this case, it is recommended to wait a few days and take a pregnancy test to confirm.
The appearance of brown discharge during pregnancy follows, therefore, the same principle described above. And since progesterone is necessary for maintaining the pregnancy, together with the HCG hormone, the doctor will probably prescribe medication with synthetic hormones to replace this deficiency. Without an adequate amount of progesterone, pregnancy can be at serious risk, including miscarriage. So, pay close attention.
What If I Always Had Coffee Grounds Period?
Even if this coffee grounds menstruation is common and recurrent for you, it doesn’t mean it should be ignored. Thus, it’s a good idea to seek medical advice to find out what the best course of action is and to rule out more serious problems, such as bacterial vaginosis or other sexually transmitted diseases2. Brown discharge can also indicate other problems in the uterus and even stress.
Dark menstruation can also happen if you have an anovulatory cycle, meaning you did not ovulate and did not build up endometrium (menstrual blood). So, there is not much to come out during the menstrual flow and the brown discharge forms.
It is also important to highlight that dark menstruation can have another cause. If your cycle has always been normal with brown discharge, don’t worry, that’s just how your body is. But it’s still important to do tests to rule out other conditions and possibilities. That’s why seeking a trusted gynecologist is the best decision to prevent and diagnose. But in most cases, it’s something perfectly normal!
Frequently Asked Questions from Readers
Due to the large number of questions, we’ve summarized the most common ones to help you find answers. Since some were very similar, read through everything, and you might find information that suits your case. If you still have questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
Can Coffee Grounds Menstruation Be Pregnancy?
Coffee grounds discharge or brown menstruation can, indeed, be a sign of pregnancy. However, many women have this brown menstruation due to a hormonal change, such as increased estrogen or a drop in progesterone during the menstrual period. If you always have dark menstruation, then it’s probably normal for your case.
But if it’s an unusual situation, it’s a good idea to wait a few days and assess it better. If the brown discharge stops and there is no bright red bleeding, take the test. When in doubt, seek a doctor, preferably a gynecologist.
Most of the time, when fertilization and implantation of the embryo occur, similar bleeding happens due to implantation, which is therefore a sign of pregnancy. But it’s worth remembering that not every symptom, such as stomach pain, abdominal pain or other aches and pains in the lower abdomen, dizziness, nausea, etc., is a sign of pregnancy.
It can be a natural increase in progesterone and also an effect of the corpus luteum, seeming a lot like pregnancy symptoms. The best thing to do is wait for your period to be at least 5 to 10 days late and then take a test.
Bleeding or Dark Period in the Middle of the Cycle?
Most of the time, pinkish, watery bleeding and brown menstruation, or dark period, with almost black blood, can be a sign of breakthrough bleeding due to lack of progesterone right after ovulation. Or an ovulation bleed as a characteristic symptom of ovulation. Problems due to dark menstruation may be simply hormonal and more common, or a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome, but in isolated cases.
Is Coffee Grounds Menstruation a Sign of a Problem?
Coffee grounds menstruation does not always indicate a problem, since women can experience significant hormonal fluctuations during their cycles and may occasionally have brown bleeding with a different color. If you take contraceptives, by the way, it’s pretty normal for this to occur once in a while.
Now, if it’s been happening very frequently, it could be a sign that your birth control is no longer enough and needs to be replaced or the dose increased. Always talk to your doctor about this issue.
Does the Morning-After Pill Cause Brown Discharge?
Yes, and there is a strong connection! The morning-after pill (MAP) is often equivalent to taking an entire pack of contraceptive pills. Therefore, there is a significant increase of hormones in the body. When there is a sudden drop, dark menstruation can occur, all due to the effects of the MAP. So, the morning-after pill should be taken into consideration when these brown bleedings happen3.
It is more than normal for bleeding to happen at unexpected times after taking the morning-after pill. The morning-after pill is a good emergency method after sexual intercourse. However, it is not 100% effective. Even if you have coffee grounds menstruation, if your normal period doesn’t come as expected, you should see a doctor for better guidance and to investigate the possibility of pregnancy.
How to Stop Coffee Grounds Menstruation?
The best way to regularize menstruation and stop coffee grounds discharge is to see a gynecologist for hormonal treatment. This treatment is based on oral contraceptives or a change in contraceptive method.
Does Coffee Grounds Discharge Count as the First Day of Menstruation?
No, only menstruation with fresh blood or heavy dark blood is considered the first menstrual day. Coffee grounds discharge is just a “warning” that menstruation is coming.
Is There Discharge Like Coffee Grounds Before Menstruation?
Discharge, especially if it comes with a strong odor and burning, is connected to some disease or infection, usually of the cervix, candidiasis, sexually transmitted diseases, etc. What appears before menstruation is breakthrough bleeding at the beginning of the menstrual period, usually caused by a (low) drop in progesterone in the body.
See also: Anovulatory cycle – what it is and what are the symptoms
