Black Discharge from Vagina: 7 Causes Before and After Period

Are you worried about black discharge before or after your period? Do you feel your black discharge may be due to an infection, medical health issue or pregnancy?

Black discharge occurs in women for many reasons. Most of the time it is simply old blood that is leaving the uterus or vagina more slowly than usual and has changed colour. If you’ve had unprotected sexual intercourse, early pregnancy (including implantation bleeding) can sometimes cause light brown or dark spotting, but black discharge alone does not prove you are pregnant – you still need a pregnancy test.

Other causes could be cervical narrowing and obstruction, uterine fibroids, endometrial or cervical polyps, very rarely cancers, or vaginal and cervical infections. 

But don’t panic; most women get dark brown or almost black discharge once in a while. It does not always mean you have a serious medical issue. In some women, it lasts for a few days and simply means blood has stayed longer in the uterus or vagina before coming out.

This article explains the causes of black discharge and signs that indicate serious health concerns.

7 Main Causes of black blood during period

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Why is vaginal discharge color black?

Black discharge occurs because your vaginal discharge that is usually clear or whitish gets mixed up with old blood.

If blood contains oxygen, it is bright red in color while blood that has stayed longer and lost oxygen is dark red, brown or almost black (deoxygenated blood).

Any vaginal bleeding that occurs in your uterus and stays back for a while becomes deoxygenated and darker in color. This may eventually result in dark brown or black discharge.

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What causes black discharge?

1. Pregnancy or implantation bleeding

To get pregnant, sexual intercourse should be perfectly timed during your ovulation period. Should you have sex without using any protection, it’s possible you can get pregnant if it occurs during your fertile days.

After sexual intercourse, sperm moves up through the genital tracts, straight into the fallopian tube where it fertilizes the egg released during ovulation.

After fertilization, the embryo still has to be moved into the body of the uterus, where it starts growing.

Within the uterus, the embryo embeds into the thickened endometrial lining that covers the inner part of your womb. This may result in very light bleeding that mixes with mucus and comes out as brown or sometimes dark discharge. This is often called implantation bleeding. 

So how can I identify implantation?

Black or brown discharge due to implantation will usually occur some days before your expected period and is typically light. Should you have an unexpected light bleeding before your period that is brown or dark with mild cramps, it may be an early sign you’re pregnant – but many women simply start their period this way, so you cannot rely on colour alone.

Some women will have abdominal pain before period occurs. However, both implantation bleeding and cramps usually do not last for a long time and are lighter than a normal period.

Any other pregnancy symptoms?

Before missing your period, it may be difficult to tell if you’re pregnant or not. However, these symptoms can indicate you may be pregnant:

• Black or brown discharge that lasts for 1, 2 or 3 days with light abdominal cramps

• Food aversion

• Getting weaker easily from light activity

• Fatigue

• Loss of appetite

• Increased demand for food

• Nausea and vomiting

• Change in mood and your normal activities

• Breast tenderness and swelling

Black discharge before period with some of these symptoms may mean pregnancy.

However, you may test negative depending on the sensitivity of test strip used, when the test was carried out and if early morning urine was used or not.

If you suspect you’re pregnant and test negative, it is advised to check at least a week after your missed period. If you are pregnant and notice black discharge with severe abdominal pain, shoulder pain, dizziness or fainting, you should see a doctor urgently as this could be a sign of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

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2. Normal menstrual period as it ends

Black discharge may typically occur during or just after your period. In some women, not all the menstrual blood is expelled at once during menstruation. Some blood may stay longer in the uterus or vagina, get deoxygenated and turn darker, leading to brown or black discharge.

You should not worry if you notice dark discharge right after your period has ended as it usually clears out in a few days.

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3. Your vagina or cervix is partly closed (outflow obstruction)

Normally, women who haven’t had sexual intercourse EVER will have a hymen that partially covers the opening of the vagina but still allows blood to be expelled during menstruation.

In rare cases, if the hymen has no opening (imperforate hymen) or the cervix is very narrow (cervical stenosis), blood can build up inside the vagina or uterus. This may cause severe cyclical lower abdominal pain with no visible period, and when the blockage opens, very dark or black blood can come out.

This situation is uncommon and usually shows up in teenagers who have never had a period. If you have strong monthly pains but no periods, you should see a doctor or gynecologist.

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4. You have a fibroid or uterine polyp

A fibroid or a polyp may grow within the uterus, sometimes extend down into the cervical region and make it harder for menstrual period blood to come out freely.

If blood stays inside of your womb for hours to days without coming out, it becomes dark or black in color forming black discharge.

Fibroids, depending on where they are located, may cause heavy periods, prolonged bleeding or spotting between periods. Symptoms and types of fibroids are listed here. Guidance on abnormal bleeding from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) also mentions fibroids and polyps as common causes of abnormal uterine bleeding.

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5. You possibly have a vaginal or cervical infection

Vaginal infections commonly occur from poor sexual practices and sometimes from changes in your normal vaginal bacteria. If you notice your vaginal discharge has a different odor and color, or you have itching or burning, it’s likely you have an infection down there.

Common causes of infections are chlamydia, gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and sometimes a yeast infection. Though not all vaginal infections are transmitted through sex, improved sexual health by using a condom may prevent many sexually transmitted infections. You can read more about these infections on the World Health Organization sexually transmitted infections fact sheet.

