What should you know about spotting brown for a week?

Blood can look brown when it takes longer to leave the uterus or vagina and becomes darker. Spotting around the start or end of a period can have this appearance. Hormonal contraception, a change in contraception, missed doses, or irritation after sex can also be associated with unexpected spotting.

If pregnancy is possible, take a pregnancy test and mention the spotting to a clinician. Brown colour does not establish whether bleeding is related to pregnancy. Infection, cervical changes, polyps and fibroids are other possible causes of bleeding between periods.

An infection such as [Chlamydia](/conditions/chlamydia/) may cause bleeding with discharge, pelvic discomfort or pain when urinating. [Cervical Dysplasia](/conditions/cervical-dysplasia/) and [Cervical Cancer](/conditions/cervical-cancer/) can present with unusual bleeding, but brown spotting alone does not diagnose either condition.

Record the days of spotting, its colour and amount, where you are in your cycle, and any link with sex, contraception or a missed period. Use a pad if you need to monitor the flow. Arrange a routine appointment if the spotting lasts beyond a week, keeps returning, or is new for you.

A clinician may ask about pregnancy possibility, contraception, medicines, cervical screening, sexual health and symptoms such as discharge or pelvic pain. They can decide whether you need testing or an examination rather than relying on colour alone.

Seek urgent care for heavy or rapidly increasing bleeding, severe or one-sided pelvic pain, fainting, marked dizziness, fever, or feeling very unwell. If pregnancy is possible, bleeding with pain or faintness needs prompt assessment, whatever the colour.

Get medical advice sooner if you have bleeding after sex, a foul-smelling discharge, or new pelvic pain. These details can point to a need for infection testing or an examination.

Ask whether your contraception or cycle could explain the spotting, whether you should test for pregnancy or infection, whether cervical screening is up to date, and what changes should prompt urgent review.