Period that is light in quantity and brown in colour

June 26, 2008

My husband and I have been trying to conceive and my period came around again yesterday, when it was expected however it is very light and only brown in colour and lookes to be 'flaky' if that makes sense??? My question is what does this mean if anything and why do periods vary in colour (red and brown) and in amount of blood loss. Also from my reading it says you ovulate 14 days before your next period is due - I am currently having 32 day periods which would put my ovulation day about day 18. I have read that if you ovulate after day 14 and try to conceive this will most probably result in a miscarriage?? Can you please advise me if this is true?

June 26, 2008

Usually, brownish discharge is also known as "old blood" and bright red blood is "fresh". There might also be a chance it's implantation bleeding? Implantation bleeding is normally brownish in color.

June 26, 2008

Thanks. I don't think it could be implantation because the last time we were intimate was the day before the bleeding started and then before that about 2 weeks before - and they say implantation usually ocurs 7 days after ovulation so I don't think the timelines would match up. Do you know why some periods are different colours or what 'old blood' means?

June 26, 2008

There is little rhyme or reason to the higher rate of miscarriages if ovulating after day 14...this may be the case with poor responders undergoing IVF or women >40y/o

Old blood means that one bleed a few days ago, but barely is making it out

June 27, 2008

Thankyou Dr. Q. My period is practically finsished now only lasting 2 days and very light in flow and brown in colour. This is unusual and has not happended before. Is it correct in saying that your ovulation day is 14 days prior to when your next period is due?

June 27, 2008

Yes that is correct +/- 2 days.

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