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What Causes Dark Brown Vaginal Discharge After Intercourse While On Mirena IUD?
Question: I am on the Mirena iud(5 year). I had sex on Friday January 8. My birth control is still in and he used a condom(it did not break) and on Monday I noticed a little bit of blood on my underwear. Yesterday, on Tuesday, I bled a little bit at night only. It wasn't all day. And it was a dark brown. I'm not due for my period for another week and a half. What could this be?
Brief Answer:
It is not unusual to have spotting in between periods with Mirena
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and I hope I can help you today.
Irregular bleeding and spotting can be a normal side effect of the IUD and the fact that this bleeding occurred after an act of intercourse may be just a coincidence.
Irregular bleeding or some spotting after sex can also occur when you have an IUD if the opening of your cervix accidentally got scraped or jostled during intercourse. The reason it may have taken a few days to see the blood is that when you bleed very slowly, it takes time for the blood to actually travel down the length of your vagina to the outside where it is visible. The fact that the blood was very dark and not fresh makes this diagnosis also very likely.
If you continue to have bleeding after intercourse, you should have a gynecologic evaluation especially if you have not had one in the last year. The IUD can sometimes shift, and other causes, like inflammation or infection of the cervix, can also be a factor. You should also have a Pap smear if you have not yet done so, because it is recommended for screening for abnormal cells of the cervix beginning at age 21. Furthermore, if you have had your IUD for the past 5 years, it may need to be replaced as it may no longer be effective as a contraceptive.
However, if this was just a one-time thing, I do not think you need to worry and at this point there may not be a way to know exactly what caused your bleeding episode, but it certainly is not a symptom of anything dangerous or concerning unless it continues on a regular basis.
I hope that I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful. If you need anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Best wishes, Dr. Brown
It is not unusual to have spotting in between periods with Mirena
Detailed Answer:
Hello, and I hope I can help you today.
Irregular bleeding and spotting can be a normal side effect of the IUD and the fact that this bleeding occurred after an act of intercourse may be just a coincidence.
Irregular bleeding or some spotting after sex can also occur when you have an IUD if the opening of your cervix accidentally got scraped or jostled during intercourse. The reason it may have taken a few days to see the blood is that when you bleed very slowly, it takes time for the blood to actually travel down the length of your vagina to the outside where it is visible. The fact that the blood was very dark and not fresh makes this diagnosis also very likely.
If you continue to have bleeding after intercourse, you should have a gynecologic evaluation especially if you have not had one in the last year. The IUD can sometimes shift, and other causes, like inflammation or infection of the cervix, can also be a factor. You should also have a Pap smear if you have not yet done so, because it is recommended for screening for abnormal cells of the cervix beginning at age 21. Furthermore, if you have had your IUD for the past 5 years, it may need to be replaced as it may no longer be effective as a contraceptive.
However, if this was just a one-time thing, I do not think you need to worry and at this point there may not be a way to know exactly what caused your bleeding episode, but it certainly is not a symptom of anything dangerous or concerning unless it continues on a regular basis.
I hope that I was able to adequately answer your question today, and that my advice was helpful. If you need anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Best wishes, Dr. Brown
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Okay thank you so much. So the possibility of pregnancy is very slim?
Brief Answer:
I do not think it is possible for you to be pregnant right now
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
Because you have not actually missed your period, which is the most common sign of pregnancy, and you were using both the condom and your IUD, there is no reason to suspect that the bleeding that you had had anything to do with pregnancy.
However, the Mirena IUD expires after five years and it is recommended that if yours has been in that long that you have it replaced as the hormones that are in the IUD are not necessarily effective anymore.
I hope that this information clarifies things for you, and that you are sufficiently reassured that your likelihood of pregnancy is close to nonexistent. If you do miss your menstrual cycle this month than I would recommend performing a pregnancy test.
Thank you again for using my services and healthcaremagic.com, and I'm available if you have any other issues.
Take care, Dr. Brown
I do not think it is possible for you to be pregnant right now
Detailed Answer:
Hello again,
Because you have not actually missed your period, which is the most common sign of pregnancy, and you were using both the condom and your IUD, there is no reason to suspect that the bleeding that you had had anything to do with pregnancy.
However, the Mirena IUD expires after five years and it is recommended that if yours has been in that long that you have it replaced as the hormones that are in the IUD are not necessarily effective anymore.
I hope that this information clarifies things for you, and that you are sufficiently reassured that your likelihood of pregnancy is close to nonexistent. If you do miss your menstrual cycle this month than I would recommend performing a pregnancy test.
Thank you again for using my services and healthcaremagic.com, and I'm available if you have any other issues.
Take care, Dr. Brown
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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