Birth Control and Vaginal Discharge: The Body's Reaction to an Influx of Synthetic Hormones

A woman taking hormonal birth control suspects that it may be causing her brown vaginal discharge.

Case #: 844

Concern：

I recently started birth control. I am three weeks into it, and I noticed a brown discharge. Could this be from the birth control? Is it something that I need to worry about?

Discussion：

You are correct in guessing that hormonal birth control, whether it's administered through pills or a non-oral delivery method, is probably causing your brown vaginal secretions. Brown discharge could be a sign that the synthetic estrogens and progestins in hormonal birth control are causing abnormal breakdown and shedding of the lining of the uterus, which, under normal conditions, only happens during menstruation. The blood mixes with normal vaginal secretions and is oxidized, changing the color of the discharge from white or clear to brown or black.

Many women can use hormonal birth control without any problematic symptoms of hormonal imbalance, but for others, flooding the endocrine system with excessive hormones causes unpleasant (and occasionally unsafe) side effects. You may be susceptible to other long-term and short-term side effects of birth control, which can include a laundry list of physical and mental ailments.

Abnormal Discharge and Vaginal Health

The vagina is continuously cleansing itself and removing impurities through a combination of fluid discharge and maintenance of an internal ecosystem. This system comprises "friendly" bacteria and fungi that co-exist with their host in a state of symbiosis, much like the bacterial populations that help cleanse the digestive system.

Changes in the environment, such as an increase in fluids, dead cells, or foreign bacteria, can upset the ecosystem by leading to a bloom in one of these normal microbial populations. This process is what causes vaginal infections.

Aside from its implications of hormone imbalance, abnormal discharge may indicate that you are at a higher risk of developing a vaginal infection. With continuous doses of the hormones causing the changes in discharge, it's likely that any infection that results from the altered conditions may become chronic.

What You Can Do

I would recommend taking a pregnancy test if you have had sex recently, just to definitively rule out a tubal pregnancy as the reason for the spotting. After all, even the most reliable birth control can fail sometimes. If the brown discharge doesn't stop on its own, then depending on your reasons for taking birth control, this may be a sign that hormonal contraceptives are not right for you. At the very least, it could be a sign that you need to work with your doctor to adjust the dosage.

Whether you decide to discontinue the pills or ask for a lower dosage, there are several herbal remedies available to help maintain vaginal health and prevent infection.