Chlamydia or gonorrhea may progress into more devastating complications, and result in pelvic inflammatory disease.

If you have black or dark discharge between your periods with a smelly vagina, itching, pain, pain during sex or burning when you pass urine, you should inform your doctor. Basic investigations will be carried out and will include a specimen from your vagina and urine.

In most cases, bacterial vaginal infections can be treated very easily. So don’t panic – but do get checked.

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When should I worry about black vaginal discharge?

In most cases, there is no reason to panic if you see a dark discharge, especially at the beginning or end of your period. It’s a normal way your body works to clean up the uterus.

However, if you experience any of these symptoms, you should inform your doctor or go to hospital:

• Persistent low abdominal pain

• Fever

• Infertility

• Abdominal swelling

• Smelly vaginal discharge

• Vaginal itching

• Persistent spotting or bleeding between periods

• Very heavy bleeding (soaking a pad or tampon every hour for several hours, or passing large clots)

• Dizziness, fainting or shortness of breath with bleeding

• Bleeding after sex, after menopause, or during pregnancy

• Signs of pregnancy

You can see more detailed red flag symptoms on MedlinePlus – vaginal bleeding between periods and Cleveland Clinic – vaginal discharge.

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How to get rid of dark discharge | Home remedies

These are some easy ways you can support vaginal and menstrual health. They do not replace seeing your doctor if you have worrying symptoms or abnormal bleeding.

Improve vaginal hygiene

Poor toilet practices and not changing your underwear may cause infections down there. It is important you use cotton panties and change your underwear at least two times in a day.

Avoid douching or using harsh scented soaps inside the vagina as these can upset your normal bacteria and increase infection risk, as also advised on the NHS vaginal discharge page.

Use protection during intercourse

Not using a condom while making love has many risks. You could easily contract sexually transmitted infections – chlamydia, gonorrhea, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and HIV. These infections may result in abnormal bleeding or discharge, sometimes dark if blood is mixed in.

Eat healthy

Taking foods that improve your overall health will help your body function well, including your hormones and immune system. There is no special food that “pushes out” black blood, but foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains and healthy fats (for example avocado) can support your general health.

Exercise regularly

Having regular exercise helps you keep fit and healthy, improves blood flow and can help with menstrual cramps for some women.

Have sex only if you want to

Some women notice that orgasms cause the uterus to contract and may trigger a small amount of spotting, but regular sexual intercourse is not a proven treatment for black discharge. Only have sex if you want to and it feels comfortable and safe for you.

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Frequently asked questions

1. Is black discharge before period a sign of pregnancy?

Black or brown discharge before period can be one of the earliest signs you may have if pregnant, especially if it is light and happens around the time your period is due. It may occur because of implantation blood that turns brown or dark and mixes with your discharge.

However, many women also see dark discharge just before a normal period, so colour alone cannot confirm pregnancy. If you already missed your period with increased discharge, fatigue and cramps, then it’s possible you are pregnant.

You should tell your health care provider to confirm, or use a pregnancy strip at home and repeat the test about a week after a missed period if it is negative and you still suspect pregnancy.

If you are pregnant and have black discharge with severe pain, dizziness or shoulder pain, seek urgent medical care to rule out ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.

2. What causes black discharge instead of period?

If you were expecting a period and now have only dark or black discharge coming out, there are many possible causes. It may be:

• Early pregnancy

• Hormonal changes or birth control

• Perimenopause

• Uterine fibroids or polyps

• Vaginal or cervical infections

• Side effects of contraceptive pills you are taking

• Rarely, endometrial or cervical cancer, especially in women over 40 or after menopause

Any persistent change from your usual pattern or any bleeding after menopause should be checked by a doctor. ACOG and MedlinePlus advise that abnormal uterine bleeding or bleeding between periods should be evaluated promptly.

3. What causes black discharge before periods?

The truth is most women will have dark brown or black discharge before period starts or right after period ends. If you experience dark discharge between periods (not just before or after), it might be due to:

• Hormone imbalance

• Vaginal or cervical infections

• Retained tampon or other foreign body

• Uterine fibroids or polyps

• Bleeding disorders

• Blood thinning medications (like warfarin)

4. I have a black discharge after period, is it normal?

Yes, black discharge after period in most women is normal. If it occurs immediately after period, it is most likely due to uterine contractions pushing out old blood that has stayed in the uterus or vagina.

If you notice black discharge a week or more after the end of your period, it might still be old blood slowly coming out, but it can also be light mid-cycle spotting. Some women have a little pink or brown discharge around ovulation. If this new pattern continues for several cycles or is associated with pain or a bad smell, you should see your doctor.

5. I have dark discharge on birth control pills, is it normal?

It’s common to have brown or dark discharge (breakthrough spotting) in the first few weeks and months after starting birth control pills. It may take some time for hormones in these medications to adjust.

However, heavy bleeding, severe pain, or bleeding that continues for many months is not usual. Talk to your doctor if dark discharge on birth control is persistent or worrying so your method can be reviewed or changed.

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Still worried about black vaginal discharge? Ask us or talk with your doctor so you can be properly examined and reassured.